Machado-Joseph disease is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder, and is now known to be the same as previously described spinocerebellar ataxia-3. MJD protein (Ataxin-3) contains (CAG)n repeats in the coding region, and the expansion of these repeats from the normal 13-36 to 68-79 is the cause of Machado-Joseph disease. There is a negative correlation between the age of onset and CAG repeat numbers. This protein interacts with key regulators (CBP, p300 and PCAF) of transcription and represses transcription, and also acts as a histone-binding protein that regulates transcription. MJD is a deubiquitinating enzyme.

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