Aquaporin 6, Kidney Specific (AQP6)

AQP6 is an aquaporin protein, which functions as a water channel in cells. Aquaporins are a family of small integral membrane proteins related to the major intrinsic protein (MIP or AQP0). This protein is specific for the kidney. This gene and related family members AQP0, AQP2, and AQP5 reside in a cluster on chromosome 12q13.

The protein contains the conserved NPA (asn-pro-ala) motifs found in other MIP family members. Northern blots showed a 2.2-kb transcript only in kidney. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the protein was shown to increase water permeability in a mercurial-sensitive manner. The gene has 4 exons and is organized similarly to MIP and AQP2. Transcription was shown to initiate 654 bp upstream of the first methionine.