SCAMP5: Proteins and Enzymes

Secretory Carrier Membrane Proteins (SCAMPs) are proteins that are components of post Golgi membranes. These proteins are implicated to function in membrane trafficking. In fibroblasts, SCAMPs are concentrated in compartments that are involved in the recycling of cell surface receptors and endocytosis. In neurons, SCAMPs are associated with synaptic vesicles, secretion granules and transporter vesicles. SCAMPs are composed of four central transmembrane regions and a cytoplasmic tail. Of the five known SCAMPs, SCAMPs 1-3 contain cytoplasmic N-terminal regions with NPF repeats. NPF repeats are found to interact with EH domain proteins that function in budding of transport vesicles from the plasma membrane or the Golgi complex. SCAMPs 4 and 5 lack the N-terminal NPF repeats. SCAMPs 1-4 are all ubiquitously coexpressed while SCAMP 5 is only detectable in the brain. Studies show that SCAMP 5 is expressed late in development which is coincident with expansion of mature synapses.