Structure, function, and trafficking of SLC4 and SLC26 anion transporters

The structure and function of the red cell anion exchanger 1 (AE1, Band 3, SLC4A1), the truncated kidney anion exchanger 1 (kAE1), and the other members of the SLC4 family of bicarbonate transporters are reviewed. Mutations in the AE1 gene cause human diseases like Southeast Asian ovalocytosis and hereditary spherocytosis in the red cell and distal renal tubular acidosis in the kidney. These mutations affect the folding, trafficking, and functional expression of these membrane glycoproteins. In the SLC26 family of anion transporters, mutations also cause trafficking defects and human disease. Membrane glycoproteins are cotranslationally N-glycosylated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and when properly folded, traffic via the secretory pathway to their final destination such as the plasma membrane. Misfolded glycoproteins are retained in ER and are targeted for degradation by the proteasome following retrotranslocation and ubiquitinylation. ER chaperones, like membrane-bound calnexin, interact transiently with glycoproteins and are part of the quality control system that monitors the folding of glycoproteins during their biosynthesis. Recent results have indicated that it is possible to "correct" trafficking defects caused by some mutations in the SLC4 and 26 families through the use of small molecules that interfere with the interaction of glycoproteins with the components of the quality control system. This review summarizes the current knowledge on structure and function of anion transporters from the SLC4 and SLC26 families, and the effect of mutations on their trafficking and functional expression.