The syntrophins are PDZ-domain-containing proteins that facilitate the recruitment of signaling proteins such as NOS1 to the dystrophin-associated protein complex. The syntrophin family are structurally related proteins that contain multiple protein interaction motifs. Syntrophins associate directly with dystrophin, the product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy locus, and its homologs. α-Syntrophin has an important role in synapse formation and in the organization of utrophin, acetylcholine receptor and acetylcholinester-ase at the neuromuscular synapse. Specifically, NOS1 binds to α-Syntrophin at muscle sarcolemma. β2-Syntrophin is a modular adapter. In muscle cells, β2-Syntrophin interacts with members of the dystrophin family, which in-cludes utrophin.
