HomeAboutRankingsData Sources
© 2026 GeneE
🧬
GeneE
10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
ⓘGeneE is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
SARAF
store-operated calcium entry associated regulatory factor
Chromosome 8 · 8p12
NCBI Gene: 51669Ensembl: ENSG00000133872.15HGNC: HGNC:28789UniProt: A0A140VK59
53PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Transporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingregulation of store-operated calcium entryendoplasmic reticulum membraneendoplasmic reticulumeye diseasepathological myopiaHirsutismbipolar disorder
✦AI Summary

SARAF (store-operated calcium entry associated regulatory factor) is a negative regulator of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) that protects cells from pathological calcium overload. Mechanistically, SARAF functions as an endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein that mediates slow Ca2+-dependent inactivation (SCDI) of CRAC channels by facilitating STIM1-Orai1 decoupling following ER calcium refilling 1. Upon physiological Ca2+ elevation, SARAF translocates to plasma membrane-ER junctions in a STIM1-dependent manner to promote Orai1 channel closure within PI(4,5)P2-rich microdomains 2. Dysregulation of SARAF has significant disease implications. In acute pancreatitis, SARAF levels initially increase but are subsequently degraded, resulting in excessive Ca2+ influx and acinar cell damage; SARAF knockout mice develop more severe pancreatitis, while SARAF overexpression provides protective effects 3. In neonatal platelets, SARAF overexpression impairs thrombin-induced Ca2+ homeostasis, contributing to reduced platelet responses 4. Additionally, the SARAF-miR-155-5p axis may mediate beneficial effects of cholecalciferol supplementation in multiple sclerosis by regulating calcium-release-activated channels 5. SARAF represents a potential therapeutic target for conditions characterized by pathological calcium overload.

Sources cited
1
SARAF mediates slow Ca2+-dependent inactivation of CRAC channels by promoting STIM-Orai interaction dynamics
PMID: 34440656
2
SARAF is an ER membrane protein that translocates to plasma membrane-ER junctions to modulate SOCE within PI(4,5)P2-rich microdomains
PMID: 29223474
3
SARAF degradation during pancreatitis permits excessive Ca2+ influx; SARAF overexpression protects against acute pancreatitis severity
PMID: 31493399
4
SARAF overexpression impairs thrombin-induced Ca2+ homeostasis in neonatal platelets
PMID: 38073055
5
SARAF gene expression correlates with miR-155-5p regulation and may mediate cholecalciferol supplementation effects in multiple sclerosis
PMID: 37372417
Disease Associationsⓘ20
eye diseaseOpen Targets
0.24Weak
pathological myopiaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
HirsutismOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
bipolar disorderOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
placental retentionOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
pulmonary embolismOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Dupuytren ContractureOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
device complicationOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
diabetic ketoacidosisOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
glomerulonephritisOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
duodenal ulcerOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
JaundiceOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
androgenetic alopeciaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinal cord injuryOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
gallbladder diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hypothyroidismOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
myeloid sarcomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
liver cancerOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
TRPC1Protein interaction81%STIMATEProtein interaction78%ORAI1Protein interaction78%CRACR2AProtein interaction76%SLC35G1Protein interaction73%STIM1Protein interaction64%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Bone Marrow
99%
Liver
63%
Heart
55%
Ovary
53%
Lung
37%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
SARAFTRPC1STIMATEORAI1CRACR2ASLC35G1STIM1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB6O2V · 1.58 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.85LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.59 [0.42–0.85]
RankingsWhere SARAF stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #8,486of 20,598
    Most Researched53
  • #7,328of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.85
Genes detectedSARAF
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Vaginal microbiome: normalcy vs dysbiosis.
PMID: 34120200
Arch Microbiol · 2021
1.00
2
Reduced Ca
PMID: 38073055
Br J Haematol · 2024
0.90
3
Cholecalciferol Supplementation Induced Up-Regulation of
PMID: 37372417
Genes (Basel) · 2023
0.80
4
Regulation of Store-Operated Ca
PMID: 34440656
Cells · 2021
0.70
5
Succinylation-related molecular activities in cancer: metabolic adaptations, immune landscape, and prognostic significance in colorectal cancer.
PMID: 40463370
Front Immunol · 2025
0.60