What is the function of glycophorin?

Glycophorins are heavily glycosylated sialoglycoproteins of human and animal erythrocytes. In humans, there are four glycophorins: A, B, C and D. Glycophorins play an important role in the invasion of red blood cells (RBCs) by malaria parasites, which involves several ligands binding to RBC receptors.

Where is glycophorin A made?

The site of subunit interaction is located within the hydrophobic segment, which serves both to mediate protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions within the bilayer membrane. Glycophorin A spans the membrane presumably as a dimeric complex with the carboxyterminal ends extending into the cytoplasm of the red cell.

What are the characteristics of glycophorin?

Glycophorin A is a type I single-span membrane protein with an extracellular N-terminal domain that contains 1 N-linked (Asn 15) and 15 O-linked (Thr and Ser) oligosaccharide chains terminating in sialic acid residues that display negative charges on the red cell surface.

What is human glycophorin A?

Glycophorin A (MNS blood group), also known as GYPA, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the GYPA gene. GYPA has also recently been designated CD235a (cluster of differentiation 235a).

What type of protein is glycophorin A?

type I single-span membrane protein
Glycophorin A is a type I single-span membrane protein with an extracellular N-terminal domain that contains 1 N-linked (Asn 15) and 15 O-linked (Thr and Ser) oligosaccharide chains terminating in sialic acid residues that display negative charges on the red cell surface.

What is M and N blood group?

MNS was the second blood group, discovered in 1927, after immunizing rabbits with human RBCs. The M and N antigens were identified first, but it was another 20 years before the S and s antigens were named. Now, more than 40 antigens are known in this blood group, but the M, N, S, and s antigens remain the most common.

What is CD235a?

The CD235a antigen, also called Glycophorin A, is a transmembrane, single-pass glycoprotein that contains carbohydrate, mostly in the form of sialic acid. CD235a has a molecular weight of 10 kDa. It is expressed by erythroid precursors and erythrocytes.