Dynein, Axonemal, Heavy Chain 8 (DNAH8)

Dyneins are microtubule-associated motor protein complexes composed of several heavy, light, and intermediate chains. Dynein heavy chains (DHCs) are responsible for force production and ATPase activity and contain a highly conserved catalytic domain with 4 P-loop consensus motifs involved in nucleotide binding. Two major classes of dyneins, axonemal and cytoplasmic, have been identified. Axonemal dyneins, found in cilia and flagella, are components of the outer and inner dynein arms attached to the peripheral microtubule doublets.

DNAH8 is an outer arm axonemal DHC. Sequence analysis revealed that mouse Dhc9 and human DHC9 (DNAH8) are putative outer arm axonemal DHCs and are homologous to rat DLP8.