{{.infobox .infobox-gene}}
| Symbol | SLC31A2 |
| Full Name | Solute Carrier Family 31 Member 2 (Copper Transporter 2) |
| Chromosome | 9q32 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 10552 |
| OMIM | 603086 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000137573 |
| UniProt ID | O15432 |
| Associated Diseases | Potential role in copper homeostasis |
The SLC31A2 gene encodes Copper Transporter 2 (CTR2), a low-affinity copper uptake protein that works in conjunction with CTR1 (encoded by SLC31A1 to regulate cellular copper homeostasis [1]. While CTR1 is the high-affinity copper transporter, CTR2 has lower affinity but higher capacity, and the two transporters together ensure appropriate copper uptake under varying copper concentrations [2].
CTR2 is expressed in various tissues and plays complementary roles in copper acquisition, particularly in tissues where CTR1 expression is low or under conditions of high copper availability [3].
CTR2, like CTR1, facilitates the uptake of Cu⁺ ions across the plasma membrane. However, CTR2 has significantly lower affinity for copper (Kd in the micromolar range compared to nanomolar for CTR1). This difference in affinity means:
CTR2 can transport:
CTR2 expression is regulated by cellular copper status, but with different dynamics than CTR1:
CTR2 is expressed in various tissues, often complementary to CTR1:
CTR1 and CTR2 work together to maintain copper homeostasis:
CTR2 is frequently overexpressed in various cancers, where it may support the high copper demand of proliferating tumor cells. CTR2 expression in tumors correlates with:
While less studied than CTR1 in neurodegeneration, CTR2 may be relevant:
CTR2 may modify the severity of copper transport disorders:
CTR2 interacts with several copper homeostasis proteins:
CTR2 is a potential therapeutic target: