Structural and functional analysis of human Nrf2 protein
LIU Yuan-feng, ZHAO Dong-ting, FENG Shao-long
Hengyang Key Laboratory for Health Hazard Factors Inspection and Quarantine, School of Public Health, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
Abstract:Objective Oxidative stress is suggested to be associated with varieties of acute and chronic diseases. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 isoform2 (Nrf2), which senses the redox status in cells, is a key transcription factor for anti-oxidative stress. Then, it is of great significance for preventing and treating the related diseases to learn its structure and biological functions. Methods In this present study, we employed modern bioinformatics online databases and analyzing tools, including NCBI, ExPASy, Protscale, TMHMM and SignalP, to dissect the possible structure and potential functions of human Nrf2 protein. Results The results showed that human Nrf2 protein, composed of 589 amino acids, was a hydrophilic protein without transmembrane structure and signal peptide, and there were mainly α-helix and random coils, with conserved domains and protein binding ability in its secondary structure. This protein, with a variety of phosphorylation sites, may locate in the nucleus or cytoplasm and can interact with a variety of proteins in cells. Conclusions The bioinformatic techniques used in this study are powerful and useful for us to deeply study the structure and function of Nrf2 in the future
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