title: Espins and the actin cytoskeleton of hair cell stereocilia and sensory cell microvilli.
abstract: The espins are novel actin-bundling proteins that are produced in multiple isoforms from a single gene. They are present at high concentration in the parallel actin bundle of hair cell stereocilia and are the target of deafness mutations in mice and humans. Espins are also enriched in the microvilli of taste receptor cells, solitary chemoreceptor cells, vomeronasal sensory neurons and Merkel cells, suggesting that espins play important roles in the microvillar projections of vertebrate sensory cells. Espins are potent actin-bundling proteins that are not inhibited by Ca2+. In cells, they efficiently elongate parallel actin bundles and, thereby, help determine the steadystate length of microvilli and stereocilia. Espins bind actin monomer via their WH2 domain and can assemble actin bundles in cells. Certain espin isoforms can also bind phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, profilins or SH3 proteins. These biological activities distinguish espins from other actin-bundling proteins and may make them well-suited to sensory cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, and Institute for Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Ward Building 11-185, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sekerková
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Loomis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mugnaini
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bartles
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003638:Deafness / Q000235:genetics; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D011392:Proline / Q000032:analysis; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C493274:ESPN protein, human; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C104108:espin protein, mouse; D011392:Proline; D002118:Calcium