Background of the antigen
This is a paternally expressed imprinted gene that encodes transcripts containing two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs), RF1 and RF1/RF2, as well as retroviral-like slippage and pseudoknot elements, which can induce a -1 nucleotide frame-shift. ORF1 encodes a shorter isoform with a CCHC-type zinc finger motif containing a sequence characteristic of gag proteins of most retroviruses and some retrotransposons. The longer isoform is the result of -1 translational frame-shifting leading to translation of a gag/pol-like protein combining RF1 and RF2. It contains the active-site consensus sequence of the protease domain of pol proteins. Additional isoforms resulting from alternatively spliced transcript variants, as well as from use of upstream non-AUG (CUG) start codon, have been reported for this gene. Increased expression of this gene is associated with hepatocellular carcinomas. [provided by RefSeq, May 2010].
