MT3, Official Symbol MT3provided by HGNC Official Full Name metallothionein 3provided by HGNC Primary source HGNC:HGNC:7408 See related Ensembl:ENSG00000087250 MIM:139255; AllianceGenome:HGNC:7408 Gene type protein coding RefSeq status REVIEWED Organism Homo sapiens Lineage Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo Also known as GIF; GIFB; GRIF; ZnMT3 Summary This gene is a member of the metallothionein family of genes. Proteins encoded by this gene family are low in molecular weight, are cysteine-rich, lack aromatic residues, and bind divalent heavy metal ions. This gene family member displays tissue-specific expression, and contains a threonine insert near its N-terminus and a glutamate-rich hexapeptide insert near its C-terminus relative to the proteins encoded by other gene family members. It plays an important role in zinc and copper homeostasis, and is induced under hypoxic conditions. The encoded protein is a growth inhibitory factor, and reduced levels of the protein are observed in the brains of individuals with some metal-linked neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2017] Annotation information Note: GIF (Gene ID: 2694) and MT3 (Gene ID: 4504) share the GIF symbol/alias in common. GIF is a widely used alternative name for metallothionein 3 (MT3), which can be confused with the official symbol for GIF (gastric intrinsic factor, GeneID 2694). [01 Jun 2018] Expression Biased expression in brain (RPKM 149.3) and adrenal (RPKM 10.1) See more Orthologs mouse all