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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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SULT4A1
sulfotransferase family 4A member 1
Chromosome 22 · 22q13.31
NCBI Gene: 25830Ensembl: ENSG00000130540.15HGNC: HGNC:14903UniProt: B7Z2E1
40PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
identical protein bindingprotein bindingsulfotransferase activitysulfationneurodegenerative diseaseUnverricht-Lundborg diseaseSpinocerebellar ataxia type 40familial infantile myoclonic epilepsy
✦AI Summary

SULT4A1 is a brain-specific cytosolic sulfotransferase with atypical enzymatic properties and emerging roles in neuroprotection and synaptic function. While structurally similar to other sulfotransferases, SULT4A1 exhibits very low catalytic activity toward classical SULT substrates 1. The enzyme is highly expressed in selective brain regions including cerebral cortex, cerebellum, pituitary, and brainstem 2, and localizes to both cytosol and outer mitochondrial membranes 3. Mechanism-wise, SULT4A1 stability is regulated by ERK1-mediated phosphorylation at Thr11, enabling Pin1 binding and subsequent protein phosphatase 2A-catalyzed dephosphorylation 4. Notably, homodimerization protects SULT4A1 from polyubiquitination-mediated degradation 5. At the synaptic level, SULT4A1 negatively regulates Pin1 activity toward PSD-95, facilitating NMDAR synaptic expression and dendritic spine formation 6. Recent functional studies demonstrate SULT4A1-dependent, sulfate-dependent antioxidant activity that protects mitochondria from oxidative stress 3. Clinically, SULT4A1 gene variants correlate with schizophrenia and Phelan-McDermid syndrome 7. SULT4A1 knockout mice exhibit hampered neuronal development and behavioral deficits 7, suggesting its importance in neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite structural SULT classification, no physiological enzymatic substrate has been identified 7.

Sources cited
1
SULT4A1 is most highly expressed in selective brain regions and shares low homology but high conservation with other sulfotransferases; very low catalytic activity toward classical substrates
PMID: 18248844
2
SULT4A1 stability is regulated by ERK1-mediated phosphorylation at Thr11, Pin1 binding, and PP2A-catalyzed dephosphorylation
PMID: 20920535
3
SULT4A1 is localized to cerebral cortex, cerebellum, pituitary, and brainstem in human and rat brain
PMID: 14623933
4
SULT4A1 expression localizes to outer mitochondrial membrane and displays sulfate-dependent antioxidant activity protecting cells from oxidative stress
PMID: 35102205
5
SULT4A1 undergoes homodimerization; dimerization protects the protein from polyubiquitination-mediated degradation
PMID: 24988429
6
SULT4A1 negatively regulates Pin1 activity toward PSD-95, facilitating NMDAR synaptic expression and dendritic spine formation
PMID: 32801157
7
SULT4A1 gene variants correlate with Phelan-McDermid syndrome and schizophrenia; knockout mice display hampered neuronal development and behavior
PMID: 39062693
8
First demonstration of SULT4A1 enzymatic functionality with sulfation of 1-naphthol and proluciferin compound
PMID: 33171978
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.37Weak
Unverricht-Lundborg diseaseOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 40Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
familial infantile myoclonic epilepsyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Progressive myoclonic epilepsyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
infantile convulsions and choreoathetosisOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
generalised epilepsyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
intellectual disability, autosomal dominant 55, with seizuresOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinocerebellar ataxia type 20Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinocerebellar ataxia type 23Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinocerebellar ataxia type 15/16Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Young adult-onset ParkinsonismOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
infantile-onset autosomal recessive nonprogressive cerebellar ataxiaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Dysequilibrium syndromeOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
autosomal dominant epilepsy with auditory featuresOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
infantile-onset generalized dyskinesia with orofacial involvementOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
atypical juvenile parkinsonismOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spinocerebellar ataxia type 35Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
urocanic aciduriaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
SLC35B2Protein interaction92%SULT1A1Protein interaction84%SLC35D3Protein interaction75%SULT1C2Protein interaction62%SULT1A2Protein interaction59%SULT6B1Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Ovary
10%
Bone Marrow
1%
Liver
1%
Heart
0%
Lung
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
SULT4A1SLC35B2SULT1A1SLC35D3SULT1C2SULT1A2SULT6B1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB1ZD1 · 2.24 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.64LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.48Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.39 [0.24–0.64]
RankingsWhere SULT4A1 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #10,248of 20,598
    Most Researched40
  • #4,613of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.64
Genes detectedSULT4A1
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Sulfotransferase 4A1.
PMID: 18248844
Int J Biochem Cell Biol · 2008
1.00
2
Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of human SULT4A1: role of Erk1 and PP2A.
PMID: 20920535
Biochim Biophys Acta · 2011
0.90
3
Localization of a brain sulfotransferase, SULT4A1, in the human and rat brain: an immunohistochemical study.
PMID: 14623933
J Histochem Cytochem · 2003
0.80
4
Sulfotransferase 4A1 activity facilitates sulfate-dependent cellular protection to oxidative stress.
PMID: 35102205
Sci Rep · 2022
0.70
5
Sulfotransferase 4A1 Coding Sequence and Protein Structure Are Highly Conserved in Vertebrates.
PMID: 39062693
Genes (Basel) · 2024
0.60