Fasciculation And Elongation Protein Zeta 1 (FEz1)

Fasciculation and elongation protein zeta 1 (zygin I), also known as FEZ1 is an ortholog of the C. elegans unc-76 gene, which is necessary for normal axonal bundling and elongation within axon bundles. Expression of this gene in C. elegans unc-76 mutants can restore to the mutants partial locomotion and axonal fasciculation, suggesting that it also functions in axonal outgrowth. The N-terminal half of the gene product is highly acidic.Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms of this protein have been described.This protein is present in neurons, and it is believed to block the process of infection of these cells by HIV.May be involved in axonal outgrowth as component of the network of molecules that regulate cellular morphology and axon guidance machinery.