Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K (HNRPK)

HNRPK belongs to the subfamily of ubiquitously expressed heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs).These proteins are associated with pre-mRNAs in the nucleus and appear to influence pre-mRNA processing and other aspects of mRNA metabolism and transport. While all of the hnRNPs are present in the nucleus, some seem to shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The protein encoded by this gene is located in the nucleoplasm and has three repeats of KH domains that binds to RNAs. It is distinct among other hnRNP proteins in its binding preference; it binds tenaciously to poly(C). This protein is also thought to have a role during cell cycle progession. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described for this gene but only three variants have been fully described.