Keratin Associated Protein 13-1 (KRTAP13-1)

Hair keratins and hair keratin-associated proteins (KAPs), such as KRTAP13-1, are the main structural proteins of hair fibers . By searching databases using nonhuman KAP sequences as queries, followed by screening a human scalp cDNA library, Rogers et al. (2002) cloned KRTAP13-1, which they called KAP13.1.

The deduced 172-amino acid protein has a molecular mass of 18.3 kD. It has a high cysteine content (12.2 mol percent), classifying KAP13.1 as a high sulfur KAP. Both mouse and human KAP13.1 contain C-terminal pentameric repeats. Mouse Kap13.1 also contains a decameric repeat that is only partially conserved in human KAP13.1. In situ hybridization detected KAP13.1 expression in the cortex and dermal papillae of plucked beard follicles.