Anti-SMG7

This gene encodes a protein that is essential for nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a process whereby transcripts with premature termination codons are targeted for rapid degradation by a mRNA decay complex. The mRNA decay complex consists, in part, of this protein along with proteins SMG5 and UPF1. The N-terminal domain of this protein is thought to mediate its association with SMG5 or UPF1 while the C-terminal domain interacts with the mRNA decay complex. This protein may therefore couple changes in UPF1 phosphorylation state to the degradation of NMD-candidate transcripts. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. Protein function: Plays a role in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Recruits UPF1 to cytoplasmic mRNA decay bodies. Together with SMG5 is thought to provide a link to the mRNA degradation machinery involving exonucleolytic pathways, and to serve as an adapter for UPF1 to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), thereby triggering UPF1 dephosphorylation. [The UniProt Consortium]