| Type: | Family | Name: | Erythrocyte band 7 integral membrane protein (Stomatin) |
| Description: | Stomatin (also known as band 7 integral membrane protein or protein 7.2b) is a major erythrocyte membrane protein that is missing in red cells of overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis patients [, ]. The protein contains a single hydrophobic domain, close to the N terminus, and is phosphorylated []. Stomatin interacts with various ion channels and modulates their activities [, ]. The major interaction partners of stomatin are glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1), anion exchanger (band 3), and water channel (aquaporin-1). It may play a role as membrane-bound scaffolding protein modulating transport proteins []. Stomatin is also expressed in mechanosensory neurons, where it may interact directly with transduction components, including cation channels []. A second function of stomatin is to act as a cytoskeletal anchor. One possible example of this is its interaction with some anti-malarial drugs. Current opinion speculates that such drugs bind to high density lipoproteins in serum. The lipoproteins are delivered to erythrocytes, where they may interact with stomatin as a means of transfer to the intracellular parasite, via a pathway used for the uptake of exogenous phospholipid []. | Short Name: | Stomatin |
