Based on limited published evidence, LOC100653049 encodes keratin, type I cuticular Ha4, a structural protein component of the epidermis. GO annotations indicate roles in cytoskeleton organization, epithelial cell differentiation, and intermediate filament formation during epithelial morphogenesis. A proteomic study identified LOC100653049 in canine saliva with upregulation in male dogs, demonstrating homology between canine and human salivary proteins 1, though the functional significance of its salivary presence remains unclear.