a - nonagouti

Enables type 3 melanocortin receptor binding activity and type 4 melanocortin receptor binding activity. Involved in positive regulation of melanin biosynthetic process. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including adult feeding behavior; melanin biosynthetic process; and melanosome transport. Predicted to be active in extracellular space. Is expressed in forelimb epithelium; hair bulb; hindlimb epithelium; and skin. Used to study obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Orthologous to human ASIP (agouti signaling protein). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]