The research status of the Sorting Nexins Family

Sorting nexins (SNXs) is a general term for a large family of proteins containing a phox-homology (PX) domain. This family consists of 33 members in the mammalian proteome, whose PX domain efficiently binds phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate, and is therefore recruited by early endosomal membranes. The PX domain is also involved in important protein-protein interactions, including the trafficking of cargo-adaptors and membrane-associated scaffolds in regulating cell signaling. Therefore, SNXs may play important roles in endocytosis, endosomal sorting, cell signaling, membrane trafficking, membrane remodeling and organelle motility. In the present article, we propose a classification of the SNX proteins into three distinct subfamilies on the basis of their structural differences. We also examine the evidence linking SNXs to various disorders, with a particular focus on cancer, Alzheimers disease, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease. This review aims to summarize SNX protein discovery, genetic mapping, construction, classification, and role in disease.