START-like domain superfamily QuickView

Description:: START (StAR-related lipid-transfer) is a lipid-binding domain in StAR, HD-ZIP and signalling proteins. StAR (Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein) is a mitochondrial protein that is synthesised in response to luteinising hormone stimulation. Expression of the protein in the absence of hormone stimulation is sufficient to induce steroid production, suggesting that this protein is required in the acute regulation of steroidogenesis. Representatives of the START domain family havebeen shown to bind different ligands such as sterols (StAR protein) andphosphatidylcholine (PC-TP). Ligand binding by the START domain can alsoregulate the activities of other domains that co-occur with the START domainin multidomain proteins such as Rho-gap, the homeodomain,and the thioesterase domain. The crystal structure of START domain of human MLN64 shows analpha/beta fold built around an U-shaped incomplete beta-barrel. Mostimportantly, the interior of the protein encompasses a 26 x 12 x 11 Angstromshydrophobic tunnel that is apparently large enough to bind a singlecholesterol molecule. The START domain structure revealed an unexpectedsimilarity to that of the birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 and to bacterialpolyketide cyclases/aromatases. This superfamily represents an alpha/beta sandwich structural domain found in a wide variety of protein families, including STAR-related lipid transfer proteins and homeobox-leucine zipper proteins.

QuickView for START-like domain superfamily (biogroup)