Ankyrin Repeat Domain Protein 2 (ANKRD2)

ANKRD2 belongs to the conserved muscle ankyrin repeat protein (MARP) family. Expression of MARPs is induced in response to physiologic stress, injury, and hypertrophy. The full-length 328-amino acid mouse protein contains an ATP/GTP-binding domain in its N-terminal half and an ankyrin repeat region in its C-terminal half. It also has a nuclear localization signal, 2 protein-destabilizing PEST sequences, and 2 phosphorylation sites. Northern blot and PCR analyses detected expression of mouse Ankrd2 only in tissues containing striated muscle. In situ hybridization of mouse embryos showed that Ankrd2 expression was restricted to the myotome of somites at day 9.5. At later developmental stages, Ankrd2 expression was stronger in outer back muscles than intercostal muscles, and it was not expressed in heart.