Recombinant Human Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK)

This gene belongs to the subfamily of ubiquitously expressed heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs). The hnRNPs are RNA binding proteins and they complex with heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA). These proteins are associated with pre-mRNAs in the nucleus and appear to influence pre-mRNA processing and other aspects of mRNA metabolism and transport. While all of the hnRNPs are present in the nucleus, some seem to shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The hnRNP proteins have distinct nucleic acid binding properties. The protein encoded by this gene is located in the nucleoplasm and has three repeats of KH domains that binds to RNAs. It is distinct among other hnRNP proteins in its binding preference; it binds tenaciously to poly(C). This protein is also thought to have a role during cell cycle progession. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described for this gene, however, not all of them are fully characterized. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

One of the major pre-mRNA-binding proteins. Binds tenaciously to poly(C) sequences. Likely to play a role in the nuclear metabolism of hnRNAs, particularly for pre-mRNAs that contain cytidine-rich sequences. Can also bind poly(C) single-stranded DNA. Plays an important role in p53/TP53 response to DNA damage, acting at the level of both transcription activation and repression. When sumoylated, acts as a transcriptional coactivator of p53/TP53, playing a role in p21/CDKN1A and 14-3-3 sigma/SFN induction (). As far as transcription repression is concerned, acts by interacting with long intergenic RNA p21 (lincRNA-p21), a non-coding RNA induced by p53/TP53. This interaction is necessary for the induction of apoptosis, but not cell cycle arrest.