| HGNC Family | Ankyrin repeat domain containing (ANKRD) |
| Name | espin-like |
| Description | Predicted to enable actin filament binding activity. Predicted to be involved in actin filament bundle assembly and sensory perception of sound. Predicted to be located in stereocilium tip. Predicted to be active in cytoplasm. [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Mar 2025] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Espin‐like (ESPNL) is an actin‐regulatory protein that plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of inner ear hair cell stereocilia—specialized actin‐rich projections essential for mechanotransduction and normal hearing. ESPNL is predominantly expressed in developing stereocilia, where it functions as a cargo of class III myosins (MYO3A and MYO3B). In this capacity, it modulates the trafficking and regulation of actin protrusion dynamics, thereby helping to establish the graded (staircase) architecture of stereocilia by differentially influencing their lengths."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Moreover, ESPNL is integrated into a broader network of stereociliary proteins—including EPS8, CDC42, RAC1, and BAIAP2L2—that collectively contribute to the fine tuning of the actin core’s structure and stability within hair bundles. Interactions between these molecules are necessary to maintain proper bundle morphology and to support the transduction of mechanical stimuli into electrical signals."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In addition to its structural and regulatory functions, ESPNL also emerges as a marker for differentiating hair cells. Its expression, alongside markers such as Chrna9, distinguishes inner ear progenitor populations from mature sensory epithelia and underscores its relevance in hair cell induction and specialization."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Together, these studies indicate that ESPNL is essential for both the establishment and preservation of the precise actin architecture in hair cell stereocilia. Its role in directing myosin‐mediated cargo transport and modulating actin bundle dynamics is critical for auditory function, and its developmentally regulated expression highlights its importance as a marker of hair cell differentiation.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Seham Ebrahim, Matthew R Avenarius, M'hamed Grati, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Stereocilia-staircase spacing is influenced by myosin III motors and their cargos espin-1 and espin-like."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Commun (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/ncomms10833"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10833"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26926603"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26926603"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Adam J Carlton, Julia Halford, Anna Underhill, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Loss of Baiap2l2 destabilizes the transducing stereocilia of cochlear hair cells and leads to deafness."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Physiol (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1113/JP280670"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1113/JP280670"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "33151556"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33151556"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Quanwen Liu, Jiarong Chen, Xiangli Gao, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Identification of stage-specific markers during differentiation of hair cells from mouse inner ear stem cells or progenitor cells in vitro."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Biochem Cell Biol (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.biocel.2014.12.024"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2014.12.024"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "25582750"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25582750"}]}]}]}
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| Proteins | ESPNL_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 339768 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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ESPNL has 3,470 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 68 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for ESPNL from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of ESPNL gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of ESPNL gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of ESPNL gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 | transcription factors binding the promoter of ESPNL gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas | gene perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components containing ESPNL protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with ESPNL protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with ESPNL gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by ESPNL gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with ESPNL gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at ESPNL gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of ESPNL gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of ESPNL gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing ESPNL from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving ESPNL gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving ESPNL gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx eQTL 2025 | SNPs regulating expression of ESPNL gene from the GTEx eQTL 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations | diseases associated with ESPNL gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with ESPNL gene in GWAS datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other cell lines from the HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ESPNL protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes | phenotypes of mice caused by ESPNL gene knockout from the IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for ESPNL protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of ESPNL gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of ESPNL gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of ESPNL gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Kinase Library Serine Threonine Kinome Atlas | kinases that phosphorylate ESPNL protein from the Kinase Library Serine Threonine Atlas dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of ESPNL gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with ESPNL gene mutations from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain ESPNL protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 | phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by ESPNL gene mutations from the MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| MiRTarBase microRNA Targets | microRNAs targeting ESPNL gene in low- or high-throughput microRNA targeting studies from the MiRTarBase microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of ESPNL gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Mouse Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2024 | pathways involving ESPNL protein from the Reactome Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of ESPNL gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at ESPNL gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of ESPNL gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of ESPNL gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of ESPNL gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of ESPNL gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of ESPNL protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of ESPNL protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of ESPNL protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with ESPNL protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| WikiPathways Pathways 2024 | pathways involving ESPNL protein from the WikiPathways Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
