EF-hand, calcium binding motif, found in peflin and similar proteins
Peflin, also termed penta-EF hand (PEF) protein with a long N-terminal hydrophobic domain, or penta-EF hand domain-containing protein 1, is a ubiquitously expressed 30-kD PEF protein containing five EF-hand motifs in its C-terminal domain and a longer N-terminal hydrophobic domain (NHB domain) than any other member of the PEF family. The NHB domain harbors nine repeats of a nonapeptide (A/PPGGPYGGP). Peflin may modulate the function of ALG-2 in Ca2+ signaling. It exists only as a heterodimer with ALG-2, and binds two Ca2+ ions through its EF1 and EF3 hands. Its additional EF5 hand is unpaired and does not bind Ca2+ ion but mediates the heterodimerization with ALG-2. The dissociation of heterodimer occurs in the presence of Ca2+. In lower vertebrates, peflin may interact with transient receptor potential N (TRPN1), suggesting a potential role of peflin in fast transducer channel adaptation.