Transmembrane protein 161B (TMEM161B)

Transmembrane protein 161B (TMEM161B) is an evolutionarily conserved, widely expressed, multi-pass transmembrane protein with 8–9 predicted transmembrane segments. It is not homologous to established protein families such as receptors, channels, enzymes, or transporters, and lacks annotated functional domains. TMEM161B plays an essential role in mammalian brain development, especially in regulating the organization and polarity of neural progenitor cells and modulating the cytoskeleton via actin filopodia. Loss-of-function mutations in TMEM161B cause severe developmental brain disorders in humans, particularly polymicrogyria, intellectual disability, and epilepsy, and similar neurodevelopmental phenotypes in animal models. TMEM161B is also required for the structure and function of primary cilia in neural tissues and mediates Sonic Hedgehog signaling during central nervous system patterning. Current data do not establish TMEM161B as a direct therapeutic target or receptor, nor are there any approved drugs known to directly interact with it.

Other names

TMEM161BUNQ679/PRO1313MGC33214FLB3342PRO1313