The sarcoglycans are a family of transmembrane proteins[1] (α, β, γ, δ or ε) involved in the protein complex responsible for connecting the muscle fibre cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix, preventing damage to the muscle fibre sarcolemma through shearing forces.
The sarcoglycan complex is a subcomplex within the DGC and is composed of six muscle-specific, transmembrane proteins (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta-, epsilon-,and zeta-sarcoglycan).
[2] The sarcoglycans are asparagine-linked glycosylated proteins with single transmembrane domains.
[3][4] The disorders caused by the mutations of the sarcoglycans are called sarcoglycanopathies.
Mutations in the α, β, γ or δ genes (not ε) encoding these proteins can lead to the associated limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.