Na+/K+/Ca+2 exchanger 5 (solute carrier family 24 member 5, SLC24A5 JSX NCKX5)

Function

• cation exchanger involved in pigmentation
• role in ion transport in melanosomes
• transports 1 Ca+2 & 1 K+ in exchange for 4 Na+

Structure

• belongs to the sodium/potassium/calcium exchanger family, SLC24A subfamily

Compartment

• membrane, melanosome
• enriched in late-stage melanosomes

Polymorphism

• Ala-111 allele predominates (93-100%) in African & East Asian populations
• Thr-111 allele predominates (98.7-100%) in European populations, correlates with lighter skin pigmentation in mixed populations

More general terms

• solute carrier family 24 (SLC24, SLC24A)
• transmembrane 11e protein

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q71RS6.html