Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) is a protein conserved across eukaryotic organisms, that in humans is a genetic determinant of at least two neurodegenerative diseases, spinocerebellar ataxia type II (SCA2) and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [6,7]. The gene discussed is ATXN2; the disease is neurodegenerative disease.