SCN7A Membrane Protein Introduction

Introduction of SCN7A

The SCN7A/Nax gene encodes sodium channel protein type 7 subunit alpha (SCN7A), forming Nax channel that is considered as a descendant of the voltage-gated sodium channel, although it is not regulated by the membrane voltage. Like another alpha subunit of sodium channel proteins, SCN7A contains 4 internal repeats, each with 5 hydrophobic segments (S1, S2, S3, S5, S6) and one positively charged segment (S4). This sodium channel protein has some atypical characteristics; the similarity between the human and mouse proteins is lower compared to other orthologous sodium channel pairs. Also, the S4 segments, which sense voltage changes, have fewer arginine and lysine residues and fewer positive charged residues compared with other sodium channels.

Basic Information of SCN7A
Protein Name	Sodium channel protein type 7 subunit alpha
Gene Name	SCN7A
Aliases	Putative voltage-gated sodium channel subunit alpha Nax, Sodium channel protein cardiac and skeletal muscle subunit alpha, Sodium channel protein type VII subunit alpha
Organism	Homo sapiens (Human)
UniProt ID	Q01118
Transmembrane Times	24
Length (aa)	1682
Sequence	MLASPEPKGLVPFTKESFELIKQHIAKTHNEDHEEEDLKPTPDLEVGKKLPFIYGNLSQGMVSEPLEDVDPYYYKKKNTFIVLNKNRTIFRFNAASILCTLSPFNCIRRTTIKVLVHPFFQLFILISVLIDCVFMSLTNLPKWRPVLENTLLGIYTFEILVKLFARGVWAGSFSFLGDPWNWLDFSVTVFEVIIRYSPLDFIPTLQTARTLRILKIIPLNQGLKSLVGVLIHCLKQLIGVIILTLFFLSIFSLIGMGLFMGNLKHKCFRWPQENENETLHNRTGNPYYIRETENFYYLEGERYALLCGNRTDAGQCPEGYVCVKAGINPDQGFTNFDSFGWALFALFRLMAQDYPEVLYHQILYASGKVYMIFFVVVSFLFSFYMASLFLGILAMAYEEEKQRVGEISKKIEPKFQQTGKELQEGNETDEAKTIQIEMKKRSPISTDTSLDVLEDATLRHKEELEKSKKICPLYWYKFAKTFLIWNCSPCWLKLKEFVHRIIMAPFTDLFLIICIILNVCFLTLEHYPMSKQTNTLLNIGNLVFIGIFTAEMIFKIIAMHPYGYFQVGWNIFDSMIVFHGLIELCLANVAGMALLRLFRMLRIFKLGKYWPTFQILMWSLSNSWVALKDLVLLLFTFIFFSAAFGMKLFGKNYEEFVCHIDKDCQLPRWHMHDFFHSFLNVFRILCGEWVETLWDCMEVAGQSWCIPFYLMVILIGNLLVLYLFLALVSSFSSCKDVTAEENNEAKNLQLAVARIKKGINYVLLKILCKTQNVPKDTMDHVNEVYVKEDISDHTLSELSNTQDFLKDKEKSSGTEKNATENESQSLIPSPSVSETVPIASGESDIENLDNKEIQSKSGDGGSKEKIKQSSSSECSTVDIAISEEEEMFYGGERSKHLKNGCRRGSSLGQISGASKKGKIWQNIRKTCCKIVENNWFKCFIGLVTLLSTGTLAFEDIYMDQRKTIKILLEYADMIFTYIFILEMLLKWMAYGFKAYFSNGWYRLDFVVVIVFCLSLIGKTREELKPLISMKFLRPLRVLSQFERMKVVVRALIKTTLPTLNVFLVCLMIWLIFSIMGVDLFAGRFYECIDPTSGERFPSSEVMNKSRCESLLFNESMLWENAKMNFDNVGNGFLSLLQVATFNGWITIMNSAIDSVAVNIQPHFEVNIYMYCYFINFIIFGVFLPLSMLITVIIDNFNKHKIKLGGSNIFITVKQRKQYRRLKKLMYEDSQRPVPRPLNKLQGFIFDVVTSQAFNVIVMVLICFQAIAMMIDTDVQSLQMSIALYWINSIFVMLYTMECILKLIAFRCFYFTIAWNIFDFMVVIFSITGLCLPMTVGSYLVPPSLVQLILLSRIIHMLRLGKGPKVFHNLMLPLMLSLPALLNIILLIFLVMFIYAVFGMYNFAYVKKEAGINDVSNFETFGNSMLCLFQVAIFAGWDGMLDAIFNSKWSDCDPDKINPGTQVRGDCGNPSVGIFYFVSYILISWLIIVNMYIVVVMEFLNIASKKKNKTLSEDDFRKFFQVWKRFDPDRTQYIDSSKLSDFAAALDPPLFMAKPNKGQLIALDLPMAVGDRIHCLDILLAFTKRVMGQDVRMEKVVSEIESGFLLANPFKITCEPITTTLKRKQEAVSATIIQRAYKNYRLRRNDKNTSDIHMIDGDRDVHATKEGAYFDKAKEKSPIQSQI

