Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) may function as a lipase and play a role in the adaptive response to a low energy state, such as fasting, by providing fatty acids to other tissues for oxidation. In addition, decreased expression of desnutrin in obesity models suggests its possible contribution to the pathophysiology of obesity. ATGL catalyzes the initial step in triglyceride hydrolysis in mammalian adipose tissue. ATGL contains a patatin domain common to plant acyl hydrolases. ATGL is highl

Pokemon, the POK erythroid myeloid ontogenic factor, not only regulates the expression of many genes, but also plays an important role in cell tumorigenesis. To investigate the molecular mechanism regulating expression of the Pokemon gene in humans, its 5'-upstream region was cloned and analyzed. Transient analysis revealed that the Pokemon promoter is constitutive. Deletion analysis and a DNA decoy assay indicated that the NEG-U and NEG-D elements were involved in negative regulation of th

This gene encodes a member of the nucleosome assembly protein (NAP) family. This protein participates in DNA replication and may play a role in modulating chromatin formation and contribute to the regulation of cell proliferation. The binding of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins to human nucleosome assembly protein 1 may be an important step contributing to the activation of transcription. May be involved in modulating chromatin formation and contribute to regulation of cell proliferati

PER2, a mammalian homologue of the Drosophila period gene, shares a 40% homology with PER1 including the protein dimerization PAS domain. PER2 is a circadian regulator that may act as a transcription factor. It behaves as a negative element in circadian transcriptional loop. PER2 does not appear to bind DNA, suggesting indirect transcriptional inhibition. Expression oscillates with a 24 hour rhythm in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the whole eyes. Oscillations are maintained under const

Isocitrate dehydrogenases catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to 2-oxoglutarate. These enzymes belong to two distinct subclasses, one of which utilizes NAD(+) as the electron acceptor and the other NADP(+). Five isocitrate dehydrogenases have been reported: three NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases, which localize to the mitochondrial matrix, and two NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases, one of which is mitochondrial and the other predominantly cytosolic. Each

This gene encodes component E2 of the multi-enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). PDC resides in the inner mitochondrial membrane and catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A. The protein product of this gene, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, accepts acetyl groups formed by the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate and transfers them to coenzyme A. Dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase is the antigen for antimitochondrial antibodies. These autoantibodies are present in