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* Cytosolic fatty-acid binding proteins signature *
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A number of  low molecular  weight proteins which  bind fatty  acids and other
organic anions are present in the cytosol [1,2]. Most of them are structurally
related and  have probably diverged from a common ancestor. The proteins known
to belong to this family are:

 - Three, tissue-specific, types of fatty acid binding proteins  (FABPs) found
   in liver, intestine and heart. Heart FABP is  also known as mammary-derived
   growth inhibitor (MDGI),  a  protein that reversibly inhibits proliferation
   of mammary carcinoma cells.
 - Psoriasis-associated fatty acid binding protein homolog (PA-FABP) [3]. This
   protein belongs to the FABP subfamily and is highly expressed in psioriatic
   skin.
 - Adipocyte lipid-binding protein (or 422 protein).
 - Cellular retinol-binding proteins I and II (CRBP).
 - Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP).
 - Intestinal 15 Kd protein (I-15P) [4].
 - Fatty  acid  binding  proteins  MFB1 and MFB2 from the midgut of the insect
   Manduca sexta [5].

In addition to the above cytosolic proteins, this family also includes:

 - Myelin P2 protein, which may be a lipid transport protein in Schwann cells.
   P2 is associated with the lipid bilayer of myelin.
 - Gastrotropin, an extracellular  ileal protein which stimulates gastric acid
   and pepsinogen secretion.  It  seems  that gastrotropin binds to bile salts
   and bilirubins.
 - Schistosoma mansoni protein Sm14 [6] which seems  to  be  involved  in  the
   transport of fatty acids.

We use as a signature pattern for these proteins a segment from the N-terminal
extremity.

-Consensus pattern: [GSAVK]-x-[FYW]-x-[LIVMF]-x(4)-[NHG]-[FY]-[DE]-x-[LIVMFY]-
                    [LIVM]-x(2)-[LIVMA]
-Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
-Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: 3.
-Last update: June 1994 / Pattern and text revised.

[ 1] Bernier I., Jolles P.
     Biochimie 69:1127-1152(1987).
[ 2] Veerkamp J.H., Peeters R.A., Maatman R.G.H.J.
     Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1081:1-24(1991).
[ 3] Madsen P.S., Rasmussen H.H., Leffers H., Honore B., Celis J.E.
     J. Invest. Dermatol. 99:299-305(1992).
[ 4] Kanda T., Odani S., Tomoi M., Matsubara Y., Ono T.
     Eur. J. Biochem. 197:759-768(1991).
[ 5] Smith A.F., Tsuchida K., Hanneman E., Suzuki T.C., Wells M.A.
     J. Biol. Chem. 267:380-384(1992).
[ 6] Moser D., Tendler M., Griffiths G., Klinkert M.-Q.
     J. Biol. Chem. 266:8447-8454(1991).