R-spondin 3 explained

R-spondin-3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RSPO3 gene.^{[1] [2]}

Function

This gene encodes a member of the thrombospondin type 1 repeat gene superfamily. In addition, the protein contains a furin-like cysteine-rich region. Furin-like repeat domains have been found in a variety of eukaryotic proteins involved in the mechanism of signal transduction by receptor tyrosine kinases.^[3]

During embryonic development, RSPO3 is expressed in the tail bud and the posterior presomitic mesoderm of the embryo. In tissue engineering, R-spondin 3 has been used to differentiate pluripotent stem cells into paraxial mesoderm progenitors^[4]

Further reading

• Kim KA, Zhao J, Andarmani S, Kakitani M, Oshima T, Binnerts ME, Abo A, Tomizuka K, Funk WD . R-Spondin proteins: a novel link to beta-catenin activation . Cell Cycle . 5 . 1 . 23–6 . Jan 2006 . 16357527 . 10.4161/cc.5.1.2305 . free .
• Hannah BL, Misenheimer TM, Annis DS, Mosher DF . A polymorphism in thrombospondin-1 associated with familial premature coronary heart disease causes a local change in conformation of the Ca2+-binding repeats . The Journal of Biological Chemistry . 278 . 11 . 8929–34 . Mar 2003 . 12643280 . 10.1074/jbc.M211185200 . free .
• Chen JZ, Wang S, Tang R, Yang QS, Zhao E, Chao Y, Ying K, Xie Y, Mao YM . Cloning and identification of a cDNA that encodes a novel human protein with thrombospondin type I repeat domain, hPWTSR . Molecular Biology Reports . 29 . 3 . 287–92 . Sep 2002 . 12463421 . 10.1023/A:1020479301379 . 32362310 .

Notes and References

1. Adams JC, Tucker RP . The thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSR) superfamily: diverse proteins with related roles in neuronal development . Developmental Dynamics . 218 . 2 . 280–99 . Jun 2000 . 10842357 . 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0177(200006)218:2<280::AID-DVDY4>3.0.CO;2-0 . free .
2. Kazanskaya O, Glinka A, del Barco Barrantes I, Stannek P, Niehrs C, Wu W . R-Spondin2 is a secreted activator of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and is required for Xenopus myogenesis . Developmental Cell . 7 . 4 . 525–34 . Oct 2004 . 15469841 . 10.1016/j.devcel.2004.07.019 . free .
3. Web site: Entrez Gene: RSPO3 R-spondin 3 homolog (Xenopus laevis).
4. Chal J, Oginuma M, Al Tanoury Z, Gobert B, Sumara O, Hick A, Bousson F, Zidouni Y, Mursch C, Moncuquet P, Tassy O, Vincent S, Miyanari A, Bera A, Garnier JM, Guevara G, Hestin M, Kennedy L, Hayashi S, Drayton B, Cherrier T, Gayraud-Morel B, Gussoni E, Relaix F, Tajbakhsh S, Pourquié O . Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to muscle fiber to model Duchenne muscular dystrophy . Nature Biotechnology . 33 . 9 . 962–9 . Sep 2015 . 26237517 . 10.1038/nbt.3297 . 21241434 .