| Modification Notes |
DEAD-box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp, are putative RNA helicases implicated in several cellular processes involving modifications of RNA secondary structure and ribosome/spliceosome assembly. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of this family may be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division. DDX15 (DEAH-box protein 15), also known as DHX15, DBP1 or HRH2, is a nuclear ATP-dependent RNA helicase that is involved in pre-mRNA splicing and is a member of the DEAH-box subfamily of DEAD-box proteins. Expressed throughout the body, DDX15 is a pre-mRNA processing factor that plays a role in spliceosome disassembly after the release of mature mRNA. When localized to the nucleoli, DDX15 is thought to interact with the La/SSB autoantigen, an RNA chaperone that functions in various intracellular processes. DDX15 is 795 amino acids in length and is the human ortholog of the S. cerevisiae protein Prp43. |