ALDH3A2 : aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family member A2
Description
The ALDH3A2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family member A2) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
The ALDH3A2 gene is part of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene family, which produces enzymes that modify aldehydes. ALDH3A2 specifically provides instructions for making fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), an enzyme involved in the breakdown of fats. FALDH breaks down fatty aldehydes into fatty acids, a crucial step in fatty acid oxidation, where fats are converted into energy. FALDH is found in most tissues, with the highest activity in the liver. Within cells, FALDH resides in the endoplasmic reticulum, a structure involved in protein processing and transport.
ALDH3A2 catalyzes the oxidation of medium and long chain aliphatic aldehydes to fatty acids. It acts on a range of saturated and unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes containing 6 to 24 carbons. Additionally, it converts hexadecenal, a breakdown product of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), into hexadecenoic acid. These activities are supported by multiple studies (PubMed:9133646, PubMed:22633490, PubMed:25047030, PubMed:18035827, PubMed:9662422, PubMed:18182499).
ALDH3A2 is also known as ALDH10, FALDH, SLS.