COPE cDNA Clone – Coatomer Protein Complex, Subunit Epsilon (Human)

The product of this gene is an epsilon subunit of coatomer protein complex. Coatomer is a cytosolic protein complex that binds to dilysine motifs and reversibly associates with Golgi non-clathrin-coated vesicles. It is required for budding from Golgi membranes, and is essential for the retrograde Golgi-to-ER transport of dilysine-tagged proteins. Coatomer complex consists of at least the alpha, beta, beta', gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta subunits. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

COPE: The coatomer is a cytosolic protein complex that binds to dilysine motifs and reversibly associates with Golgi non- clathrin-coated vesicles, which further mediate biosynthetic protein transport from the ER, via the Golgi up to the trans Golgi network. Coatomer complex is required for budding from Golgi membranes, and is essential for the retrograde Golgi-to-ER transport of dilysine-tagged proteins. In mammals, the coatomer can only be recruited by membranes associated to ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs), which are small GTP-binding proteins; the complex also influences the Golgi structural integrity, as well as the processing, activity, and endocytic recycling of LDL receptors. Belongs to the COPE family. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Vesicle

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 19p13.11

Cellular Component: COPI vesicle coat; cytosol; endoplasmic reticulum membrane; Golgi apparatus; Golgi membrane; nucleoplasm; transport vesicle

Molecular Function: protein binding

Biological Process: ER to Golgi vesicle-mediated transport; intra-Golgi vesicle-mediated transport; retrograde vesicle-mediated transport, Golgi to ER