Background information
PIPPIN is a Y-box protein (also called cold-shock (CSD) domain-containing protein) and belongs to a family of highly conserved RNA-binding transcriptional regulators. Predominantly expressed in brain cells and localizing to the nucleus and the cytoplasm, PIPPIN contains two RNA-binding motifs, namely PIP1 and PIP2, and one CSD domain. PIPPIN functions as a nucleic acid binding regulatory factor and is believed to participate in brain maturation. More specifically, PIPPIN binds to the 3’-UTR ends of the mRNAs encoding Histone H1 and Histone H3.3. This interaction requires all of the PIPPIN domains to work in concert as one functional protein. In addition, PIPPIN can be sumoylated in a thyroid hormone (T3)-dependent manner. This suggests that PIPPIN modification in response to extracellular stimuli may modulate the regulation of protein synthesis.
