NCBI Summary:
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to a family of ankyrin repeat proteins that, along with four other protein families, contains a C-terminal SOCS box motif. Growing evidence suggests that the SOCS box acts as a bridge between specific substrate-binding domains and the more generic proteins that comprise a large family of E3 ubiquitin protein ligases. In this way, SOCS box containing proteins may regulate protein turnover by targeting proteins for polyubiquination and, therefore, for proteasome-mediated degradation. Two alternative transcripts encoding different isoforms have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
General function
Cytoskeleton organization
Comment
Cellular localization
Cytoskeleton
Comment
Ovarian function
Oocyte maturation
Comment
ASB7 Is a Novel Regulator of Cytoskeletal Organization During Oocyte Maturation. Liu Y et al. (2020) Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box (ASB) family members have a C-terminal SOCS box and an N-terminal ankyrin-related sequence of variable repeats. To date, the roles of ASB family members remain largely unknown. In the present study, by employing knockdown analysis, we investigated the effects of ASB7 on mouse oocyte meiosis. We show that specific depletion of ASB7 disrupts maturational progression and meiotic apparatus. In particular, abnormal spindle, misaligned chromosomes, and loss of cortical actin cap are frequently observed in ASB7-abated oocytes. Consistent with this observation, incidence of aneuploidy is increased in these oocytes. Meanwhile, confocal scanning reveals that loss of ASB7 impairs kinetochore-microtubule interaction and provokes the spindle assembly checkpoint during oocyte meiosis. Furthermore, we find a significant reduction of ASB7 protein in oocytes from aged mice. Importantly, increasing ASB7 expression is capable of partially rescuing the maternal age-induced meiotic defects in oocytes. Together, our data identify ASB7 as a novel player in regulating cytoskeletal organization and discover the potential effects of ASB7 on quality control of aging oocytes.//////////////////