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We are deeply saddened by the passing of Amos Bairoch (1957–2025), the creator of PROSITE. We wish to dedicate our latest paper, published shortly before his death, to him. He will always be a source of inspiration to us.
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Amos Bairoch

PROSITE documentation PDOC50912
EAR repeat profile


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PURL: https://purl.expasy.org/prosite/documentation/PDOC50912

Description

Most of the hereditary idiopathic epilepsies are due to mutation in ion channels expressed in brain [1]. Recently two non-ion channel genes LGI1 and VGLR1 have emerged as important causes of specific epilepsy syndromes [1]. The product of these two genes share a conserved repeated region of about 44 amino acid residues, the EAR repeat (for epilepsy-associated repeat), which has also been called the Epitempin (EPTP) repeat. The EAR repeats tend to be present in seven copies per proteins [2,3].

The predicted secondary structure (four β-strands) and the numbers of repeated copies (seven) suggest that the EAR domain belongs to the β-propeller fold. A common functional feature found in all characterized domains of this class is a participation in protein-protein interactions. Since the EAR repeat is found in the ectodomain of VLGR1, it is most probably involved in ligand recognition by the receptor [2,3].

Proteins known to contain EAR repeats are listed below:

  • Mammalian LGI1 to LGI4. LGI1 is mutated in autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features (ADPEAF). The F348C missense mutation is located in the third EAR repeat (7 copies) [4].
  • Mammalian thrombo-spondin N-terminal domain and EAR repeats containing protein (TSPEAR) (7 copies).
  • Mammalian very large G protein-coupled receptor 1 (VGLR1) or monogenic audiogenic seizure-susceptible (MASS1) protein. In mouse, mutations in MASS1 gene are associated with generalized epilepsy and seizures in response to loud noises (7 copies) [5].

The profile we developed covers the whole EAR repeat.

Last update:

January 2018 / Profile and text revised.

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Technical section

PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:

EAR, PS50912; EAR repeat profile  (MATRIX)


References

1AuthorsMulley J.C. Scheffer I.E. Petrou S. Berkovic S.F.
TitleChannelopathies as a genetic cause of epilepsy.
SourceCurr. Opin. Neurol. 16:171-176(2003).
PubMed ID12644745
DOI10.1097/01.wco.0000063767.15877.c7

2AuthorsScheel H. Tomiuk S. Hofmann K.
TitleA common protein interaction domain links two recently identified epilepsy genes.
SourceHum. Mol. Genet. 11:1757-1762(2002).
PubMed ID12095917

3AuthorsStaub E. Perez-Tur J. Siebert R. Nobile C. Moschonas N.K. Deloukas P. Hinzmann B.
TitleThe novel EPTP repeat defines a superfamily of proteins implicated in epileptic disorders.
SourceTrends Biochem. Sci. 27:441-444(2002).
PubMed ID12217514

4AuthorsFertig E. Lincoln A. Martinuzzi A. Mattson R.H. Hisama F.M.
TitleNovel LGI1 mutation in a family with autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features.
SourceNeurology 60:1687-1690(2003).
PubMed ID12771268

5AuthorsSkradski S.L. Clark A.M. Jiang H. White H.S. Fu Y.H. Ptacek L.J.
TitleA novel gene causing a mendelian audiogenic mouse epilepsy.
SourceNeuron 31:537-544(2001).
PubMed ID11545713



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