| Primary Identifier | IPR028571 | Type | Family |
| Short Name | MafB |
| description | Maf transcription factors form a distinct family of the basic leucine zipper (bZip) transcription factors. The Maf family is divided into two subclasses, large Mafs (c-maf, mafB, and mafA/L-maf, nrl) and small Mafs (MafF, MafK and MafG). Both subclasses contain leucine-zipper motifs, which allow homodimerisation as well as heterodimerisation with a variety of other bZip proteins. In contrast to the small Mafs, the large Maf proteins contain a transactivator domain in their amino terminus.MafB plays critical roles in a variety of cellular differentiation processes, including in kidney podocytes [], macrophages [, ], and pancreatic islet alpha and beta-cells, which are responsible for the production of the hormones glucagon and insulin respectively. MafB is also expressed in alpha-cells in adult pancreas and is important for their function [, , , ].Mutations in Maf gene cause multicentric carpotarsal osteolysis syndrome (MCTO), which is a rare skeletal disorder, usually presenting in early childhood with a clinical picture mimicking juvenile rheumatoid arthritis []. |
