| Literature References | 1. CLARK B.J., WELLS J., KING S.R. AND STOCCO D.M.
The purification, cloning, and expression of a novel luteinizing hormone-
induced mitochondrial protein in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells.
Characterization of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR).
J.BIOL.CHEM. 269 28314-28322 (1994).
2. GRADI, A., TANG-WAI, R., MCBRIDE, H.M., CHU, L.L., SHORE, G.C.
AND PELLETIER, J.
The human steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) gene is expressed in the
urogenital system and encodes a mitochondrial polypeptide.
BIOCHIM.BIOPHYS.ACTA. 1258 228-233 (1995).
3. SUGAWARA, T., LIN, D., HOLT, J.A., MARTIN, K.O., JAVITT, N.B.,
MILLER, W.L. AND STRAUSS, J.F.
Structure of the human steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) gene:
STAR stimulates mitochondrial cholesterol 27-hydroxylase activity.
BIOCHEMISTRY 34 12506-12512 (1995).
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| Documentation | Steroidogenic cells respond to trophic hormone stimulation by mobilisation
of cholesterol from cellular stores to the mitochondrial outer membrane,
and thence to the inner membrane, where the first enzymatic step in
steroidogenesis occurs [1]. Cholesterol transfer across the membranes is
dependent on de novo protein synthesis, which is the regulated step in
the process [1].
The newly-synthesised regulatory protein(s) have yet to be identified.
Nevertheless, a candidate mitochondrial protein has been characterised that
is synthesised in response to luteinising hormone stimulation [1].
Expression of the protein in the absence of hormone stimulation is
sufficient to induce steroid production, suggesting that this protein is
required in the acute regulation of steroidogenesis. This novel protein has
been termed Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein (StAR).
STARPROTEIN is a 9-element fingerprint that provides a signature for
steroidogenic acute regulatory proteins. The fingerprint was derived from
an initial alignment of 11 sequences: the motifs were drawn from conserved
regions spanning virtually the full alignment length. A single iteration
on OWL30.2 was required to reach convergence, no further sequences being
identified beyond the starting set. Two partial matches were found,
SSU72195 and S80098, both of which are fragments that match motifs 3-6.
An update on SPTR37_9f identified a true set of 7 sequences, and 2
partial matches.
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