ELN

This gene encodes a protein that is one of the two components of elastic fibers. Elastic fibers comprise part of the extracellular matrix and confer elasticity to organs and tissues including the heart, skin, lungs, ligaments, and blood vessels. The encoded protein is rich in hydrophobic amino acids such as glycine and proline, which form mobile hydrophobic regions bounded by crosslinks between lysine residues. Degradation products of the encoded protein, known as elastin-derived peptides or elastokines, bind the elastin receptor complex and other receptors and stimulate migration and proliferation of monocytes and skin fibroblasts. Elastokines can also contribute to cancer progression. Deletions and mutations in this gene are associated with supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) and autosomal dominant cutis laxa. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2017]

Elastin

Major structural protein of tissues such as aorta and nuchal ligament, which must expand rapidly and recover completely. Molecular determinant of the late arterial morphogenesis, stabilizing arterial structure by regulating proliferation and organization of vascular smooth muscle (By similarity).

Animal organ morphogenesis Source: ProtInc
Aortic valve morphogenesis Source: BHF-UCL
Blood circulation Source: ProtInc
Extracellular matrix organization Source: Ensembl
Outflow tract morphogenesis Source: BHF-UCL
Regulation of actin filament polymerization Source: Ensembl
Regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation Source: GO_Central
Respiratory gaseous exchange by respiratory system Source: ProtInc
Skeletal muscle tissue development Source: Ensembl
Stress fiber assembly Source: Ensembl

Extracellular matrix. Extracellular matrix of elastic fibers.

Cutis laxa, autosomal dominant, 1 (ADCL1):
A connective tissue disorder characterized by loose, hyperextensible skin with decreased resilience and elasticity leading to a premature aged appearance. Face, hands, feet, joints, and torso may be differentially affected. Additional variable clinical features are gastrointestinal diverticula, hernia, and genital prolapse. Rare manifestations are pulmonary artery stenosis, aortic aneurysm, bronchiectasis, and emphysema.
Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS):
Congenital narrowing of the ascending aorta which can occur sporadically, as an autosomal dominant condition, or as one component of Williams-Beuren syndrome.
ELN is located in the Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) critical region. WBS results from a hemizygous deletion of several genes on chromosome 7q11.23, thought to arise as a consequence of unequal crossing over between highly homologous low-copy repeat sequences flanking the deleted region. Haploinsufficiency of ELN may be the cause of certain cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal abnormalities observed in the disease (PubMed:8812460).

Elastin is formed through the cross-linking of its soluble precursor tropoelastin. Cross-linking is initiated through the action of lysyl oxidase on exposed lysines to form allysine. Subsequent spontaneous condensation reactions with other allysine or unmodified lysine residues result in various bi-, tri-, and tetrafunctional cross-links. The most abundant cross-links in mature elastin fibers are lysinonorleucine, allysine aldol, desmosine, and isodesmosine.
Hydroxylation on proline residues within the sequence motif, GXPG, is most likely 4-hydroxy as this fits the requirement for 4-hydroxylation in vertebrates.