The primary protein encoded by HTN3 is histatin 3. Histatins are a family of small, histidine-rich, salivary proteins, encoded by at least two loci (HTN3 and HTN1). Post-translational proteolytic processing results in many histatins: e.g., histatins 4-6 are derived from histatin 3 by proteolysis. Histatins 1 and 3 are primary products of HIS1(1) and HIS2(1) alleles, respectively. Histatins are believed to have important non-immunological, anti-microbial function in the oral cavity.[3] Histatin 1 and histatin 2 are major wound-closing factors in human saliva.[5]
^Sabatini LM, Azen EA (April 1989). "Histatins, a family of salivary histidine-rich proteins, are encoded by at least two loci (HIS1 and HIS2)". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160 (2): 495–502. doi:10.1016/0006-291X(89)92460-1. PMID2719677.
Sugiyama K, Ogino T, Ogata K (1990). "Rapid purification and characterization of histatins (histidine-rich polypeptides) from human whole saliva". Arch. Oral Biol. 35 (6): 415–9. doi:10.1016/0003-9969(90)90202-L. PMID2372245.
Sabatini LM, Azen EA (1989). "Histatins, a family of salivary histidine-rich proteins, are encoded by at least two loci (HIS1 and HIS2)". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160 (2): 495–502. doi:10.1016/0006-291X(89)92460-1. PMID2719677.
Iontcheva I, Oppenheim FG, Offner GD, Troxler RF (2000). "Molecular mapping of statherin- and histatin-binding domains in human salivary mucin MG1 (MUC5B) by the yeast two-hybrid system". J. Dent. Res. 79 (2): 732–9. doi:10.1177/00220345000790020601. PMID10728974. S2CID27558675.
Naurato N, Wong P, Lu Y, et al. (2000). "Interaction of tannin with human salivary histatins". J. Agric. Food Chem. 47 (6): 2229–34. doi:10.1021/jf981044i. PMID10794615.
Gyurko C, Lendenmann U, Helmerhorst EJ, et al. (2002). "Killing of Candida albicans by histatin 5: cellular uptake and energy requirement". Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 79 (3–4): 297–309. doi:10.1023/A:1012070600340. PMID11816973. S2CID32933751.