This entry represents the alpha crystallin domain (ACD) found in heat shock protein beta-3 (HspB3) from vertebrates, also known as heat-shock protein 27-like protein (HSPL27, 17kDa) [, ]. Small heat shock proteins (sHSP) are molecular chaperones that suppress protein aggregation and protect against cell stress, and are generally active as large oligomers consisting ofmultiple subunits []. HspB3 is expressed in adult skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and heart, and in several other fetal tissues. In muscle cells HspB3 forms an oligomeric 150kDa complex with myotonic dystrophy protein kinase-binding protein (MKBP/ HspB2), this complex may comprise one of two independent muscle-cell specific chaperone systems. The expression of HspB3 is induced during muscle differentiation controlled by the myogenic factor MyoD []. HspB3 may also interact with Hsp22 (HspB8).
