Keratin 6A and keratin 6C are encoded by the neighbouring genes, which are identical in intron-exon organization to "KRT6A" and are more than 99% identical in their DNA coding sequences. Mutations in the genes expressing this protein is associated with the PC-K6A subtype of pachyonychia congenita, an inherited disorder of the epithelial tissues in which keratin 6A is expressed, particularly leading to structural abnormalities of the nails, the epidermis of the palms and soles, and oral epithelia. Keratin 6A Keratin 6A is one of the 27 different type II keratins expressed in humans. Keratin 6A was the first type II keratin sequence
Keratin 5 heterodimers are formed between specific pairs of type I (acidic) and type II (basic) keratin. K5, a type II keratin, pairs with the type I keratin K14. The coiled-coil dimers undergo stepwise assembly and combine in an antiparallel manner, forming end-to-end interactions with other coiled-coils to form large 10 nm intermediate filaments. Keratin 5 (and K14) are expressed primarily in basal keratinocytes in the epidermis, specifically in the stratified epithelium lining the skin and digestive tract. Keratin intermediate filaments make up the cytoskeletal scaffold within epithelial cells, which contributes to the cell architecture and provides the cells with the ability