Function of SCN7A Membrane Protein

SCN7A was originally thought to be a glial sodium channel, however, in situ studies reveals that SCN7A/Nax is expressed in lung, uterus, heart, neurons and nonmyelinating Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. Recent experimental data indicate that the channel serves as a sodium-level sensor of the body fluid, and controls the Na-intake behavior by changing the excitability of neurons. In a large-scale gene-expression study in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy, a persistent increased SCN7A/Nax expression in neuron and reactive astroglia is revealed, which supports the possible involvement of this channel in the epileptogenic process. Normokalemic Periodic Paralysis is also associated with SCN7A.

Fig.1 Each of the four homologous domains makes up one subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel.

Application of SCN7A Membrane Protein in Literature

Ke C.B., et al. Enhanced SCN7A/Nax expression contributes to bone cancer pain by increasing excitability of neurons in dorsal root ganglion. Neuroscience. 2012, 227:80-9. PubMed ID: 23026072

This article finds that the enhanced expression of SCN7A/Nax channel within a distinct subpopulation of DRG neurons contributes to bone cancer pain by increasing the excitability of these neurons.
Zhang B., et al. The association between the polymorphisms in a sodium channel gene SCN7A and essential hypertension: a case-control study in the Northern Han Chinese. Annals of human genetics. 2015, 79(1):28-36. PubMed ID: 25393565

This article suggests that SNP rs7565062 of SCN7A is significantly associated with EH and the allele T of rs7565062 or the related haplotype G-A-T may be a genetic risk factor for EH in the Northern Han Chinese population.
Gorter J.A., et al. Induction of sodium channel Na(x) (SCN7A) expression in rat and human hippocampus in temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2010, 51(9):1791-800. PubMed ID: 20738386

This article suggests that SCN7A/Na(x) expression may be associated with temporal lobe epilepsy in rat and human hippocampus.
Ostasiewicz B., et al. Quantitative analysis of gene expression in fixed colorectal carcinoma samples as a method for biomarker validation. Molecular Medicine Reports. 2016, 13(6):5084-92. PubMed ID: 27121919

This article identifies several biomarkers including SCN7A in fixed colorectal carcinoma samples.
Nehmé B., et al. The expression pattern of the Na(+) sensor, Na(X) in the hydromineral homeostatic network: A comparative study between the rat and mouse. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. 2012, 6:26. PubMed ID: 22833716

This article suggests that the mechanisms involved in systemic and central Na⁺ sensing are specific to each rodent species, because of the difference in NaX expression pattern and in NaX-expressing cell types.

SCN7A Preparation Options

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All listed services and products are For Research Use Only. Do Not use in any diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

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