The expression of the abnormal human red cell anion transporter from South‐East Asian ovalocytes (band 3 SAO) in Xenopus oocytes

South-East Asian ovalocytosis (SAO) is caused by the heterozygous presence of a variant form of the human erythrocyte anion transporter (band 3; AE1). The expression of band 3 SAO has been studied in Xenopus oocytes. Band 3 SAO is not functional as an anion transporter but is inserted stably into the plasma membrane of oocytes. Band 3 SAO translocation to the cell surface does not require co-expression of normal band 3. Co-expression of glycophorin A (GPA) increases the rate of translocation of band 3 SAO to the oocyte membrane but is not essential for this process. We suggest that the increased tendency of band 3 SAO to form oligomers may facilitate its translocation to the cell surface.