Glycine-N-Acyltransferase (GLYAT)

The glycine-N-acyltransferase protein conjugates glycine with acyl-CoA substrates in the mitochondria primarily in liver and kidney. The glycine N-acyltransferase enzyme is involved in the detoxification of a wide range of xenobiotic and endogenous metabolites. These include benzoic acid, a compound found in fruits and vegetables and used in medicine and foodstuffs as a preservative; salicylic acid, a metabolite of aspirin; and several endogenous metabolites. The diversity is demonstrated by the wide range of acylglycines excreted in the urines of patients with defects of organic acid metabolism. No defect of glycine N-acyltransferase has yet been described, but it has been demonstrated that there is significant inter individual variation in glycine conjugation capacity.