This gene encodes a dopamine transporter which is a member of the sodium- and chloride-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family. The 3' UTR of this gene contains a 40 bp tandem repeat, referred to as a variable number tandem repeat or VNTR, which can be present in 3 to 11 copies. DAT also can transport dopamine neurotoxins and has been implicated in the selective vulnerability of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in major models of Parkinson's disease.
