MUC7
MUC7 (mucin 7, secreted; also known as MG2 and FLJ27047) is a small secreted salivary mucin. It is thought to help clear bacteria from the oral cavity and to aid mastication, speech and swallowing. Browse Assay Genie's current range of MUC7 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
MUC7 is a small, secreted glycoprotein of the salivary mucin group. It is thought to act in a protective capacity in the oral cavity, promoting the clearance of bacteria and aiding mastication, speech and swallowing. UniProt records that it binds P. aeruginosa pili, and the NCBI Gene summary describes the protein as antimicrobial, with both antibacterial and antifungal activity. These properties make it a useful subject for work on oral mucosal defence and host-microbe interactions.
The central domain of the MUC7 protein contains tandem repeats, each composed of 23 amino acids. The most common allele contains six repeats, and some alleles may be associated with susceptibility to asthma, which has made repeat-number variation of interest to genetic studies. Alternatively spliced transcript variants of the MUC7 gene differ in their 5' UTR but encode the same protein. The protein is secreted rather than membrane-anchored, which sets it apart from membrane-bound mucins such as MUC4 and MUC13.
HGNC classifies MUC7 within the mucins and within the secretory calcium-binding phosphoprotein family. The approved name is mucin 7, secreted; an earlier name was mucin 7, salivary, and the gene has also been referred to as MG2 and FLJ27047. Researchers studying MUC7 often use an MUC7 antibody or an MUC7 ELISA kit to follow the protein in salivary and mucosal biology, alongside other secreted mucins such as MUC5B.
MUC7 is thought to promote bacterial clearance in the oral cavity, making it a focus for studies of salivary protection.
The protein has reported antibacterial and antifungal activity and binds Pseudomonas aeruginosa pili, relevant to host-pathogen research.
MUC7 is proposed to aid mastication, speech and swallowing, supporting research into the function of saliva.
Some MUC7 alleles, which vary in the number of 23-residue repeats, may be associated with asthma susceptibility.
MUC7 is a small secreted salivary mucin. It is thought to protect the oral cavity by promoting the clearance of bacteria and by aiding mastication, speech and swallowing. It binds P. aeruginosa pili and shows antibacterial and antifungal activity.
MUC7 is also known as MG2 and FLJ27047. Its approved HGNC name is mucin 7, secreted, and an earlier name was mucin 7, salivary. Alternatively spliced transcripts differ in their 5' UTR but encode the same protein.
The central domain has tandem repeats of 23 amino acids. The most common allele has six repeats, and some alleles may be associated with susceptibility to asthma. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other secreted and membrane-bound mucins and mucin-like proteins with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q8TAX7; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.