SLC25A20 : solute carrier family 25 member 20
Description
The SLC25A20 (solute carrier family 25 member 20) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 3.
The SLC25A20 gene provides instructions for making a protein called carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT). This protein is essential for fatty acid oxidation, a multistep process that breaks down (metabolizes) fats and converts them into energy. Fatty acid oxidation takes place within mitochondria, which are the energy-producing centers in cells. A group of fats called long-chain fatty acids must be attached to a substance known as carnitine to enter mitochondria. Once these fatty acids are joined with carnitine, the CACT protein transports them into mitochondria. Carnitine is then removed from the long-chain fatty acid and transported back out of mitochondria by the CACT protein. Fatty acids are a major source of energy for the heart and muscles. During periods of fasting, fatty acids are also an important energy source for the liver and other tissues.
The SLC25A20 gene encodes a protein called carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT), which is responsible for transporting fatty acids into mitochondria. This protein facilitates the exchange of acylcarnitines (fatty acids linked to carnitine) with free carnitine across the mitochondrial inner membrane. It operates through a ping-pong mechanism, ensuring the balanced movement of both molecules. CACT plays a critical role in the mitochondrial oxidation pathway, facilitating the entry of fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix, where they are activated by carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT-2) and undergo beta-oxidation. While the primary function of CACT is to exchange acylcarnitines and carnitine, it can also transport carnitine unidirectionally, albeit at a slower rate than the exchange process.
SLC25A20 is also known as CAC, CACT.
