Biochemical characterization of the very long-chain fatty acid elongase ELOVL7

Very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) have a variety of physiological functions and are related to numerous disorders. The key step of VLCFA elongation is catalyzed by members of the elongase family, ELOVLs. Mammals have seven ELOVLs (ELOVL1-7), yet none of them has been purified and analyzed. In the presented study we purified ELOVL7 and measured its activity by reconstituting it into proteoliposomes. Purified ELOVL7 exhibited high activity toward acyl-CoAs with C18 carbon chain length. The calculated K(m) values toward C18: 3(n-3)-CoA and malonyl-CoA were both in the mu M range. We also found that progression of the VLCFA cycle enhances ELOVL7 activity. (C) 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.