DEAD Box Polypeptide 6 (DDX6)

DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), are putative RNA helicases. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of this family are believed to be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division.DDX6 encodes a DEAD box protein. It may contribute to the cell proliferation and carcinogenesis.The predicted amino acid sequence shared 75% identity with the female germline-specific RNA helicase ME31B gene of Drosophila. Unlike ME31B, however, the new gene expressed an abundant transcript in a large number of adult tissues and its 5-prime noncoding region was found to be split in a t(11;14)(q23.3;q32.3) cell line from a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.