Overview:

PACRG (also known as Parkin coregulated gene protein and PARK2 coregulated) is a gene located very close to parkin, in reverse orientation on the chromosome. It is thought to be co-transcribed with parkin by a bi-directional promoter between the two genes.  PACRG is expressed in all immune tissues, spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, tonsils, leukocyte and bone marrow and is also expressed in heart, brain, skeletal muscle, kidney, lung and pancreas. PACRG is expressed in primary Schwann cells and very weakly by monocyte-derived macrophages, which are the primary host cells of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy.  Splice variants have been described for this protein.

References:

1. Mira,M.T., et al.: Susceptibility to leprosy is associated with PARK2 and PACRG. Nature. 2004: 427 (6975); 636-640.

2. Imai,Y., et al.: A product of the human gene adjacent to parkin is a component of Lewy bodies and suppresses Pael receptor-induced cell death. J. Biol. Chem. 2003: 278 (51); 51901-51910.

3. West,A.B., et al.: Identification of a novel gene linked to parkin via a bi-directional promoter. J. Mol. Biol. 2003: 326 (1); 11-19.