Description

Other Name: EPHB2; DRT; EPHT3; EPTH3; ERK; HEK5; TYRO5; Ephrin type-B receptor 2; Developmentally-regulated Eph-related tyrosine kinase; ELK-related tyrosine kinase; EPH tyrosine kinase 3; EPH-like kinase 5; EK5; hEK5; Renal carcinoma antigen NY-REN-47

Background: This gene encodes a member of the Eph receptor family of receptor tyrosine kinase transmembrane glycoproteins. These receptors are composed of an N-terminal glycosylated ligand-binding domain, a transmembrane region and an intracellular kinase domain. They bind ligands called ephrins and are involved in diverse cellular processes including motility, division, and differentiation. A distinguishing characteristic of Eph-ephrin signaling is that both receptors and ligands are competent to transduce a signaling cascade, resulting in bidirectional signaling. This protein belongs to a subgroup of the Eph receptors called EphB. Proteins of this subgroup are distinguished from other members of the family by sequence homology and preferential binding affinity for membrane-bound ephrin-B ligands. Allelic variants are associated with prostate and brain cancer susceptibility. Alternative splicing results in multiple tr