BAR domains are highly conserved protein dimerisation domains that occur in many proteins involved in membrane dynamics in a cell. The BAR domain is banana shaped and binds to membrane via its concave face. It is capable of sensing membrane curvature by binding preferentially to curved membranes. The occurrence in different protein and more information can be found on endocytosis.org.

BAR domains occur in combinations with other domains

Many BAR family proteins contain alternative lipid specificity domains that help target these protein to particular membrane compartments. Some also have SH3 domains that bind to dynamin

Dynamin

Dynamin is a GTPase responsible for endocytosis in the eukaryotic cell. Dynamins are principally involved in the scission of newly formed vesicles from the membrane of one cellular compartment and their targeting to, and fusion with, another compartment, both at the cell surface as well as at the...

 and thus proteins like amphiphysin and endophilin are implicated in the orchestration of vesicle scission.

N-BAR domain

Some BAR domain containing proteins have an N-terminal amphipathic helix preceding the BAR domain. This helix inserts (like in the epsin ENTH domain) into the membrane and induces curvature, which is stabilised by the BAR dimer. Amphiphysin, endophilin, BRAP1/bin2 and nadrin are examples of such proteins containing an N-BAR.

F-BAR (EFC) domain

F-BAR domains (for FCH-BAR, or EFC for Extended FCH Homology) are BAR domains that are extensions of the already established FCH domain. They are frequently found at the amino terminus of proteins. They can bind lipid membranes and can tubulate lipids in vitro and in vivo, but their exact physiological role remains to be elucidated. Syndapin/pacsin proteins are an example of an F-BAR protein family.

Sorting nexins

The sorting nexin family of proteins includes several members that possess a BAR domain, including the well characterized SNX1

SNX1

Sorting nexin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SNX1 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a sorting nexin. SNX1 is a component of the retromer complex.- Function :...

 and SNX9

SNX9

Sorting nexin-9 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SNX9 gene.-Interactions:SNX9 has been shown to interact with ADAM9, DNM2 and ADAM15.-Further reading:...

.

Human proteins containing this domain

AMPH; ARHGAP17; BIN1

BIN1

Myc box-dependent-interacting protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BIN1 gene.-Interactions:BIN1 has been shown to interact with Phospholipase D1, SNX4 and PLD2.-Further reading:...

; BIN2; BIN3

BIN3

Bridging integrator 3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BIN3 gene.-Further reading:...

; DNMBP; GMIP; RICH2; SH3BP1

SH3BP1

SH3 domain-binding protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3BP1 gene.-Further reading:...

;
SH3GL1

SH3GL1

Endophilin-A2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3GL1 gene.-Further reading:...

; SH3GL2

SH3GL2

Endophilin-A1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3GL2 gene.-Interactions:SH3GL2 has been shown to interact with DNM1, Amphiphysin, ADAM9, SH3KBP1 and ADAM15.-Further reading:...

; SH3GL3

SH3GL3

Endophilin-A3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3GL3 gene.-Interactions:SH3GL3 has been shown to interact with Huntingtin and SH3KBP1.-Further reading:...

; SH3GLB1

SH3GLB1

Endophilin-B1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3GLB1 gene.-Interactions:SH3GLB1 has been shown to interact with SH3GLB2 and Bcl-2-associated X protein.-Further reading:...

; SH3GLB2

SH3GLB2

Endophilin-B2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SH3GLB2 gene.-Interactions:SH3GLB2 has been shown to interact with SH3GLB1 and SH3KBP1.-Further reading:...

;