KCTD15 protein is encoded in humans by the KCTD15 gene. KCTD15 is expressed at a high level in the brain and the hypothalamus. The potassium channel KCTD15 was identified as a genetic loci linked to higher than normal BMI in humans along with genes such as GNPDA2, MTCH2, FTO, and TMEM18. SNPs (Single nucleotide polymorphisms) in non-diabetic and diabetic patients showed that FTO was most strongly associated with obesity while MTCH2 and GNPDA2 were still notably associated with higher than normal BMI levels.