Family with sequence similarity 32 member A (FAM32A)

Family with sequence similarity 32 member A (FAM32A) is a metazoan-specific, small (13 kDa), RNA-binding protein that serves as an essential exon ligation factor in the human spliceosome, directly promoting exon ligation by stabilizing the 3′ splice site and facilitating the splicing of pre-mRNA. FAM32A acts at the post-catalytic stage of splicing, bridging exon and intron boundaries within the catalytic core, thereby ensuring correct mRNA formation. It is expressed in various tissues, localizes to the nucleolus and nucleoplasm, and is implicated in regulation of alternative splicing, with strong evidence for roles in apoptosis and cell growth suppression. Downregulation of FAM32A has been linked to ovarian tumor development in mouse models and it has been proposed as a potential tumor suppressor. Proteomic studies have identified FAM32A as a potential molecular target mediating the effects of anticancer metallodrugs, and it is under consideration as a possible cancer biomarker[1][3][5].

Other names

Protein FAM32AOTAG12OTAG-12CGI-144DKFZP586O0120Ovarian tumor-associated gene 12ovarian tumor associated gene-12OTAG-12bOTAG-12cOTAG-12a

Modulation of RNA splicing and possibly cell cycle and apoptosis in response to certain drug treatments (e.g., cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction by metallodrug interaction)