HIAT1 is a multi-pass membrane protein that may function as a sugar transporter and is expressed in adult and embryonic brain. The HIAT1 gene was first observed while analyzing for active genes in neonatal mouse hipposcampus. HIATL1 (Hippocampus abundant transcript-like protein 1) is a 506 amino acid multi-pass membrane protein that also belongs to the Major facilitator superfamily. The gene encoding HIATL1 maps to human chromosome 9, which consists of about 145 million bases and encodes nearly 900 genes. Considered to play a role in gender determination, deletion of the distal portion of 9p can lead to development of male to female sex reversal, the phenotype of a female with a male X,Y genotype. Notably, chromosome 9 encompasses the largest interferon family gene cluster. Chromosome 9 is partnered with chromosome 22 in the translocation leading to the aberrant production of BCR-ABL fusion protein often found in leukemias.