protein
Caytaxin
Gene
ATCAY
Organism
Homo sapiens(9606)
Length
371 aa
Mass
42,120 Da
Caytaxin (ATCAY) is a 371-amino acid protein that functions in neural tissue development, particularly during postnatal cerebellar cortex maturation (UniProt: Q86WG3). It may regulate glutaminase/GLS to support glutamate neurotransmission or control mitochondrial localization within axons and dendrites. Mutations in ATCAY cause cerebellar ataxia, cayman type (MIM 601238), characterized by progressive cerebellar dysfunction and psychomotor retardation.
In Alzheimer's disease, caytaxin is downregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics). Analysis of human brain samples using TMT-labeled, data-dependent acquisition proteomics across four subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3) showed a mean log2 fold-change of −1.31, indicating reduced protein abundance in AD-affected tissue. This suggests potential involvement of cerebellar or glutamatergic pathways in disease pathology.
Generated from the curated entity record below. May contain errors — verify against source links.
Proteomics Evidence · AD
↓ Down in ADP3
not detected
P2
not detected
S2
-1.308
S3
not detected
Mean log₂FC across detected fractions: -1.3076 (1 of 4 fractions detected)
Human post-mortem AD brain vs age-matched controls, TMT-labeled, 4 subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3), DDA proteomics.
Related Publications
Browse all →Tau molecular diversity contributes to clinical heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease.
Dujardin Simon et al.Nature medicine2020PMID 32572268Deep Multilayer Brain Proteomics Identifies Molecular Networks in Alzheimer's Disease Progression.
Bai Bing et al.Neuron2020PMID 31926610A Multi-network Approach Identifies Protein-Specific Co-expression in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease.
Seyfried Nicholas T et al.Cell systems2017PMID 27989508Large-scale deep multi-layer analysis of Alzheimer's disease brain reveals strong proteomic disease-related changes not observed at the RNA level.
Johnson Erik C B et al.Nature neuroscience2022PMID 35115731Organization and regulation of gene transcription.
Cramer PatrickNature2019PMID 31462772
Function
Functions in the development of neural tissues, particularly the postnatal maturation of the cerebellar cortex. May play a role in neurotransmission through regulation of glutaminase/GLS, an enzyme responsible for the production in neurons of the glutamate neurotransmitter. Alternatively, may regulate the localization of mitochondria within axons and dendrites
Disease associations
Cerebellar ataxia, cayman typeATCAY
Found in a population isolate on Grand Cayman Island and causes a marked psychomotor retardation and prominent nonprogressive cerebellar dysfunction including nystagmus, intention tremor, dysarthria, and wide-based ataxic gait. Hypotonia is present from early childhood.
Sources
Last updated 5/8/2026, 6:28:44 AM