Elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ELOVL4 gene. [5] [6]
ELOVL4 is a member of a large family of fatty acid elongases (ELO) that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the elongation of long chain fatty acids (LC-FA) into very long-chain saturated (VLC-SFA) and polyunsaturated (VLC-PUFA) fatty acids, collectively known as VLC-FA (very long chain fatty acid). [7] [8] ELOVL4 and its products are found in the brain, skin, retina, meibomian glands, testes and sperm. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Known mutations of ELOVL4 in humans cause diseases such as Autosomal Dominant Stargardt-like Macular Dystrophy (STGD3), spinocerebellar ataxia-34 (SCA34), skin deformities and seizures. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]