ACSL1: Proteins and Enzymes

Long-chain-fatty-acid--CoA ligase 1, or ACSL1, is an isozyme of the long-chain fatty-acid-coenzyme A ligase family. These proteins play an important role in lipid biosynthesis and fatty acid degradation. Like other isozymes of this family, ALCS1 converts free long-chain fatty acids into fatty acyl-CoA esters. ACSL1 preferentially uses palmitoleate, oleate and linoleate, and altered expression of ACSL1 is thought to increase accumulation of triglycerides in the liver.

ALCS1 is strongly expressed in the heart, kindey, liver, skeletal muscle, and erythroid cells, and to a lesser extent in lung, brain, placenta and pancreas. This protein is predominantly expressed during the early stages of erythroid development, and expression is weak in reticulocytes and young erythrocytes.