NCIt definition : Human ATXN1 wild-type allele is located in the vicinity of 6p22.3 and is approximately
462 kb in length. This allele, which encodes ataxin-1 protein, plays a role in Notch
signaling, chromatin binding and RNA metabolism. CGA repeat expansion within the coding
region of the gene is associated with spinocerebellar ataxia 1.;
NCIt note : The ATXN1 gene contains an alternative reading frame (Alt-ATXN1), which begins 30
nucleotides downstream of the initiation codon for full-length ATXN1 and ends at nucleotide
587, just prior to the CAG repeat region. The deduced 185 aa protein is 21 kDa and
has no sequence similarity to ataxin-1. A shorter transcript beginning at a methionine
codon at nucleotide 132 may produce an N-terminally truncated form of the Alt-ATXN1
protein that may contain 151 aa and is predicted to be 17 kDa. Ataxin-1 and Alt-ATXN1
protein colocalize in the nucleus and have been shown to interact in vitro. (J. Biol.
Chem. 2013; 288: 21824-21835.);