InterPro domain: IPR021910

Proteins in this family include PGAP6 (also known as TMEM8A), NGX6 (also known as TMEM8B) and myomaker (also known as TMEM8C). TMEM8C is embedded in the plasma membrane with seven membrane-spanning regions and a required intracellular C-terminal tail. It is essential for myoblast fusion and sufficient to promote fusion of fibroblasts with muscle cells [ 1 ]. TMEM8A and TMEM8B has no fusogenic activity. TMEM8A is a GPI-specific phospholipase A2 involved in Nodal signaling modulation through CRIPTO shedding [ 2 ]. TMEM8B plays a role in cell adhesion modulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells [ 3 ].

1. Structure-function analysis of myomaker domains required for myoblast fusion. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 113, 2116-21
2. A GPI processing phospholipase A2, PGAP6, modulates Nodal signaling in embryos by shedding CRIPTO. J. Cell Biol. 215, 705-718
3. Role of a novel EGF-like domain-containing gene NGX6 in cell adhesion modulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Carcinogenesis 26, 281-91