Anti-DDX4/MVH Antibody Picoband®

DDX4 (DEAD/H BOX 4), also known as VASA. The deduced 724-amino acid VASA protein contains the 8 conserved domains found in all known DEAD box proteins. The amino acid sequence in this core region shows greater similarity to VASA homologs in other species than to other human DEAD box proteins. By radiation hybrid analysis, Castrillon et al. (2000) mapped the VASA gene to 5q. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, they refined the localization to 5q11.2-q12. This region is syntenic to the distal end of mouse chromosome 13, where the mouse VASA homolog (Ddx4) resides (Abe and Noce, 1997) . Using a combination of proteomics, cytology, and functional analysis in C. elegans, Chu et al. (2006) reduced 1,099 proteins copurified with spermatogenic chromatin to 132 proteins for functional analysis.

Signal Transduction, Cell Biology, Cell Cycle, Stem Cells, Cell Differentiation, Cytoskeleton/ECM, Extracellular Matrix, Structures, ECM Proteins, Mesenchymal Stem Cells

ATP-dependent RNA helicase required during spermatogenesis (PubMed:10920202, PubMed:21034600) . Required to repress transposable elements and preventing their mobilization, which is essential for the germline integrity (By similarity) . Acts via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and governs the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons (By similarity) . Involved in the secondary piRNAs metabolic process, the production of piRNAs in fetal male germ cells through a ping-pong amplification cycle (By similarity) . Required for PIWIL2 slicing-triggered piRNA biogenesis: helicase activity enables utilization of one of the slice cleavage fragments generated by PIWIL2 and processing these pre-piRNAs into piRNAs (By similarity) .

1. Abe, K., Noce, T. A DEAD-family protein gene, Ddx4, encoding a murine homolog of Drosophila vasa maps to the distal end of mouse chromosome 13. Mammalian Genome 8: 622-623, 1997. 2. Castrillon, D. H., Quade, B. J., Wang, T. Y., Quigley, C., Crum, C. P. The human VASA gene is specifically expressed in the germ cell lineage. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 97: 9585-9590, 2000. 3. Chu, D. S., Liu, H., Nix, P., Wu, T. F., Ralston, E. J., Yates, J. R., III, Meyer, B. J. Sperm chromatin proteomics identifies evolutionarily conserved fertility factors. Nature 443: 101-105, 2006.

Store at -20°C for one year from date of receipt. After reconstitution, at 4°C for one month. It can also be aliquotted and stored frozen at -20°C for six months. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.