Crystallin

Function

Crystallin is found in the lens of the eye accounting for the transparency and probably increasing the refractive index of it. α-, β-, γ-, δ-crystallin are named according to the order they are eluted by gel filtration.

Alpha crystallin has chaperone-like properties like the ability to prevent precipitation of denatured proteins^[1]. See Alpha crystallin.
Gamma crystallin is found mainly in the nuclear region of the lens^[2].
. δ-crystallin is found in avian and reptilian lenses and missing from fish, amphibia and mammals lenses^[3].

Disease

Mutations in α-A-crystallin and α-B-crystallin can cause myopathy^[4]. Several human cataracts have been linked to mutations in γ-D-crystallin^[5].

3D Structures of Crystallin

Crystallin 3D structures

ReferencesReferences

↑ Augusteyn RC. alpha-crystallin: a review of its structure and function. Clin Exp Optom. 2004 Nov;87(6):356-66. doi: 10.1111/j.1444-0938.2004.tb03095.x. PMID:15575808 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2004.tb03095.x
↑ Vendra VP, Khan I, Chandani S, Muniyandi A, Balasubramanian D. Gamma crystallins of the human eye lens. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Jan;1860(1 Pt B):333-43. PMID:26116913 doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2015.06.007
↑ Piatigorsky J. Delta crystallins and their nucleic acids. Mol Cell Biochem. 1984;59(1-2):33-56. PMID:6369110 doi:10.1007/BF00231304
↑ Horwitz J. Alpha-crystallin. Exp Eye Res. 2003 Feb;76(2):145-53. doi: 10.1016/s0014-4835(02)00278-6. PMID:12565801 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0014-4835(02)00278-6
↑ Pande A, Pande J, Asherie N, Lomakin A, Ogun O, King J, Benedek GB. Crystal cataracts: human genetic cataract caused by protein crystallization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 May 22;98(11):6116-20. PMID:11371638 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.101124798

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Michal Harel, Alexander Berchansky, Jaime Prilusky

[1] Augusteyn RC. alpha-crystallin: a review of its structure and function. Clin Exp Optom. 2004 Nov;87(6):356-66. doi: 10.1111/j.1444-0938.2004.tb03095.x. PMID:15575808 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2004.tb03095.x

[2] Vendra VP, Khan I, Chandani S, Muniyandi A, Balasubramanian D. Gamma crystallins of the human eye lens. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Jan;1860(1 Pt B):333-43. PMID:26116913 doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2015.06.007

[3] Piatigorsky J. Delta crystallins and their nucleic acids. Mol Cell Biochem. 1984;59(1-2):33-56. PMID:6369110 doi:10.1007/BF00231304

[4] Horwitz J. Alpha-crystallin. Exp Eye Res. 2003 Feb;76(2):145-53. doi: 10.1016/s0014-4835(02)00278-6. PMID:12565801 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0014-4835(02)00278-6

[5] Pande A, Pande J, Asherie N, Lomakin A, Ogun O, King J, Benedek GB. Crystal cataracts: human genetic cataract caused by protein crystallization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 May 22;98(11):6116-20. PMID:11371638 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.101124798

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