Ankyrins

Ankyrins are a class of proteins that are important for the organization of the intra cellular actin cytoskeleton. They have a vital role in maintaining cell membrane integrity, and in organizing and anchoring vital components of cells including ion channels, transporters, receptors, and signaling molecules. Mutations in ankyrin-encoding genes have been associated with a range of diseases including cardiac arrhythmias, seizure disorders, and congenital muscular dystrophy. In addition, ankyrins are involved in signal transduction pathways and the regulation of gene expression. Thus, understanding the structure and function of ankyrin proteins is important for drug discovery, development of diagnostics and treatments, and other applications.