Solute Carrier Family 30 Member 7 (SLC30A7)

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 SLC30A7, permit cellular efflux of zinc.The deduced proteins share 96% amino acid identity. Mouse Znt7 contains 6 transmembrane domains, a histidine-rich loop between transmembrane domains 4 and 5, cytoplasmic N and C termini, several phosphorylation sites, and an N-glycosylation site. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues detected highest expression in liver, spleen, and small intestine. In rat epithelial and human fibroblast cell lines, ZNT7 clustered at the perinuclear region and showed punctate staining in the cytoplasm, indicative of cytoplasmic vesicle localization.