Clathrin light chain B (CLTB)

Clathrin light chain B is a cytosolic protein that forms part of the clathrin triskelion, which assembles into a cage-like structure mediating vesicle formation for receptor-mediated endocytosis and intracellular trafficking. In mammals, clathrin consists of three heavy chains and three light chains (A and B types), with the light chains playing roles in regulating clathrin assembly/disassembly, cargo selectivity, and connecting the endocytic machinery to the actin cytoskeleton. CLTB is not a receptor, enzyme, or classical therapeutic target but serves as a key structural/regulatory component in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, a universal process critical for nutrient uptake, receptor recycling, and synaptic transmission. Dysfunction in CLTB or its pathways can contribute to altered endocytosis and has been linked to the ability of pathogens to hijack endocytic machinery for cell entry, but there are no approved therapeutic drugs that specifically target CLTB.

Other names

Clathrin light chain BCLTBLcbLCBclathrin, light chain (Lcb)clathrin, light polypeptide (Lcb)