Elongation Of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Like Protein 6 (ELOVL6)

Fatty acid elongases (EC 6.2.1.3), such as ELOVL6, use malonyl-CoA as a 2-carbon donor in the first and rate-limiting step of fatty acid elongation.

The deduced human and mouse proteins contain 265 and 267 amino acids, respectively, and share 96% identity. Both proteins have an HxxHH motif characteristic of fatty acid elongating enzymes, 5 putative transmembrane domains, and a C-terminal ER retention signal. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues detected variable expression of a major 6.0-kb transcript and a minor 2.5-kb transcript in most tissues, with highest expression in tissues with high lipid content, including liver, brown and white adipose tissue, and brain. Testis expressed only the 2.5-kb transcript.