TGN46 Proteins and Enzymes

The Trans-Golgi network integral membrane protein 2 (TGOLN2) was designated TGN46 based on the predicted molecular mass (46kDa). However, TGN46 is a heavily glycosylated protein, so its molecular weight is often detected at a 110-120kDa. The TGN46 protein is widely expressed. It may be involved in regulating membrane traffic to and from trans-Golgi network, and has been reported as the best available marker for human trans-Golgi network. TGN46 contains a luminal domain, a membrane-spanning domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. The membrane-spanning and cytoplasmic domains contain the retention and retrieval signals, respectively, for localization in the TGN.