title: Lipocalins - a family portrait.
abstract: Lipocalins are a widely distributed group of proteins whose common feature is the presence of six-or eight-stranded beta-barrel in their tertiary structure and highly conservative motifs short conserved region, (SCR) in their amino acid sequences. The presence of three SCRs is typical for kernel lipocalins, while outlier lipocalins have only one or two such regions. Owing to their ability to bind and transport small, hydrophobic molecules, lipocalins participate in the distribution of such substances. However, the physiological significance of lipocalins is not limited to transfer processes. They play an important role in the regulation of immunological and developmental processes, and are also involved in the reactions of organisms to various stress factors and in the pathways of signal transduction. Of special interest is the enzymatic activity found in a few members of the lipocalin family, as well as the interaction with natural membranes, both directly with lipids and through membrane-localized protein receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grzyb
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Latowski
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strzałka
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins