Transmembrane Protein 38A (TMEM38A)

TRICA contains 3 proposed transmembrane segments, and forms homotrimers with a bullet-like structure. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues indicated that TRICA is preferentially expressed in excitable tissues, including striated muscle and brain. Western blot analysis of fractionated muscle membranes suggested that TRICA is distributed throughout the sarcoplasmic reticulum but not in the cell surface membranes. In further immunochemical studies antibodies to TRICA decorated the sarcoplasmic reticulum and nuclear membranes in skeletal muscle. the amino terminus of TRICA is located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum/endoplasmic reticulum lumen, whereas the carboxy terminus of TRICA is exposed to the cytoplasm.The authors identified TRIC channel subtypes TRICA and TRICB from several species, including human.