TLDR High glycine–tyrosine keratin-associated proteins help make hair strong and maintain its shape.
The study hypothesized that high glycine-tyrosine keratin-associated proteins (HGT KAPs) contributed to hair's mechanical strength and shape by bridging the head domains of intermediate filaments (IFs) and binding to both IFs and the C-terminus of desmoplakin (DPCT). This was supported by protein interaction analyses, including Western blot, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and circular dichroism (CD), which showed strong binding interactions between HGT KAPs and the head domain of K85, a trichocyte IF protein.
30 citations,
August 2008 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” TGase 3 helps build hair structure by forming strong bonds between proteins.
100 citations,
December 2002 in “Journal of biological chemistry/The Journal of biological chemistry” Researchers mapped and categorized specific keratin-associated protein genes on human chromosome 21q22.1.
91 citations,
December 2000 in “The journal of cell biology/The Journal of cell biology” Scientists successfully created mouse hair proteins in the lab, which are stable and similar to natural hair.
235 citations,
July 1999 in “Journal of biological chemistry/The Journal of biological chemistry” Human hair is made up of different keratins, some strong and some weak, with specific types appearing at various stages of hair growth.
90 citations,
January 1979 in “International review of cytology” Wool follicles are complex, involving interactions between different cell types and structures.
4 citations,
July 2024 in “Animals” The KRTAP19-5 gene affects wool curvature in Chinese Tan sheep, with Variant B reducing curvature.
98 citations,
May 2016 in “Genes” Understanding wool keratin-associated proteins in sheep can help improve wool quality through selective breeding.
2 citations,
January 2017 in “Folia biologica” The KRTAP7-1 gene is very similar across different cattle and yak breeds and likely plays a role in hair strength and shape.
10 citations,
November 2021 in “International journal of molecular sciences” Sheep and goat hair fibers are complex due to keratin-associated proteins, which are important for fiber properties and growth.
7 citations,
July 2019 in “Animals” The KRTAP21-1 gene affects wool yield and can help improve wool production.