ASPA : aspartoacylase
Description
The ASPA (aspartoacylase) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
The ASPA gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called aspartoacylase. In the brain, this enzyme breaks down a compound called N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA) into aspartic acid (an amino acid that is a building block of many proteins) and another molecule called acetic acid. The production and breakdown of NAA appears to be critical for maintaining the brain's white matter, which consists of nerve fibers surrounded by a myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is the covering that protects nerve fibers and promotes the efficient transmission of nerve impulses. The precise function of NAA is unclear. Researchers had suspected that it played a role in the production of the myelin sheath, but recent studies suggest that NAA does not have this function. The enzyme may instead be involved in the transport of water molecules out of nerve cells (neurons).
ASPA is also known as ACY2, ASP.
