{PDOC00221}
{PS00248; NGF_1}
{PS50270; NGF_2}
{BEGIN}
****************************************************
* Nerve growth factor family signature and profile *
****************************************************

Nerve growth factor (NGF or beta-NGF) is a vertebrate protein that  stimulates
division and differentiation  of sympathetic and embryonic sensory neurons [1,
2]. NGF is  a protein  of  about  120  residues that is  cleaved from a larger
precursor molecule.  It  contains  six  cysteines  all  involved in intrachain
disulfide bonds.  A  schematic representation of the structure of NGF is shown
below:

                                    +------------------------+
                                    |                        |
                                    |    *******             |
        xxxxxxCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCxxxxCxxxxxCxxxxxxxxxxxxxCxCxxxx
              |                          |     |               |
              +--------------------------|-----+               |
                                         +---------------------+

'C': conserved cysteine involved in a disulfide bond.
'*': position of the pattern.

Some proteins have been found [3] to be structurally and  functionally related
to NGF, these are:

 - Brain-derived neurotrophic  factor  (BDNF), a  protein   that  promotes the
   survival of neuronal populations all located either in the central  nervous
   system or directly connected to it.
 - Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), a  protein that  seems  to  promote  the survival of
   visceral and proprioceptive sensory neurons.
 - Neurotrophins-4/5 (NT-4/5), which  elicit  neurite outgrowth from explanted
   dorsal root  ganglia  and  could  play a role  in  oogenesis  and/or  early
   embryogenesis.
 - Neurotrophin-6.
 - Neurotrophin-7 from zebrafish.

The pattern  we have developed for  the NGF family spans the central region of
these  proteins  and  include  two of the six cysteines  involved in disulfide
bonds.

-Consensus pattern: [GSRE]-C-[KRL]-G-[LIVT]-[DE]-x(3)-[YW]-x-S-x-C
                    [The 2 C's are involved in disulfide bonds]
-Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
-Other sequence(s) detected in Swiss-Prot: NONE.

-Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the profile: ALL, except
 for two
-Other sequence(s) detected in Swiss-Prot: NONE.

-Last update: April 2006 / Pattern revised.

[ 1] Levi-Montalcini R.
     Science 237:1154-1162(1987).
[ 2] Bradshaw R.A., Blundell T.L., Lapatto R., McDonald N.Q., Murray-Rust J.
     "Nerve growth factor revisited."
     Trends Biochem. Sci. 18:48-52(1993).
     PubMed=8488558
[ 3] Lo D.C.
     "NGF takes shape."
     Curr. Biol. 2:67-69(1992).
     PubMed=15335999

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{END}