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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 PDOC51041
EMI domain profile


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PURL: https://purl.expasy.org/prosite/documentation/PDOC51041

Description

The EMI domain, first named after its presence in proteins of the EMILIN family, is a small cysteine-rich module of ~75 amino acids. The EMI domain is most often found at the N-terminus of metazoan extracellular proteins that are forming or are compatible with multimer formation [1]. It is found in association with other domains, such as C1q (see <PDOC00857>), laminin-type EGF-like, collagen-like, FN3 (see <PDOC50853>), WAP (see <PDOC00026>), ZP (see <PDOC00577>) or FAS1 (see <PDOC50213>) [2]. It has been suggested that the EMI domain could be a protein-protein interaction module, as the EMI domain of EMILIN-1 was found to interact with the C1q domain of EMILIN-2 [1].

The EMI domain possesses six highly conserved cysteines residues, which likely form disulfide bonds. Other key features of the EMI domain are the C-C-x-G-[WYFH] pattern, a hydrophobic position just preceding the first cysteine (Cys1) of the domain and a cluster of hydrophobic residues between Cys3 and Cys4. The EMI domain could be made of two sub-domains, the fold of the second one sharing similarities with the C-terminal sub-module characteristic of EGF-like domains [2].

Some proteins known to contain a EMI domain are listed below:

  • Vertebrate Emilins, extracellular matrix glycoproteins.
  • Vertebrate Multimerins, extracellular matrix glycoproteins.
  • Vetebrate Emu proteins. They could interact with several different extracellular matrix components and serve to connect and integrate the function of multiple partner molecules.
  • Vertebrate β IG-H3.
  • Vertebrate osteoblast-specific factor 2 (OSF-2).
  • Mammalian NEU1/NG3 proteins.
  • Drosophila midline fasciclin.
  • Caenorhabditis elegans ced-1, a transmembrane receptor that mediates cell corpse engulfment.

The profile we developed covers the entire EMI domain.

Last update:

November 2004 / First entry.

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Technical section

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

EMI, PS51041; EMI domain profile  (MATRIX)


References

1AuthorsDoliana R. Bot S. Bonaldo P. Colombatti A.
TitleEMI, a novel cysteine-rich domain of EMILINs and other extracellular proteins, interacts with the gC1q domains and participates in multimerization.
SourceFEBS Lett. 484:164-168(2000).
PubMed ID11068053

2AuthorsCallebaut I. Mignotte V. Souchet M. Mornon J.-P.
TitleEMI domains are widespread and reveal the probable orthologs of the Caenorhabditis elegans CED-1 protein.
SourceBiochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 300:619-623(2003).
PubMed ID12507493



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