Pikachurin
Pikachurin is an extracellular matrix-like retinal protein first described in 2008 in Japan by Shigeru Sato et al, and named after Pikachu, the highly popular and official mascot of Pokémon.[1] The protein is colocalized with both dystrophin and dystroglycan at the ribbon synapses.
Pikachurin is necessary for the eyes to track moving objects, and Pikachurin-null mice were unable to track moving objects with their eyes.
Pikachurin is a dystroglycan-interacting protein which has an essential role in the precise interactions between the photoreceptor ribbon synapse and the bipolar dendrites.
See also
- Sonic hedgehog, another protein named for a video game character.
- Zbtb7, an oncogene that was originally named "Pokemon".
References
- ^ Sato S, Omori Y, Katoh K; et al. (2008). "Pikachurin, a dystroglycan ligand, is essential for photoreceptor ribbon synapse formation". Nat. Neurosci. 11 (8): 923–931. doi:10.1038/nn.2160. PMID 18641643.
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External links
- Lightning-Fast Vision Protein Named After Pikachu - July 24th, 2008
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