Fatty acid elongases
| Fatty acid elongases | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mass / length primary structure | 265-314 amino acids | |
| Identifier | ||
| Gene name (s) | ELOVL1 , ELOVL2 , ELOVL3 , ELOVL4 , ELOVL5 , ELOVL6 , ELOVL7 | |
| Enzyme classification | ||
| EC, category | 2.3.1. , Transferase | |
| Occurrence | ||
| Parent taxon | Eukaryotes | |
As fatty acid elongases is called an in eukaryotes occurring enzyme family belonging to the transferases counts. Elongases are believed to be located in the endoplasmic reticulum . They catalyze a condensation in the fatty acid elongation cycle. The fatty acid is lengthened by a C2 body per cycle .
In the plant kingdom, elongases are specifically involved in the formation of suberin and cutin monomers and in the biosynthesis of cuticular waxes .
Seven fatty acid elongases are known in humans. Mutations in ELOVL4 - gene are the cause of type 3 of Stargardt's disease , a rare juvenile macular degeneration . Mice without elongase 6 are protected against insulin resistance, so the enzyme is a target for the pharmaceutical industry .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB): PROSITE documentation PDOC00914. Retrieved September 26, 2011 .
- ↑ UniProt Q9GZR5
- ↑ Matsuzaka T, Shimano H: Elov16: a new player in fatty acid metabolism and insulin sensitivity . In: J Mol Med . 87, No. 4, April 2009, pp. 379-84. doi : 10.1007 / s00109-009-0449-0 . PMID 19259639 .