Snail Family Zinc Finger 1 (SNAI1) Human Recombinant Protein

The Drosophila embryonic protein snail is a zinc finger transcriptional repressor which downregulates the expression of ectodermal genes within the mesoderm. The nuclear protein encoded by this gene is structurally similar to the Drosophila snail protein, and is also thought to be critical for mesoderm formation in the developing embryo. At least two variants of a similar processed pseudogene have been found on chromosome 2. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Snail1: a protein of the C2H2-type zinc-finger family that regulates transcription. Involved in embryonic mesoderm formation. Plays a role in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is characterized by decreased levels of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and alpha- and beta-catenin, and increased cellular migration and expression of the mesenchymal markers fibronectin, vimentin, N-cadherin and smooth muscle alpha-actin.E Snail binds to 3 E-boxes of the E-cadherin gene promoter and represses its transcription. NF-kappaB binds and regulates the snail promoter and is critical for EMT, and inhibition of NF-kappaB activity lowered snail levels and morphologically reversed the EMT.

Protein type: Transcription factor; C2H2-type zinc finger protein

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 20q13.2

Cellular Component: cytoplasm; nucleus

Molecular Function: protein binding; metal ion binding; kinase binding

Biological Process: osteoblast differentiation; negative regulation of DNA damage response, signal transduction by p53 class mediator; cell migration; hair follicle morphogenesis; mesoderm formation; positive regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; epithelial to mesenchymal transition; palate development; negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; positive regulation of cell migration