Survival of motor neuron

The Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) is a protein involved in the assembly of snRNPs, the essential components of spliceosomal machinery. A lack of SMN due to SMN1 deletion results in widespread splicing defects, especially in spinal motor neurons, and is one cause of spinal muscular atrophy.

SMN also functions in transcriptional regulation, telomerase regeneration and cellular trafficking.

A 2004 study using high-throughput screening found indoprofen to increase production of the survival of motor neuron protein, suggesting it may provide insight into treatments for spinal muscular atrophies.

Later research show a possible role of SMN in neuronal migration and/or differentiation.