Members of the SLC48 and SLC49 solute carrier family participate in heme transport across cellular membranes (heme-transporting ATPase).
[1] SLC48A1[2]—also known as Heme-Responsive Gene 1 (HRG1)—and its orthologues were first identified as a heme transporter family through a genetic screen in C.elegans.
[4] Deletion of the gene in mice leads to accumulation of heme crystals called hemozoin within the lysosomes of bone marrow, liver and splenic macrophages,[5][6] but the gene is not known to be associated with human disease.
Rare homozygous mutations result in autosomal recessive posterior column ataxia with retinitis pigmentosa.
[10][11] FLVCR2[12] is closely related to FLCVR1, and genetic transfection experiments indicate that it transports heme.