Wild type PABPN1 encodes ten alanine residues at the amino terminus but in individuals with OPMD, the alanine tract is expanded to 11–18 alanine residues (Banerjee et al., 2013; Jouan et al., 2014; Richard et al., 2015). This evidence concerns the gene PABPN1 and oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.