Acyl Coenzyme A Thioesterase 8 (ACOT8)

ACOT8 is a peroxisomal thioesterase that appears to be involved more in the oxidation of fatty acids rather than in their formation. The encoded protein can bind to the human immunodeficiency virus-1 protein Nef, and mediate Nef-induced down-regulation of CD4 in T-cells. Multiple transcript variants encoding several different isoforms have been found for this gene. The deduced 319-amino acid PTE1 protein contains a val-his-ser motif corresponding to the putative active site of E. coli acyl-CoA thioesterase II. Northern blot analysis detected a 1.3-kb transcript in all tissues examined. Western blot analysis of a T-cell line detected endogenous PTE1 at an apparent molecular mass of about 35 kD. PTE1 colocalized with a peroxisomal marker protein.