Folate receptor
Protein family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Folate receptors bind folate and reduced folic acid derivatives and mediate delivery of tetrahydrofolate to the interior of cells.[1] It is then converted from monoglutamate to polyglutamate forms - such as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate - as only monoglutamate forms can be transported across cell membranes. Polyglutamate forms are biologically active enzymatic cofactors required for many folate-dependent processes such as folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism. These proteins are attached to the membrane by a GPI anchor.[2] A riboflavin-binding protein required for the transport of riboflavin to the developing oocyte in chicken also belong to this family.
Human proteins from this family include:
- FOLR1: folate receptor 1 (adult),
- FOLR2: folate receptor 2 (fetal), and
- FOLR3: folate receptor gamma.