DEAD Box Polypeptide 6 (DDX6)

DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), are putative RNA helicases. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of this family are believed to be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division.

DDX6 encodes a DEAD box protein. It may contribute to the cell proliferation and carcinogenesis.The predicted amino acid sequence shared 75% identity with the female germline-specific RNA helicase ME31B gene of Drosophila. Unlike ME31B, however, the new gene expressed an abundant transcript in a large number of adult tissues and its 5-prime noncoding region was found to be split in a t(11;14)(q23.3;q32.3) cell line from a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.