Solute Carrier Family 30, Member 6 (SLC30A6)

Zinc functions as a cofactor for numerous enzymes, nuclear factors, and hormones and as an intra- and intercellular signal ion. Members of the zinc transporter (ZNT)/SLC30 subfamily of the cation diffusion facilitator family, such as SLC30A6, permit cellular efflux of zinc. The deduced mouse and human proteins contain 460 amino acids and share 92% identity. Mouse Znt6 has 6 transmembrane domains, a loop between transmembrane domains 4 and 5, and cytoplasmic N and C termini. In contrast to other Znt proteins, the loop region of Znt6 lacks multiple histidines. Normal rat kidney cells expressed Znt6 in a perinuclear location and in a punctate/tubular pattern throughout the cytoplasm and under the plasma membrane. Disruption of the Golgi compartment also disrupted Znt6 localization.