Kinesin Family, Member 21A (KIF21A)

KIF21A is characterized by an N-terminal motor domain a coiled-coil stalk domain and a C-terminal WD-40 repeat domain. This protein may be involved in microtubule dependent transport. Mutations in this gene are the cause of congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles-1. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants.The deduced 1,573-amino acid protein contains 3 characteristic kinesin domains: an N-terminal head motor domain, a coiled-coil stalk region, and a C-terminal tail. The stalk region has a conserved cluster of negatively charged amino acids, and the tail has 7 consensus WD40 repeats. Western blot analysis detected mouse Kif21a at an apparent molecular mass of about 180 kD in all mouse nervous system tissues examined.