Myosin-IIIa is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respon ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''MYO3A''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

. The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the

myosin Myosins () are a superfamily of motor proteins best known for their roles in muscle contraction and in a wide range of other motility processes in eukaryotes. They are ATP-dependent and responsible for actin-based motility. The first myosin (M ...

superfamily. Myosins are actin-dependent motor proteins and are categorized into conventional myosins (class II) and unconventional myosins (classes I and III through XV) based on their variable C-terminal cargo-binding domains. Class III myosins, such as this one, have a kinase domain N-terminal to the conserved N-terminal motor domains and are expressed in photoreceptors. The protein encoded by this gene plays an important role in hearing in humans. Three different recessive, loss of function mutations in the encoded protein have been shown to cause nonsyndromic progressive hearing loss. Expression of this gene is highly restricted, with the strongest expression in retina and cochlea.

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