Overview:

SIRT5 is a member of the sirtuin family of proteins which are homologs to the yeast Sir2 protein. Sirtuin family contain a sirtuin core domain and are grouped into four classes with SIRT5 being a member of class III. SIRT5 consists of eight exons and is found in two isoforms which encode a 310 aa and a 299 aa protein, respectively. Human SIRT5 is most predominantly expressed in heart muscle cells and in lymphoblasts. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis localized the human SIRT5 gene to chromosome 6p23. SIRT5 can deacetylate cytochrome c, a protein of the mitochondrial intermembrane space with a central function in oxidative metabolism as well as apoptosis initiation (1).

References:

1. Schlicker C. et al: Substrates and regulation mechanisms for the human mitochondrial sirtuins Sirt3 and Sirt5. J Mol Biol. 2008 Oct 10;382(3):790-801.

2. Mahlknecht, U. et al: Assignment of the NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin 5 gene (SIRT5) to human chromosome band 6p23 by in situ hybridization. Cytogenet Genome Res. 2006;112(3-4):208-12.