Sodium-independent organic anion transporter, exhibits high specificity for sulfated conjugates of xenobiotics and steroid hormones such as estrone 3-sulfate (E1S) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) (PubMed:17393504, PubMed:26239079, PubMed:28945155). Can transport the statin pravastatin and may contribute to its disposition into the hepatocytes when the function of OATPs is compromised (PubMed:26239079). It is specifically activated by 3 to 5 carbons- containing short-chain fatty acids/SCFAs, including propionate (propanoate), butyrate (butanoate) and valerate (pentanoate) (PubMed:17393504). May operate the exchange of sulfated organic components against short-chain fatty acids/SCFAs, in particular butanoate, at the sinusoidal membrane of hepatocytes (PubMed:17393504). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:17393504, ECO:0000269|PubMed:26239079, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28945155}. This is the function of Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000149742 (SLC22A9, solute carrier family 22 member 9).