Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme

In molecular biology, Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (ODC-AZ) is an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor. It binds to, and destabilises, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme in polyamine synthesis. ODC is then rapidly degraded.^[1] It was first characterized in 1981.^[2] The expression of ODC-AZ requires programmed, ribosomal frameshifting which is modulated according to the cellular concentration of polyamines. High levels of polyamines induce a +1 ribosomal frameshift in the translation of mRNA for the antizyme leading to the expression of a full-length protein. At least two forms of ODC-AZ exist in mammals ^[3] and the protein has been found in Drosophila (protein Gutfeeling^[4]) as well as in Saccharomyces yeast (encoded by the OAZ1 gene).^[5]

Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme
NMR structure of antizyme isoform 1 from rat
Identifiers
Symbol	ODC_AZ
Pfam	PF02100
InterPro	IPR002993
PROSITE	PDOC01039
Available protein structures: Pfam   structures / ECOD   PDB RCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj PDBsum structure summary

Human genes encoding Ornithine decarboxylase antizymes are OAZ1, OAZ2, and OAZ3.