Notum is a 496 amino acid secreted protein that belongs to the pectinacetylesterase family and may deacetylate GlcNAc residues on cell surface glycans. The gene that encodes Notum consists of approximately 9,334 bases and maps to human chromosome 17q25.3. Encoding more than 1,200 genes, chromosome 17 comprises over 2.5% of the human genome. Two key tumor suppressor genes are associated with chromosome 17, namely, p53 and BRCA1. Tumor suppressor p53 is necessary for maintenance of cellular genetic integrity by moderating cell fate through DNA repair versus cell death. Malfunction or loss of p53 expression is associated with malignant cell growth and Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Like p53, BRCA1 is directly involved in DNA repair, though specifically it is recognized as a genetic determinant of early onset breast cancer and predisposition to cancers of ovary, colon, prostate gland and fallopian tubes.
