Eml2-KO Mouse

Eml2, or echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 2, is a gene located on 19q13.32. It preferentially interacts with tyrosinated (Y -) microtubules via a motif built from WD40 repeats, tracks the tips of shortening microtubules, and influences microtubule dynamics to increase stability [1].

In colon cancer, Eml2 is overexpressed. High Eml2 expression is associated with poorer overall survival, and is related to the regulation of GTPase binding and infiltration levels of some immune cell types like NK cells [2]. In addition, methylation at a CpG locus in Eml2 has been used to develop a technique (COBRA-EML2) for identifying brain tissue, which shows 100% sensitivity and specificity [3].

Eml2 has also been identified as a tumor suppressor gene in high-grade gliomas and is significantly methylated in these tumors [4].

In weaned piglets, dietary inclusion of Laminaria digitata was associated with an increase in Eml2 protein abundance, related to enhanced enterocyte structural integrity and improved intestinal function [5]. Eml2 mutations were also found to be enriched in both NPC and other Epstein-Barr virus-associated cancers [6].

In summary, Eml2 plays important roles in microtubule regulation, and is associated with various diseases such as colon cancer, gliomas, and NPC. Its methylation can be used for brain tissue identification, and its protein abundance is related to intestinal function in piglets. The study of Eml2 in different models helps understand its functions in biological processes and disease mechanisms.