By analogy with bacterial orthologues, this family is probably magnesium transporters. The prokaryote orthologue, MgtE, is responsible for uptake of divalent cations, while the heterologous expression studies of mammalian proteins suggest Mg²⁺ efflux [3], possibly as a result of co-expression of particular protein partners (see [4]). Topological modelling suggests 10 TM domains with cytoplasmic C- and N- termini.

* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk

Moomaw AS, Maguire ME. (2008) The unique nature of mg2+ channels. Physiology (Bethesda), 23: 275-85. [PMID:18927203]

* Payandeh J, Pfoh R, Pai EF. (2013) The structure and regulation of magnesium selective ion channels. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1828 (11): 2778-92. [PMID:23954807]

Quamme GA. (2010) Molecular identification of ancient and modern mammalian magnesium transporters. Am J Physiol, Cell Physiol, 298 (3): C407-29. [PMID:19940067]

* Sahni J, Scharenberg AM. (2013) The SLC41 family of MgtE-like magnesium transporters. Mol Aspects Med, 34 (2-3): 620-8. [PMID:23506895]

* Schweigel-Röntgen M, Kolisek M. (2014) SLC41 transporters--molecular identification and functional role. Curr Top Membr, 73: 383-410. [PMID:24745990]

1. Goytain A, Quamme GA. (2005) Functional characterization of human SLC41A1, a Mg2+ transporter with similarity to prokaryotic MgtE Mg2+ transporters. Physiol Genomics, 21 (3): 337-42. [PMID:15713785]

2. Goytain A, Quamme GA. (2005) Functional characterization of the mouse [corrected] solute carrier, SLC41A2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 330 (3): 701-5. [PMID:15809054]

3. Kolisek M, Nestler A, Vormann J, Schweigel-Röntgen M. (2012) Human gene SLC41A1 encodes for the Na+/Mg²+ exchanger. Am J Physiol, Cell Physiol, 302 (1): C318-26. [PMID:22031603]

4. Sahni J, Scharenberg AM. (2013) The SLC41 family of MgtE-like magnesium transporters. Mol Aspects Med, 34 (2-3): 620-8. [PMID:23506895]