Elongation Of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Like Protein 3 (ELOVL3)

ELOVL3 plays a role in fatty acid chain elongation and formation of neutral lipids required for skin barrier function. The deduced 271-amino acid protein has 2 N-terminal transmembrane regions, 3 C-terminal transmembrane regions, and an ER retention signal. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues detected expression in brown fat and liver only. Cold-exposed mouse brown fat tissue showed 200-fold elevation of Elovl3 expression.

Using microsomal membranes from brown fat of thermoneutral and cold-stimulated mice, Tvrdik et al. (2000) demonstrated that cold induction of Elovl3 was accompanied by an increase in the elongation of at least 2 acyl-CoA substrates, suggesting that Elovl3 may play a role in the biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids.