MENTHO or STARD3 N-terminal like protein (STARD3NL) is an
integral membrane protein of unknown function.[5] As the alternate name implies, MENTHO, short for "MLN64 N-terminal homologue", contains a region in its N-terminus similar to that found in STARD3, also known as
MLN64, but lacks the
StAR-related transfer domain (START) that characterizes all other proteins given the "STARD" (START domain-containing) name. The
N-terminal domain is called a
MENTAL (MLN64 N-terminal) domain.
Like MLN64, MENTHO is widely expressed in tissues of the body. Within the
cell, it localizes to the membranes of
late endosomes and may interact there with MLN64. It is suggested that in combination with MLN64, this protein helps regulate the flow of
cholesterol through the endosomal pathway.[6]
MENTHO or STARD3 N-terminal like protein (STARD3NL) is an
integral membrane protein of unknown function.[5] As the alternate name implies, MENTHO, short for "MLN64 N-terminal homologue", contains a region in its N-terminus similar to that found in STARD3, also known as
MLN64, but lacks the
StAR-related transfer domain (START) that characterizes all other proteins given the "STARD" (START domain-containing) name. The
N-terminal domain is called a
MENTAL (MLN64 N-terminal) domain.
Like MLN64, MENTHO is widely expressed in tissues of the body. Within the
cell, it localizes to the membranes of
late endosomes and may interact there with MLN64. It is suggested that in combination with MLN64, this protein helps regulate the flow of
cholesterol through the endosomal pathway.[6]