Seipin

Putative adipose-regulatory protein
Identifiers
SymbolSeipin
PfamPF06775
InterProIPR009617
OPM superfamily526
OPM protein6ds5
Available protein structures:
Pfam  structures / ECOD  
PDBRCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj
PDBsumstructure summary

Seipin is a homo-oligomeric integral membrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that concentrates at junctions with cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs). Alternatively, seipin can be referred to as Berardinelli–Seip congenital lipodystrophy type 2 protein (BSCL2), and it is encoded by the corresponding gene of the same name, i.e. BSCL2. At protein level, seipin is expressed in cortical neurons in the frontal lobes, as well as motor neurons in the spinal cord. It is highly expressed in areas like the brain, testis and adipose tissue. Seipin's function is still unclear but it has been localized close to lipid droplets, and cells knocked out in seipin have anomalous droplets. Hence, recent evidence suggests that seipin plays a crucial role in lipid droplet biogenesis.