Saposins: structure, function, distribution, and molecular genetics.

Saposins: structure, function, distribution, and molecular genetics.

Saposins A, B, C, and D are small heat-stable glycoproteins derived from a common precursor protein, prosaposin. These mature saposins, as well as prosaposin, activate several lysosomal hydrolases involved in the metabolism of various sphingolipids. All four saposins are structurally similar to one another including placement of six cysteines, a glycosylation site, and conserved prolines in ide...

Pneumoviruses: Molecular Genetics and Reverse Genetics

Pneumoviruses are responsible for significant respiratory disease in their hosts and represent a major problemfor human and animal health. Pneumoviruses are members of the family Paramyxoviridae, subfamilyPneumovirinae and the virus particles consist of a negative-sense, nonsegmented RNA genome within a helical nucleocapsid structure enveloped in a lipid membrane derived from the ho...

Antibody structure, function, and molecular genetics: a primer

There has been a therapeutic revolution in rheumatology over the past 15 years, characterised by a move away from oral immunosuppressive drugs toward parenteral targeted biological therapies. The potency and relative safety of the newer agents has facilitated a more aggressive approach to treatment, with many more patients achieving disease remission. There is even a prevailing sense that disea...

Peptides from the calcitonin genes: molecular genetics, structure and function.

Molecular Genetics and Epidemiology of Vitiligo

Background: Vitiligo is an acquired, idiopathic, and common depigmentation disorder of the skin that affects people of all ages and both sexes equally in the worldwide. Although etiology of the disease is unknown, there are theories such as environment and genetic factors. Methods: In this article, we collected and summarized the appropriate manuscripts regarding the epidemiology and gene...