Ras Association Domain Containing Protein 3 (RASSF3)

The RAS oncogene is mutated in nearly one-third of all human cancers. Members of the RAS superfamily are plasma membrane GTP-binding proteins that modulate intracellular signal transduction pathways. A subfamily of RAS effectors, including RASSF3, share a RAS association (RA) domain.

The deduced 247-amino acid human protein has a C-terminal RA domain that is approximately 45% identical to that of RASSF1 and mouse Nore1. Northern blot analysis detected a 3.8-kb transcript in all normal tissues and cancer cell lines tested; some of the cancer cell lines expressed shorter transcripts as well. Northern blot and 5-prime RACE analyses failed to identify any splice variants.