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FLASH GENE
Symbol GJA4 contributors: mct/npt - updated : 13-05-2020
HGNC name gap junction protein, alpha 4, 37kDa
HGNC id 4278
Location 1p34.3      Physical location : 35.258.598 - 35.261.346
Synonym name
  • gap junction protein, alpha 4, 37kDa (connexin 37)
  • connexin 37
  • Synonym symbol(s) CX37
    DNA
    TYPE anonymous DNA segment
    STRUCTURE 2.79 kb     2 Exon(s)
    MAPPING cloned   linked   status confirmed
    Map pter - D1S2676 - [D1S195 - D1S1546 - GJA4 - D1S1628 - D1S496 - D1S201 - AK2 -- D1S472 - D1S255 ] - D1S432 - MYCL1 - D1S2743 - MYCL1 - D1S1591 - D1S432 - D1S2101 - D1S1598 - D1S3435 - D1S2706 - KCNQ4 /GJB3 - D1S193 - D1S2861 - D1S193 - cen
    Authors Kubisch (99), UCSC (2009)
    Text [GJB3 , GJB5 ]
    RNA
    TRANSCRIPTS type messenger
    identificationnb exonstypebpproduct
    ProteinkDaAAspecific expressionYearPubmed
    2 - 1621 37.3 333 - 1993 7680674
    EXPRESSION
    Type widely
       expressed in (based on citations)
    organ(s)
    SystemOrgan level 1Organ level 2Organ level 3Organ level 4LevelPubmedSpeciesStageRna symbol
    Cardiovascularvesselscapillary   
    Nervousnervecranial nerve  highly
    Reproductivefemale systemplacenta  highly
     female systemovary   
    tissue
    SystemTissueTissue level 1Tissue level 2LevelPubmedSpeciesStageRna symbol
    Connectiveadipose  highly
    Epithelialbarrier/liningendothelium  
    cells
    SystemCellPubmedSpeciesStageRna symbol
    Blood/Hematopoieticmonocyte
    Blood/Hematopoieticplatelet Homo sapiens
    Cardiovascularendothelial cell
    Lymphoid/Immunemacrophage
    cell lineage
    cell lines
    fluid/secretion
    at STAGE
    PROTEIN
    PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    STRUCTURE
    motifs/domains
  • cytoplasmic N-terminal alpha-helical structure may be dispensable for protein localization, but implicated in protein trafficking, oligomerization and channel gating, and required for hemichannel gating and intercellular communication (Kyle 2008, 2009))
  • four putative membrane spanning alpha helices, separating the N terminal intracellular domain
  • two extracellular loops
  • a C terminal intracellular domain
  • HOMOLOGY
    Homologene
    FAMILY
  • connexin family
  • alpha-type (group II) subfamily
  • CATEGORY structural protein , transport channel
    SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION     plasma membrane,junction,gap
    basic FUNCTION
  • gap junction protein of endothelial cells with multiple conductance levels and pronounced voltage dependency
  • may control initiation of the development of atherosclerotic plaques by regulating monocyte adhesion
  • important role for GJA4 hemichannels and gap junctions in platelet thrombus function
  • CELLULAR PROCESS
    PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS cell to cell transport
    PATHWAY
    metabolism
    signaling
    a component
  • monomer constituent of the connexon (six subunits), docking with its counterpart in the neighboring cell to form the gap junction channel
  • INTERACTION
    DNA
    RNA
    small molecule
    protein
  • GJA1 in some endothelial cells
  • GJA4, GJA5, contribute to the propagation and amplification of the Ca(2+) signaling triggered by Acetylcholine (ACh) in endothelial cells expressing CHRM3
  • arterial shear activates a NOTCH1-GJA4-CDKN1B axis that promotes endothelial cell cycle arrest to enable arterial gene expression
  • cell & other
    REGULATION
    ASSOCIATED DISORDERS
    corresponding disease(s)
    Susceptibility
  • to atherosclerosis
  • to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
  • to Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
  • Variant & Polymorphism other
  • polymorphism protecting against atherosclerosis
  • c.946G>A heterozygous substitution leading to a p.Gly316Ser variant that was present in primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
  • GJA4 C1019T variation may contribute to the risk of PCOS
  • Candidate gene
    Marker
    Therapy target
    ANIMAL & CELL MODELS
  • deletion of the Cx37 gene (Gja4) in transgenic mice reduced platelet aggregation, fibrinogen binding, granule secretion, and clot retraction
  • Cx37-deficient female mice are infertile