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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
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