G3BP2 Gene: Function, Expression, and Disease Associations

G3BP2 (G3BP Stress Granule Assembly Factor 2) is a protein-coding gene that encodes a member of the G3BP family of RNA-binding proteins. It is a multifunctional protein involved in various cellular processes, including the assembly of stress granules (SGs) in response to cellular stress, regulation of mRNA stability and translation, and signal transduction pathways. G3BP2 is a component of the Ras-GAP SH3 domain-binding protein complex and plays a role in the Ras signaling pathway. It has been implicated in several diseases, particularly cancer, where its expression is often dysregulated, affecting tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Tissue Expression

Cell Line Expression

Hotspot Mutations

Mutation functional classification

• Ras signaling pathway

• Wnt signaling pathway

• Regulation of mRNA stability by proteins that bind AU-rich elements

• Apoptosis

The G3BP2 protein is a 466-amino acid RNA-binding protein that contains an N-terminal nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2)-like domain, a central proline-rich region, and a C-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM). It is a core component of stress granules, which are cytoplasmic foci that form during cellular stress to stall translation and protect mRNAs. G3BP2, along with its paralog G3BP1, is essential for the assembly of these granules. Beyond stress granule formation, G3BP2 functions as a scaffold protein in several signaling pathways. It interacts with Ras-GAP, modulating Ras signaling, and can also bind to β-catenin, influencing the Wnt signaling pathway. Through these interactions, G3BP2 regulates gene expression, cell proliferation, and apoptosis, contributing to its role in cancer biology.