Cloning, gene structure and genomic localization of an orphan transporter from mouse kidney with six alternatively-spliced isoforms

Two genes were identified and characterized that express cDNAs related to previously identified neurotransmitter and/or osmolyte transporters, but, which are expressed specifically in the kidney. RNA transcribed from one of these two genes (XT2) was found to undergo an extensive degree of alternative splicing to generate six distinct isoforms. The intron-exon structure of the XT2 gene and the sites of alternative splicing were identified. Expression of the second gene (XT3) was found to be conserved in human kidney, and partial sequence was obtained from a human cDNA library. The expressions of both XT2 and XT3 RNAs were determined in mouse and human tissues, respectively, and the locations of the two genes within the mouse genome were identified. Screening experiments to identify the substrate(s) of these proteins failed to identify specific uptake with any of the tested compounds; however, immunofluorescent microscopy demonstrated that epitope-tagged variants of the protein products of the XT2 and XT3 cDNAs were present on the plasma membrane of transfected cells.