UNIPROT #

Q13813

PROTEIN NAME

Alpha Fodrin

SYNONYMS

(ALPHA)II-SPECTRIN antibody; Alpha II Spectrin antibody; Alpha-II spectrin antibodybrain antibody; EIEE5 antibody; FLJ17738 antibody; FLJ44613 antibody; Fodrin alpha chain antibody; Fodrin, alpha antibody; NEAS antibody; Non erythrocytic spectrin alpha antibody; non-erythroid alpha chain antibody; SPECA antibody; Spectrin alpha chain antibody; Spectrin alpha chain brain antibody; Spectrin alpha non erythrocytic 1 antibody; Spectrin antibody; Spectrin non erythroid alpha chain antibody; Spectrin, alpha, non-erythrocytic 1 (alpha-fodrin) antibody; Spectrin, nonerythroid, alpha subunit antibody; Spna2 antibody; SPTA 2 antibody; SPTA2 antibody; SPTA2_HUMAN antibody; SPTAN 1 antibody; SPTAN1 antibody

SEQUENCE SIMILARITIES

Belongs to the spectrin family.

POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATION

Phosphorylation of Tyr-1176 decreases sensitivity to cleavage by calpain in vitro.

SUBCELLULAR LOCATION

Cytoskeleton.

FUNCTION

Alpha Fodrin also named Spectrin. Spectrin, an actin binding protein that is a major component of the cytoskeletal superstructure of the erythrocyte plasma membrane, is essential in determining the properties of the membrane including its shape and deformability. Spectrins function as membrane organizers and stabilizers, composed of nonhomologous α and β chains, which aggregate side-to-side in an antiparallel fashion to form dimers, tetramers, and higher polymers. Spectrin α I and spectrin β I are present in erythrocytes, whereas spectrin α II (also designated fodrin α) and spectrin β II (also designated fodrin β) are present in other somatic cells. The spectrin tetramers in erythrocytes act as barriers to lateral diffusion, but spectrin dimers seem to lack this function. Activation of calpain results in the breakdown of spectrin α II, a neuronal cytoskeleton protein.