This family of proteins, Otospiralin, has a role in maintaining the neurosensory epithelium of the inner ear [1,2]. This family of proteins is found in eukaryotes. Proteins in this family are approximately 90 amino acids in length.

1: Downregulation of otospiralin, a novel inner ear protein, causes hair cell degeneration and deafness. Delprat B, Boulanger A, Wang J, Beaudoin V, Guitton MJ, Venteo S, Dechesne CJ, Pujol R, Lavigne-Rebillard M, Puel JL, Hamel CP; J Neurosci. 2002;22:1718-1725. PMID:11880501

2: Is otospiralin inner ear specific? Evidence for its expression in mouse brain. Decourt B, Hillman D, Bouleau Y, Dulon D, Hafidi A; Int J Dev Neurosci. 2009;27:87-96. PMID:18832023