SLC38A4

SLC38A4 is found predominantly in liver and transports both cationic and neutral amino acids. The transport of cationic amino acids by SLC38A4 is Na(+) and pH independent, while the transport of neutral amino acids is Na(+) and pH dependent (Hatanaka et al., 2001 [PubMed 11342143]).

Full Name

Solute Carrier Family 38 Member 4

Function

Symporter that cotransports neutral amino acids and sodium ions from the extraccellular to the intracellular side of the cell membrane (PubMed:11342143, PubMed:19015196, PubMed:33928121).
The transport is electrogenic, pH dependent and partially tolerates substitution of Na+ by Li+ (PubMed:11414754).
Preferentially transports smaller amino acids, such as glycine, L-alanine, L-serine, L-asparagine and L-threonine, followed by L-cysteine, L-histidine, L-proline and L-glutamine and L-methionine (PubMed:11414754, PubMed:33928121).

Biological Process

Biological Process amino acid transmembrane transportManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIBA:GO_Central
Biological Process amino acid transportTAS:Reactome
Biological Process sodium ion transportIEA:UniProtKB-KW

Cellular Location

Cell membrane
Cell projection, microvillus membrane
Microvillus membrane localization in placenta.

PTM

The disulfide bond plays an important role in substrate transport, but has no effect on trafficking to the cell surface.