SLC25A37
Description
The SLC25A37 (solute carrier family 25 member 37) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 8.
Mitoferrin-1 (Mfrn1) is a 38 kDa protein encoded by the SLC25A37 gene in humans. It belongs to the Mitochondrial carrier (MC) Superfamily, but its metal cargo distinguishes it from other family members. Mfrn1 is crucial for mitochondrial iron homeostasis as an iron transporter, moving ferrous iron from the intermembrane space into the mitochondrial matrix. This process is essential for heme and Fe-S cluster biosynthesis and is tightly regulated due to the redox potential of Mitoferrin's iron cargo. Mfrn1 is related to Mitoferrin-2 (Mfrn2), a 39 kDa protein encoded by the SLC25A28 gene. Mfrn1 is highly expressed in differentiating erythroid cells and other tissues at lower levels, while Mfrn2 is expressed ubiquitously in non-erythroid tissues.
The precise mechanisms of iron trafficking for heme and Iron-sulfur cluster synthesis remain unclear. However, Mitoferrin-1 forms oligomeric complexes with the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB10 and Ferrochelatase (or protoporphyrin ferrochelatase). The binding of ABC10 enhances Mfrn1's stability and functionality, suggesting further regulation of cellular and mitochondrial iron homeostasis by transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Recombinant Mfrn1 in vitro displays micromolar affinity for several first-row transition metals: iron (II), manganese (II), cobalt (II), and nickel (II). Mfrn1's iron transport was reconstituted in proteoliposomes, where it also transported manganese, cobalt, copper, and zinc. However, it discriminated against nickel despite its previously mentioned affinity.
SLC25A37 is also known as HT015, MFRN, MFRN1, MSC, MSCP, PRO1278, PRO1584, PRO2217.
