Transmembrane 7 Superfamily, Member 3 (TM7SF3)

The superfamily of 7-transmembrane domain proteins, one of the largest superfamilies of cell surface proteins, includes receptors for a variety of ligands, such as peptides, hormones, and ions, and for external sensory stimuli, such as odorants and light. Many 7-transmembrane molecules are able to recruit small G proteins, suggesting that they can transduce external signals to the cytoplasm. The predicted 570-amino acid protein contains 7 putative transmembrane domains, and 5 potential N-glycosylation sites in the N-terminal extracellular region. Immunocytochemical analysis localized the TM7SF3 protein to the plasma membrane. Northern blot analysis detected an approximately 2.5-kb TM7SF3 transcript in all human tissues examined, with highest expression in kidney.