TECTA

The tectorial membrane is an extracellular matrix of the inner ear that contacts the stereocilia bundles of specialized sensory hair cells. Sound induces movement of these hair cells relative to the tectorial membrane, deflects the stereocilia, and leads to fluctuations in hair-cell membrane potential, transducing sound into electrical signals. Alpha-tectorin is one of the major noncollagenous components of the tectorial membrane. Mutations in the TECTA gene have been shown to be responsible for autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing impairment and a recessive form of sensorineural pre-lingual non-syndromic deafness. [provided by RefSeq]

Full Name

tectorin alpha

Function

One of the major non-collagenous components of the tectorial membrane (By similarity).
The tectorial membrane is an extracellular matrix of the inner ear that covers the neuroepithelium of the cochlea and contacts the stereocilia bundles of specialized sensory hair cells. Sound induces movement of these hair cells relative to the tectorial membrane, deflects the stereocilia and leads to fluctuations in hair-cell membrane potential, transducing sound into electrical signals.

Biological Process

Biological Process cell-matrix adhesionIEA:InterPro
Biological Process sensory perception of soundTAS:ProtInc1 Publication

Cellular Location

Cell membrane
Secreted, extracellular space, extracellular matrix
Found in the non-collagenous matrix of the tectorial membrane.

Involvement in disease

Deafness, autosomal dominant, 12 (DFNA12):
A form of non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural deafness results from damage to the neural receptors of the inner ear, the nerve pathways to the brain, or the area of the brain that receives sound information.
Deafness, autosomal recessive, 21 (DFNB21):
A form of non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural deafness results from damage to the neural receptors of the inner ear, the nerve pathways to the brain, or the area of the brain that receives sound information.

PTM

The presence of a hydrophobic C-terminus preceded by a potential cleavage site strongly suggests that tectorins are synthesized as glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked, membrane-bound precursors. Tectorins are targeted to the apical surface of the inner ear epithelia by the lipid and proteolytically released into the extracellular compartment.