Melan A (MLANA)

MART1 regulated the expression, stability, trafficking, and processing of Pmel17. MART1 colocalized and formed a complex with the P100 form of Pmel17 within early subcellular compartments in melanocytic cells.MART1 siRNA reduced Pmel17 expression, abrogated the processing of Pmel17 in post-Golgi compartments, and interrupted trafficking of Pmel17 to early melanosomes.Sequence analysis predicted that the 118-amino acid MLANA protein contains no leader sequence but has a putative transmembrane hydrophobic stretch, which may bind HLA-A2, followed by 3 arg residues. Northern blot analysis revealed high expression in melanomas and lower expression in melanocytes. MLANA was expressed in retina but not in other normal tissues or B- and T-cell lines.