Transmembrane Protein 2 Like Protein (TMEM2L)

The full-length KIAA1199 cDNA sequence, encoding a deduced 1,361-amino acid protein, by use of RT-PCR and direct sequencing. The N-terminal 30 amino acids is a cleavable signal peptide. The mature 1,331-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 150 kD. KIAA1199 shares 38% amino acid sequence identity with TMEM2, which has a wide tissue distribution that includes human fetal cochlea.

Mouse KIAA1199 mRNA is expressed specifically in Deiters cells in the organ of Corti at postnatal day zero before the onset of hearing, and that expression in those cells disappears by postnatal day 7. KIAA1199 expression was also detected in fibrocytes of the spiral ligament and the spiral limbus through postnatal day 21, when the mouse cochlea matures.