Cationic Amino Acid Transporter 2 (CAT2)

The gene encodes a 658-amino acid polypeptide that is 60% similar to CAT1 (ATRC1). CAT1 and CAT2 are members of the APC family of transporters, the members of which are specific for amino acids, polyamines, and choline. Northern blot analysis revealed that CAT2 is expressed as a 9.0-kb transcript in a variety of tissues.

CAT2A and CAT2B are produced by alternative splicing. The deduced CAT2A and CAT2B proteins contain 657 and 658 amino acids, respectively, and both have 14 transmembrane domains and 2 putative N-glycosylation sites in extracellular loop 3. They differ from one another in 19 residues in the vicinity of transmembrane segments 8 and 9.