Solute Carrier Family 7, Member 11 (SLC7A11)

SLC7A11 is a member of a heteromeric Na(+)-independent anionic amino acid transport system highly specific for cystine and glutamate. In this system, designated system Xc(-), the anionic form of cystine is transported in exchange for glutamate. The deduced 502-amino acid protein had an apparent molecular mass of about 40 kD following in vitro translation in canine pancreatic microsomes. Mouse xCT was found to be extremely hydrophobic and was predicted to contain 12 membrane-spanning domains. Northern blot analysis of activated mouse macrophages detected transcripts of 12, 3.5, and 2.5 kb. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues detected expression in brain, but not in other organs tested. The 501-amino acid XCT protein has 12 transmembrane domains and cytoplasmic N and C termini.