SstmpDB: a database of single-spanning transmembrane proteins

Abstract

Membrane proteins represent ca. 20–30% of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic proteomes.  They play crucial roles in cell survival and cell communication, as they function as transporters, receptors, anchors and enzymes.  More than 30% of all prescribed drugs are targeting membrane proteins.  Transmembrane proteins are either single-spanning membrane proteins or multi-spanning proteins.  Single-spanning proteins can be classified into four types I, II, III and IV, depending on their topology and membrane targeting.  They are very important functionally, involved in the presentation of antigens to the immune system, they are calcium-dependent cell adhesion proteins, they play a role in septum formation and they have many more specific, crucial roles.

The purpose of this work was the construction of a database containing all single-spanning membrane proteins and their functional classification.  This database is available at  http://aias.biol.uoa.gr/sstmpdb