GLUT4aa

GLUT4aa is a truncated form of the GLUT4 glucose transporter protein. GLUT4 is the primary transporter responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Naturally occurring shorter isoforms of GLUT4 have been identified, but GLUT4aa is a research construct, meaning it was engineered in a laboratory setting. The "aa" in GLUT4aa typically refers to the removal of a specific portion of the protein sequence, often the C-terminus. This truncation leads to altered functional properties compared to the full-length GLUT4. Specifically, GLUT4aa often exhibits a reduced or abolished ability to translocate from intracellular vesicles to the plasma membrane in response to insulin. This impaired trafficking is a key characteristic and is frequently exploited in research to study the mechanisms of GLUT4 translocation and insulin signaling. Researchers use GLUT4aa to investigate which parts of the GLUT4 protein are essential for its movement and function, and to understand the role of trafficking in glucose homeostasis. Its inability to respond to insulin makes it a useful tool for dissecting the insulin-dependent pathway.