This gene encodes a DNA topoisomerase, an enzyme that controls and alters the topologic states of DNA during transcription. This enzyme catalyzes the transient breaking and rejoining of a single strand of DNA which allows the strands to pass through one another, thus altering the topology of DNA. This gene is localized to chromosome 20 and has pseudogenes which reside on chromosomes 1 and 22. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Endothelins (ET) show potent constrictor activity in vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle. This family of 21-amino acid peptides exists in at least three isoforms - ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3, and is produced in endothelial and epithelial cells. ET's can mediate biological effects in cells and tissues, and have been shown to bind to an ET receptor in the lung, kidney, heart, and liver. Endothelin 1 is expressed in lung, placental stem villi vessels and in cultured placental vascular smoot

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are a class of ionotropic glutamate-gated ion channels. These receptors have been shown to be involved in long-term potentiation, an activity-dependent increase in the efficiency of synaptic transmission thought to underlie certain kinds of memory and learning. NMDA receptor channels are heteromers composed of the key receptor subunit NMDAR1 (GRIN1) and 1 or more of the 4 NMDAR2 subunits: NMDAR2A (GRIN2A), NMDAR2B (GRIN2B), NMDAR2C (GRIN2C) and NMDAR2D (

ITGAL encodes the integrin alpha L chain. Integrins are heterodimeric integral membrane proteins composed of an alpha chain and a beta chain. This I-domain containing alpha integrin combines with the beta 2 chain (ITGB2) to form the integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), which is expressed on all leukocytes. LFA-1 plays a central role in leukocyte intercellular adhesion through interactions with its ligands, ICAMs 1-3 (intercellular adhesion molecules 1 through 3), and als

The protein encoded by this gene is a glycoprotein, belonging to the pentraxin family of proteins, which has a characteristic pentameric organization. These family members have considerable sequence homology which is thought to be the result of gene duplication. The binding of the encoded protein to proteins in the pathological amyloid cross-beta fold suggests its possible role as a chaperone. This protein is also thought to control the degradation of chromatin. It has been demonstrated that th

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), a member of the human herpes virus family, causes two distinct clinical manifestations: childhood chickenpox(Varicella) and shingles (zoster). Varicella is the outcome of the primary infection with VZV, whereas, zoster is the result of VZV reactivation from latently infected sensory ganglia which occurs predominantly in aging and immunosuppressed individuals.$nVZV virons are spherical and 150-200 nm in diameter. Its lipid envelope encloses the nucleocapsid of 16