Calnexin (CNX)

Calnexin is a 90kDa integral protein of the endoplasmic reticulum. It consists of a large N-terminal calcium-binding lumenal domain, a single transmembrane helix and a short, acidic cytoplasmic tail. Calnexin is one of the chaperone molecules, which are characterized by their main function of assisting protein folding and quality control, ensuring that only properly folded and assembled proteins proceed further along the secretory pathway. Oligosaccharides with three sequential glucose residues are added to asparagine residues of the nascent proteins in the ER. The monoglucosylated oligosaccharides that are recognized by calnexin result from the trimming of two glucose residues by the sequential action of two glucosidases, I and II.