Prestin (PRES)

Prestin is the motor protein of the outer hair cells of the inner ear of the mammalian cochlea. It is highly expressed in the outer hair cells, and is not expressed in the nonmotile inner hair cells. Immunolocalization shows prestin is expressed in the lateral plasma membrane of the outer hair cells, the region where electromotility occurs. The expression pattern correlates with the appearance of outer hair cell electromotility. Prestin is specifically expressed in outer hair cells (OHCs) of the cochlea and is essential in auditory processing. Intracellular anions are thought to act as extrinsic voltage sensors, which bind to this protein and trigger the conformational changes required for rapid length changes in OHCs.Not surprisingly the keen echolocation in bats and dolphins is driven by prestin.