Sarcoglycan Zeta (SGCz)

The zeta-sarcoglycan is part of the sarcoglycan complex, a group of 6 proteins. The sarcoglycans are all N-glycosylated transmembrane proteins with a short intra-cellular domain, a single transmembrane region and a large extra-cellular domain containing a carboxyl-terminal cluster with several conserved cysteine residues. The sarcoglycan complex is part of the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DGC), which bridges the inner cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix.

Zeta-sarcoglycan is reduced in mouse models of muscular dystrophy and SGCZ is found as a component of the vascular smooth muscle sarcoglycan complex. Hence SGCZ may be important in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy. zeta-sarcoglycan is an integral component of the sarcoglycan complex and, as such, is important in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy.