title: The Emerging Role of MORC Family Proteins in Cancer Development and Bone Homeostasis.
abstract: Microrchidia (MORC or MORC family CW-type zinc finger protein), a highly conserved nuclear protein superfamily, is an interesting new player in signaling-dependent chromatin remodeling and epigenetic regulation. MORC family proteins consist of MORC1, MORC2, MORC3, and MORC4 which display common structural determinants such as CW-type zinc finger and coiled-coil domains. They also exhibit unique structural motifs and tissue-specific expression profiles. MORC1 was first discovered as a key regulator for male meiosis and spermatogenesis. Accumulating biochemical and functional analyses unveil MORC proteins as key regulators for cancer development. More recently, using an ENU mutagenesis mouse model, MORC3 was found to play a role in regulating bone and calcium homeostasis. Here we discuss recent research progress on the emerging role of MORC proteins in cancer development and bone metabolism. Unravelling the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which MORC proteins carry out their functions in a tissue specific manner are important subjects for future investigation. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 928-934, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors: The National Key Discipline and the Orthopedic Laboratory, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.|School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Guoju
authors: G
authors: Hong
authors: School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Heng
authors: H
authors: Qiu
authors: School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Gaurav
authors: G
authors: Jadhav
authors: The National Key Discipline and the Orthopedic Laboratory, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors: Haibin
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Tickner
authors: The National Key Discipline and the Orthopedic Laboratory, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: He
authors: The National Key Discipline and the Orthopedic Laboratory, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.|School of Pathology Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Jiake
authors: J
authors: Xu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins