Ring Finger Protein 121 (RNF121)

RNF121 contains a RING finger, a motif present in a variety of functionally distinct proteins and known to be involved in protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants have been noted for this gene.
RNF-121, an evolutionarily conserved E3 ligase RING finger protein which is expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum of various cells and tissues. Inactivation of RNF-121 induced an elevation in BiP expression and increased the sensitivity of worms to ER stress. Genetic analysis placed RNF-121 downstream of the unfolded protein response (UPR) regulator PERK. RNF-121 as an ER-anchored ubiquitin ligase that plays a specific role in the ERAD pathway by linking it to the regulation of the cell adhesion integrin receptors.