IK (gene) explained

Protein Red is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IK gene.^{[1] [2]}

The protein encoded by this gene was identified by its RED repeat, a stretch of repeated arginine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid residues. The protein localizes to discrete dots within the nucleus, excluding the nucleolus. Its function is unknown. This gene maps to chromosome 5; however, a pseudogene may exist on chromosome 2.

Further reading

• Cao LX, Le Bousse-Kerdiles MC, Clay D, etal . Implication of a new molecule IK in CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation. . Blood . 89 . 10 . 3615–23 . 1997 . 9160666 . 10.1182/blood.V89.10.3615. free .
• Assier E, Bouzinba-Segard H, Stolzenberg MC, etal . Isolation, sequencing and expression of RED, a novel human gene encoding an acidic-basic dipeptide repeat. . Gene . 230 . 2 . 145–54 . 1999 . 10216252 . 10.1016/S0378-1119(99)00066-9 .
• Willers J, Häffner A, Zepter K, etal . The interferon inhibiting cytokine IK is overexpressed in cutaneous T cell lymphoma derived tumor cells that fail to upregulate major histocompatibility complex class II upon interferon-gamma stimulation. . J. Invest. Dermatol. . 116 . 6 . 874–9 . 2001 . 11407974 . 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2001.01339.x . free .

Notes and References

1. Krief P, Augery-Bourget Y, Plaisance S, Merck MF, Assier E, Tanchou V, Billard M, Boucheix C, Jasmin C, Azzarone B . A new cytokine (IK) down-regulating HLA class II: monoclonal antibodies, cloning and chromosome localization . Oncogene . 9 . 12 . 3449–56 . Dec 1994 . 7970704 .
2. Web site: Entrez Gene: IK IK cytokine, down-regulator of HLA II.