acyl-CoA wax alcohol acyltransferase 2 (long-chain-alcohol O-fatty-acyltransferase 2, Wax synthase, hWS, multifunctional O-acyltransferase, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2-like protein 4, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase candidate 4, hDC4, DGAT2L4, AWAT2, DC4, MFAT, WS)
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Function
- acyltransferase, predominantly esterifies long chain (wax) alcohols with acyl-CoA-derived fatty acids to produce wax esters
- wax esters are enriched in sebum, suggesting that it plays a central role in lipid metabolism in skin
- no activity using decyl alcohol
- prefers the C16 & C18 alcohols
- may also have 2-acylglycerol O-acyltransferase (MGAT) & acyl-CoA:retinol acyltransferase (ARAT) activities, to catalyze the synthesis of diacylglycerols & retinyl esters
Acyl-CoA + a long-chain alcohol <--> CoA + a long-chain ester
- Vmax=1232 pmol/min/mg enzyme with [14C]acetyl-CoA as substrate
Structure
belongs to the diacylglycerol acyltransferase family
Compartment
endoplasmic reticulum membrane
Expression
- abundant in tissues rich in sebaceous glands including the preputial gland & eyelid
- highly expressed in skin, where it is primarily restricted to undifferentiated peripheral sebocytes
- expressed at lower level in other tissues except pancreas