FGF domain, beta-trefoil fold, found in fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) and similar proteins
FGF1, also called acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), or endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF), or heparin-binding growth factor 1 (HBGF1), plays an important role in the regulation of cell survival, cell division, angiogenesis, cell differentiation, and cell migration. It functions as potent mitogen in vitro. FGF-1 acts as a ligand for fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and integrins. It interacts with FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, and FGFR4. Affinity between fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors is increased by heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans that function as coreceptors. It also interacts with fibroblast growth factor-binding protein 1 (FGFBP1), FGF1, and FGF2. It can induce angiogenesis. FGF1 contains a FGF domain with beta-trefoil fold, which is characterized by 12 beta strands folded into three similar trefoil subdomains (alpha, beta, and gamma) associated to give an overall structure with pseudo-3-fold symmetry.