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SLC22A4

SLC22A4 is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SLC22A4 rather than just read about it. In short: Solute carrier family 22, member 4, also known as SLC22A4, is a human gene; the encoded protein is known as the ergothioneine transporter. Function The encoded protein is an integral protein of the plasma membrane containing 12 transmembrane segments.

SLC22A4 — main illustration
SLC22A4 — illustration

Key takeaways

  • SLC22A4 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect SLC22A4 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of SLC22A4 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Solute carrier family 22, member 4, also known as SLC22A4, is a human gene; the encoded protein is known as the ergothioneine transporter.

Function The encoded protein is an integral protein of the plasma membrane containing 12 transmembrane segments. The first functional designation of this protein was OCTN1 ("organic cation transporter, novel, type 1"), but efficiency of transport for organic cations (e.g., tetraethylammonium) is very low. The transport efficiency for carnitine is also negligible. Instead, the protein is responsible for the cotransport of sodium ions and ergothioneine, which is an antioxidant, into cells. Thus, a more appropriate functional designation is ETT ("ergothioneine transporter").

Interactions SLC22A4 has been shown to interact with PDZK1.

See also Solute carrier family

References

Further reading

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.

Illustrations

SLC22A4 illustration
SLC22A4 illustration
SLC22A4 illustration
SLC22A4 illustration
SLC22A4 illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SLC22A4

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SLC22A4 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SLC22A4 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SLC22A4 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SLC22A4

In research
SLC22A4 appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses SLC22A4 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
SLC22A4 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 5, Membrane protein stubs, Solute carrier family, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for SLC22A4 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SLC22A4 in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what SLC22A4 means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain SLC22A4 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SLC22A4 in simple terms?

Solute carrier family 22, member 4, also known as SLC22A4, is a human gene; the encoded protein is known as the ergothioneine transporter. Function The encoded protein is an integral protein of the plasma membrane containing 12 transmembrane segments.

Why does SLC22A4 matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SLC22A4?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SLC22A4.

Tags

  • Genes on human chromosome 5
  • Membrane protein stubs
  • Solute carrier family

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