dystrofine

Dystrofine is not a widely recognized protein in standard molecular biology references. The term occasionally appears as a misspelling or informal reference to dystrophin, a well-established muscle protein, or as a hypothetical name in speculative discussions about related cytoskeletal proteins. In authoritative sources, the protein that links the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix in muscle membranes is dystrophin, encoded by the DMD gene on the X chromosome, and it exists in multiple isoforms.

If dystrofine is used as a hypothetical term, it would be described as a large cytoskeletal-associated protein potentially analogous to dystrophin. A speculative model would place its structure with an N-terminal actin-binding domain, a central rod domain containing spectrin-like repeats, and a C-terminal domain that interacts with the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex. Such a protein would be expected to help stabilize the sarcolemma during muscle contraction and could participate in signaling pathways at the cell membrane.

Clinical relevance and research status: there is no canonical entry for dystrofine in major gene or protein databases. Consequently, research emphasis in muscular dystrophy remains on dystrophin, utrophin, and the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. If a dystrofine-like protein were identified, studies would likely examine its tissue distribution, gene regulation, interaction partners, and potential redundancy or compensation with dystrophin or utrophin.

See also: Dystrophin, DMD gene, Dystroglycan, Utrophin, Muscular dystrophy.