LRAT

Gene Symbol LRAT
Entrez Gene 9227
Alt Symbol LCA14
Species Human
Gene Type protein-coding
Description lecithin retinol acyltransferase (phosphatidylcholine--retinol O-acyltransferase)
Other Description lecithin retinol acyltransferase
Swissprots Q8N716 O95237 A8K983
Accessions EAX04904 O95237 AF071510 AAD13529 AK056234 AK292598 BAF85287 AY546085 AAS49412 AY546086 AAS49413 BC031053 AAH31053 DB364008 DQ266889 GQ129396 ACT64530 GQ129397 ACT64531 JF432615 ADZ15832 XM_006714412 XP_006714475 XR_938793 NM_001301645 NP_001288574 NM_004744 NP_004735
Function Transfers the acyl group from the sn-1 position of phosphatidylcholine to all-trans retinol, producing all-trans retinyl esters. Retinyl esters are storage forms of vitamin A. LRAT plays a critical role in vision. It provides the all-trans retinyl ester substrates for the isomerohydrolase which processes the esters into 11-cis-retinol in the retinal pigment epithelium; due to a membrane-associated alcohol dehydrogenase, 11 cis-retinol is oxidized and converted into 11-cis-retinaldehyde which is the chromophore for rhodopsin and the cone photopigments. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:9920938}.
Subcellular Location Endoplasmic reticulum membrane {ECO:0000250}; Single-pass membrane protein {ECO:0000250}. Rough endoplasmic reticulum {ECO:0000250}. Endosome, multivesicular body {ECO:0000250}. Cytoplasm, perinuclear region {ECO:0000250}. Note=Present in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and multivesicular body in hepatic stellate cells. Present in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and perinuclear region in endothelial cells (By similarity). {ECO:0000250}.
Tissue Specificity Hepatic stellate cells and endothelial cells (at protein level). Found at high levels in testis and liver, followed by retinal pigment epithelium, small intestine, prostate, pancreas and colon. Low expression observed in brain. In fetal tissues, expressed in retinal pigment epithelium and liver, and barely in the brain. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:18544127, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9920938}.
Top Pathways Vitamin digestion and absorption, Retinol metabolism