DMXL2 shares significant homology with DMXL1. RT-PCR ELISA detected moderate expression in brain, lung, liver, kidney, testis, and ovary. Expression was low in heart and undetectable in skeletal muscle, pancreas, and spleen.
The deduced 3,036-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 339.8 kD and contains 12 WD domains. Western blot analysis of rat tissues showed abundant expression of Dmxl2 in brain only, and subcellular distribution analysis revealed enrichment in the synaptic vesicle fraction. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy of mouse hippocampus and primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons showed that Dmxl2 was concentrated on synaptic vesicles at synapses.