Moonlighting proteins

Stari proteini s novim funkcijama ili moonlighting proteini posebna su skupina proteina otkrivena 80-ih godina prošlog stoljeća među strukturnim proteinima leće oka kralježnjaka. Otkrivanjem sve većeg broja predstavnika ove skupine postalo je jasno da se radi o grupi proteina koji se međusobno razlikuju u svojoj strukturi, ulozi i smještaju u stanici. Ovi proteini uključeni su u niz staničnih procesa poput sinteze i popravka molekule DNA, transmembranskog prijenosa te metabolizma niza staničnih makromolekula, aminokiselina, proteina, lipida i šećera. Glavno obilježje ovih proteina je autonomija primarne i moonlighting funkcije te inaktivacija jedne nema utjecaja na drugu i obratno. Također je važno napomenuti da se radi o biološki i medicinski važnoj, ali još uvijek nedovoljno istraženoj skupini proteina. Moonlighting proteins are the special group of proteins identified in 1980's among structural proteins in the lens of the vertebrate eye. As more and more members of this group have been identified, it has become evident that this special group consists of proteins different by its structure, role and position in the cell. These proteins play important role in many significant cell pathways and processes such as DNA synthesis and repair, transmembrane transport and amino acid, protein, lipid and sugar metabolism. The main feature of the moonlighting proteins is autonomy of primary and moonlighting functions, and inactivation of the one has no influence on the other and vice versa. In addition, it must be emphasized that, even though this group of proteins is not sufficiently investigated, they have significant medical and biological importance.