Based on the proptypical member of this family, PCFT, this family are proton-driven transporters with 11 TM segments. SLC46A1 has been described to act as an intestinal proton-coupled high-affinity folic acid transporter [2], with lower affinity for heme. folic acid accumulation is independent of Na⁺ or K⁺ ion concentrations, but driven by extracellular protons with an as yet undefined stoichiometry.

Anderson, CM; Thwaites, DT. (2010) Hijacking solute carriers for proton-coupled drug transport. Physiology (Bethesda), 25 (6): 364-77. [PMID:21186281]

Krishnamurthy, P; Xie, T; Schuetz, JD. (2007) The role of transporters in cellular heme and porphyrin homeostasis. Pharmacol. Ther., 114 (3): 345-58. [PMID:17368550]

Latunde-Dada, GO; Simpson, RJ; McKie, AT. (2006) Recent advances in mammalian haem transport. Trends Biochem. Sci., 31 (3): 182-8. [PMID:16487711]

Thwaites, DT; Anderson, CM. (2007) H+-coupled nutrient, micronutrient and drug transporters in the mammalian small intestine. Exp. Physiol., 92 (4): 603-19. [PMID:17468205]

Wolf, G. (2007) Identification of proton-coupled high-affinity human intestinal folate transporter mutated in human hereditary familial folate malabsorption. Nutr. Rev., 65 (12 Pt 1): 554-7. [PMID:18236695]

Yuasa, H; Inoue, K; Hayashi, Y. (2009) Molecular and functional characteristics of proton-coupled folate transporter. J Pharm Sci, 98 (5): 1608-16. [PMID:18823045]

1. Nakai, Y; Inoue, K; Abe, N; Hatakeyama, M; Ohta, KY; Otagiri, M; Hayashi, Y; Yuasa, H. (2007) Functional characterization of human proton-coupled folate transporter/heme carrier protein 1 heterologously expressed in mammalian cells as a folate transporter. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 322 (2): 469-76. [PMID:17475902]

2. Qiu, A; Jansen, M; Sakaris, A; Min, SH; Chattopadhyay, S; Tsai, E; Sandoval, C; Zhao, R; Akabas, MH; Goldman, ID. (2006) Identification of an intestinal folate transporter and the molecular basis for hereditary folate malabsorption. Cell, 127 (5): 917-28. [PMID:17129779]