VGLUT13

VGLUT13 is a putative member of the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) family. In the VGLUT family, proteins typically function to package glutamate into synaptic vesicles, enabling rapid excitatory neurotransmission. The VGLUT13 designation has appeared in some genome- and transcriptome-wide analyses as a potential paralog of the established VGLUT1–VGLUT3 transporters, but its status is not established in major gene catalogs.

Genetic and protein features attributed to VGLUT13 are based on in silico predictions. The predicted protein is described as a multi-pass membrane protein with several transmembrane domains and sequence motifs homology with other SLC17 family members. However, there is no definitive evidence of native expression, subcellular localization, or vesicular targeting.

Expression and localization data are currently inconclusive. Some studies have reported transcripts in nervous system tissues of certain species, but there is no independently verified protein-level localization or restoration of transporter function in cellular or animal models.

Function and regulation remain uncertain. In the absence of experimental transport assays and phenotypic analyses, it is not known whether VGLUT13 can transport glutamate, its regulatory partners, or its role in synaptic physiology.

Research status: VGLUT13 is generally treated as a putative or hypothetical gene/protein. Validation studies—such as detection of transcripts and proteins, localization to synaptic vesicles, and demonstration of glutamate transport—are needed to determine whether VGLUT13 is a functional VGLUT family member.

See also: Vesicular glutamate transporter, SLC17 family, Glutamatergic neurotransmission.