EF-hand, calcium binding motif, found in parvalbumin-like EF-hand family
The family includes alpha- and beta-parvalbumins, and a group of uncharacterized calglandulin-like proteins. Parvalbumins are small, acidic, cytosolic EF-hand-containing Ca2+-buffer and Ca2+ transporter/shuttle proteins belonging to EF-hand superfamily. They are expressed by vertebrates in fast-twitch muscle cells, specific neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system, sensory cells of the mammalian auditory organ (Corti's cell), and some other cells, and characterized by the presence of three consecutive EF-hand motifs (helix-loop-helix) called AB, CD, and EF, but only CD and EF can chelate metal ions, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+. Thus, they may play an additional role in Mg2+ handling. Moreover, parvalbumins represent one of the major animal allergens. In metal-bound states, parvalbumins possess a rigid and stable tertiary structure and display strong allergenicity. In contrast, the metal-free parvalbumins are intrinsically disordered, and the loss of metal ions results in a conformational change that decreases their IgE binding capacity. Furthermore, parvalbumins have been widely used as a neuronal marker for a variety of functional brain systems. They also function as a Ca2+ shuttle transporting Ca2+ from troponin-C (TnC) to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump during muscle relaxation. Thus they may facilitate myocardial relaxation and play important roles in cardiac diastolic dysfunction. Parvalbumins consists of alpha- and beta- sublineages, which can be distinguished on the basis of isoelectric point (pI > 5 for alpha; pI
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",