Molecular cloning of a new sodium bicarbonate cotransporter cDNA from human retina

Sodium bicarbonate cotransport is an electrogenic process and a principal regulator of pH. A recently cloned sodium bicarbonate cotransporter (NBC1) is predominantly expressed in kidney. The presence of several isoforms is suggested from functional studies. We have cloned a new member of this family from human retina, which was named hNBC2 (for human sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 2). The hNBC2 has 1018 amino acid residues with 10 hydrophobic transmembrane domains. A cluster of five N-glycosylation sites is present at the second extracellular loop. It has 53% amino acids identity with hNBC1 and 38% identity with anion exchanger 1. Thus, NBC2 is a new member of the anion exchanger superfamily. Northern blot of human tissues revealed its expression in many tissues such as testis, spleen, ovary, small intestine, colon, thymus, heart, and muscle (8.5 kb). The predominant expression at retina was documented with Northern blot of rat tissues. NBC2 may be a major regulator of extracellular pH of retina where light stimulation produces an extracellular alkalization and may contribute as a solute transporter to the prevention of retinal detachment.