This gene encodes a DENN-domain-containing protein that functions as a RAB-activating guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). This protein catalyzes the conversion of GDP to GTP and thereby converts inactive GDP-bound Rab proteins into their active GTP-bound form. The encoded protein is recruited by RAB6 onto Golgi membranes and is therefore referred to as RAB6-interacting protein 1. This protein binds with RAB39 as well. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. Mutations in this gene are associated with early infantile epileptic encephalopathy-49. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2017]
Forensic Context
A study in rats demonstrated that the DENND5A was one of 14 genes selected in a stepwise Fisher discriminant analysis model for classifying wound age into groups (control, 4–12 h, 16–24 h, 28–48 h) after skeletal muscle contusion, with the model achieving 94.9% cross-validated classification accuracy and a PLS regression model using these genes showing an internal prediction error of approximately 8 hours [Du et al. DOI:10.1007/s00414-018-01990-2]. Subsequent research in a rat contusion model confirmed its time-dependent expression, showing levels higher than control at 4 and 20 hours but lower at 12 hours post-injury, and incorporated it as one of nine mRNAs into a stacking ensemble machine learning model for wound age prediction, which achieved 92.85% accuracy and a 1.06-hour RMSE on internal validation [Dang et al. DOI:10.3390/diagnostics13030395].