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Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Methods to Study Mrp4-containing Macromolecular Complexes in the Regulation of Fibroblast Migration
Published on: May 19, 2016
Brain-specific expression of the nuclear actin-related protein ArpNalpha and its involvement in mammalian SWI/SNF
Yukiko Kuroda1, Yukako Oma, Katsuhiko Nishimori
1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi 1-1, Aoba-ku, 981-8555, Sendai, Japan
Abstract:
Actin-related proteins share significant homology with conventional actins and are classified into subfamilies based on the similarity of their sequences and functions. The Arp4 subfamily of Arps is localized in the nucleus, and a mammalian isoform, ArpNbeta (also known as BAF53), is a component of the chromatin remodeling and histone acetyltransferase complexes. Another isoform identified in humans, ArpNalpha has scarcely been characterized yet. We identified mouse ArpNalpha, and showed that ArpNalpha is more similar between humans and mice than ArpNbeta. No difference was observed between ArpNalpha and beta in subcellular localization and interaction with BRM, which is an ATPase subunit of mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. However, ArpNalpha was expressed exclusively in the brain and its expression was induced during neural differentiation of P19 mouse embryonic carcinoma cells. ArpNalpha is the first brain-specific component of a chromatin remodeling complex to be identified, suggesting that ArpNalpha has conserved and important roles in the differentiation of neural cells through regulation of chromatin structure.
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