S-acyl fatty acid synthase thioesterase, medium chain (oleoyl-ACP hydrolase, thioesterase 2, thioesterase domain-containing protein 1, OLAH, THEDC1)

Function

• fatty acid biosynthesis
• chain termination & release of free fatty acids
• hydrolysis of thioester
• component of the fatty acid synthetase complex
• chain length of the released fatty acid is usually C16

oleoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] + H2O
           <-->
[acyl-carrier-protein] + oleate

Structure

belongs to the thioesterase family

Comparative biology

• in the mammary glands of non-ruminant mammals, & in the uropygial gland of certain waterfowl there exists a second thioesterase which releases medium-chain lengthfatty acids (C8 to C2) (putative)

More general terms

• thiol esterase or thioesterase

Component of

• fatty acid synthetase complex

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9NV23.html