In biology, gap junction proteins are proteins that form gap junctions, which connect two neighboring cells. They are divided into two broad categories: pannexins and connexins.
Overview
Gap junction proteins are present in many organisms, including all vertebrates, as well as chordates, tunicates, ascidians, and appendicularians. Connexins were discovered first; the gap junction proteins of non-chordates (or innexins) were discovered later, and the proteins of chordates even later. Pannexins are typically between 300 and 600 amino acids long. By the standards of other proteins, gap junction proteins have very short turnover times and very flexible gene expression patterns.
List
Gap junction α (GJA) proteins GJA1, Cx43, gap junction alpha-1 protein GJA2, Cx38, gap junction alpha-2 protein GJA3, Cx46, gap junction alpha-3 protein GJA4, Cx37, gap junction alpha-4 protein GJA5, Cx40, gap junction alpha-5 protein GJA6, Cx33 gap junction alpha-6 protein GJA7, Cx44.3-45.6, gap junction alpha-7 protein GJA8, Cx50, gap junction alpha-8 protein GJA9, Cx58, gap junction alpha-9 protein GJA10, Cx62, gap junction alpha-10 protein GJA11, Cx59, gap junction alpha-11 protein GJA12, Cx46.6, gap junction alpha-12 protein
Gap junction β (GJB) proteins GJB1, Cx32, gap junction beta-1 protein GJB2, Cx26, gap junction beta-2 protein GJB3, Cx31, gap junction beta-3 protein GJB4, Cx30.3, gap junction beta-4 protein GJB5, Cx31.1, gap junction beta-5 protein GJB6, Cx30, gap junction beta-6 protein GJB7, Cx25, gap junction beta-7 protein
Gap junction γ (GJC) proteins GJC1, Cx45.6, gap junction gamma-1 protein GJC2, Cx47, gap junction gamma-2 protein GJC3, Cx29, gap junction gamma-3 protein
Gap junction δ (GJD) proteins GJD1, Cx29, gap junction delta-1 protein GJD2, Cx36, gap junction delta-2 protein GJD3, Cx31.9, gap junction delta-3 protein GJD4, Cx40.1, gap junction delta-4 protein
Gap junction ε (GJE) proteins GJE1, Cx23, gap junction epsilon-1 protein
See also Tight junction protein
References