Protein ITFG3 also known as family with sequence similarity 234 member A (FAM234A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ITFG3gene.[5][6] Here, the gene is explored as encoded by mRNA found in Homo sapiens. The FAM234A gene is conserved in mice, rats, chickens, zebrafish, dogs, cows, frogs, chimpanzees, and rhesus monkeys.[7]Orthologs of the gene can be found in at least 220 organisms including the tropical clawed frog, pandas, and Chinese hamsters.[8] The gene is located at 16p13.3 and has a total of 19 exons. The mRNA has a total of 3224 bp and the protein has 552 aa.[9][7] The molecular mass of the protein produced by this gene is 59660 Da.[10] It is expressed in at least 27 tissue types in humans, with the greatest presence in the duodenum, fat, small intestine, and heart.[7]
A “Newfoundland deletion” or a0-thalassemia deletion has been found within the second intervening sequence of the FAM234A gene.[11] The gene is associated with multiple red blood cell phenotypes in African Americans – though the exact function or effect of the gene was not entirely clear.[12] Review of GeneCards’ current database on the FAM234A gene provided no additional elucidation on the function of the gene.[10]
