The SLC27A1 gene (SLC27A1 stands for Solute Carrier 27-A), which is located on chromosome 19p13.11 in humans.
SLC27A1 gene
Definition This section has been translated automatically.
General information This section has been translated automatically.
SLC27A1 encodes FATP1, a fatty acid transport protein and acyl-CoA synthetase that mediates the uptake of long-chain and very long-chain fatty acids and binds them intracellularly via ATP-dependent CoA ligation. This dual function supports fatty acid accumulation for beta-oxidation and lipid synthesis, thereby establishing SLC27A1 as a key player in metabolic and transport pathways for small molecules. The protein is located at the plasma membrane, including the basal plasma membrane, as well as in the cytoplasm.
Through its transport activity, SLC27A1 facilitates the entry of long-chain fatty acids and other small molecules into the cell across the plasma membrane, while its acyl-CoA synthetase function converts imported fatty acids into activated CoA esters. This coupling of membrane transport and intracellular activation enables efficient handling of fatty acids in metabolically active tissues and is reported to support fatty acid transport across the blood-brain barrier (Anderson CM et al. 2013).
Tissue specificity: The gene is highly expressed in metabolically active, insulin-sensitive tissues such as skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue.
At the RNA level, expression levels are highest in the brain, the female reproductive system, and the peripheral nervous system, although protein expression has also been detected in the endocrine system, the male reproductive system, and the proximal digestive tract.
Clinic This section has been translated automatically.
Clinical associations with SLC27A1 tend to focus on altered fatty acid transport and metabolism rather than on a single, specifically named disease. The gene has been linked to fatty acid transport across the blood-brain barrier and to monocarboxylic acid transport, underscoring its importance for nutrient turnover at membrane interfaces.
Insulin response: Is upregulated or modulated by insulin signaling to promote lipid accumulation and storage in adipocytes (Wu Q et al. 2006).
Literature This section has been translated automatically.
- Acharya R et al. (2023) Fatty acid transport proteins (FATPs) in cancer. Chem Phys Lipids. 250:105269.
- Anderson CM et al. (2013) SLC27 fatty acid transport proteins. Mol Aspects Med 34:516-528.
- Azzarà A et al. (2023) Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome and Migraine: A New Phenotype Associated with SCN1A Variants? Genes (Basel) 14(7):1482.
- Wu Q et al. (2006) FATP1 is an insulin-sensitive fatty acid transporter involved in diet-induced obesity. Mol Cell Biol 26(9):3455–3467.