MAP2/A0134

Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MTAP2 or MAP2, also known as A0134) is thought to stabilize microtubules against depolymerization, however, the exact function is still unknown.

Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MTAP2 or MAP2, also known as A0134) is thought to stabilize microtubules against depolymerization, however, the exact function is still unknown. MAP2 is highly concentrated in neuronal somata and dendrites, within the cytoplasm and cytoskeleton. Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) isolated from brain co-assemble with tubulin into microtubules in vitro. There are at least 3 known isoforms of MAP2: MAP2B, which is present throughout brain development; MAP2A, which appears first during the end of the second week of postnatal life; and MAP2C, present during early brain development, and which largely disappears from the mature brain except for the retina, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum. MAP2 has been proposed as a candidate for the 'preserved speech variant' (PSV) of Rett syndrome. Alterations in neuronal maturation, dendritic anomalies and decreased MAP2 immunoreactivity in white matter neurons have been well documented in Rett syndrome. Null mutant mice for MAP2 show decreased body weight, abnormal hippocampal and Purkinje cell morphology and exhibit decreased fear-related response and abnormal contextual fear conditioning.