CBX3 is involved in transcriptional silencing within heterochromatin-like complexes. It recognizes and binds to histone H3 tails that are methylated at lysine 9 (H3K9me), leading to epigenetic repression . This binding is essential for the formation of functional kinetochores through interaction with the MIS12 complex proteins .
CBX3 plays a significant role in various cellular processes, including:
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of CBX3 in cancer biology. Increased expression of CBX3 has been associated with tumorigenesis in various cancers . For instance, high levels of CBX3 expression correlate with adverse prognosis in patients with certain types of cancer . Additionally, CBX3’s role in the tumor microenvironment, including immune infiltration and interaction with cancer-associated fibroblasts, has been a focus of research .
Recombinant human CBX3 is a form of the protein that is produced using recombinant DNA technology. This involves inserting the CBX3 gene into a suitable expression system, such as E. coli, to produce the protein in large quantities . The recombinant protein is often tagged with a His-tag to facilitate purification and is used in various research applications to study its function and interactions .
Recombinant CBX3 is widely used in research to: