Recombinant Human Elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 3 (ELOVL3)
Description
Introduction to Recombinant Human ELOVL3
Recombinant Human ELOVL3 (Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 3) is a synthetic version of the endogenous ELOVL3 enzyme, produced via recombinant DNA technology in E. coli systems . This protein belongs to the GNS1/SUR4 family and catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in the elongation cycle of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), extending saturated/monounsaturated acyl-CoAs (C16–C18) into very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs, C20–C24) . Recombinant ELOVL3 is critical for studying lipid metabolism, cellular proliferation, and disease mechanisms, particularly in adipogenesis, liver regeneration, and retinal function .
Biochemical Characteristics
Recombinant ELOVL3 is engineered with specific modifications for stability and functionality. Key features include:
Functional Role and Enzymatic Activity
Recombinant ELOVL3 replicates the endogenous enzyme’s role in VLCFA biosynthesis, influencing lipid homeostasis and cellular signaling.
Enzymatic Activity
ELOVL3 acts as a 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase, condensing malonyl-CoA with acyl-CoA substrates to elongate fatty acid chains . Key substrates and products include:
ELOVL3 exhibits higher activity toward C18:0 acyl-CoAs, with lower efficiency for polyunsaturated substrates .
Applications in Research
Recombinant ELOVL3 is utilized in diverse experimental contexts:
Liver Regeneration and Proliferation
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Zhx2 Regulation: Zhx2 transcriptionally activates Elovl3 in the liver. During regeneration, Elovl3 expression drops, correlating with reduced VLCFAs and impaired cell cycle progression .
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Cell Cycle Impact: Forced Elovl3 expression stalls hepatoma cells in S-phase, reducing cyclin D/A/E mRNA levels .
Adipogenesis and PPARγ Activation
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PPARγ-ELOVL3 Cascade: Elovl3 expression peaks during adipocyte differentiation, driven by PPARγ. C18:1/C20:1 VLCFAs produced by ELOVL3 act as endogenous PPARγ agonists, enhancing triglyceride storage and adipogenic gene expression (e.g., aP2, SCD) .
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siRNA Knockdown: Reduces triglycerides by 47% and suppresses lipogenic/lipolytic genes (e.g., ACC, FAS, ATGL) .
Retinal VLC-PUFA Biosynthesis
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ELOVL3 vs. ELOVL4: While Elovl3 elongates saturated VLCFAs, Elovl4 synthesizes polyunsaturated VLC-PUFAs (e.g., C26–C34) critical for retinal membrane structure .
Clinical and Therapeutic Implications
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Metabolic Disorders: Dysregulated ELOVL3 may contribute to obesity/diabetes. VLCFAs enhance PPARγ signaling, suggesting therapeutic potential .
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Liver Diseases: Suppressed Elovl3 in regenerating livers correlates with altered lipid profiles, implicating VLCFAs in hepatocyte proliferation .
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Retinal Health: VLC-PUFAs, influenced by ELOVL3/4, are essential for photoreceptor integrity; disruptions may link to diseases like Stargardt’s .
Production and Handling
Recombinant ELOVL3 requires careful handling to maintain activity:
Product Specs
Note: We prioritize shipping the format currently in stock. However, if you have specific format requirements, please indicate them when placing your order, and we will prepare accordingly.
Note: Our proteins are shipped with standard blue ice packs. If you require dry ice shipping, please communicate with us in advance as additional fees will apply.
Generally, liquid form has a shelf life of 6 months at -20°C/-80°C, while lyophilized form has a shelf life of 12 months at -20°C/-80°C.
Target Background
Q&A
Basic Research Questions
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What is ELOVL3 and what is its primary function in cellular metabolism?
ELOVL3 (Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 3) belongs to a family of genes (ELOVL 1-7) encoding enzymes that synthesize very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) . It catalyzes the first and rate-limiting reaction of the four reactions constituting the long-chain fatty acids elongation cycle . This endoplasmic reticulum-bound enzymatic process enables the addition of 2 carbon atoms to long- and very long-chain fatty acids per cycle . ELOVL3 specifically synthesizes C20-C24 saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, exhibiting higher activity toward C18 acyl-CoAs, especially C18:0 acyl-CoAs .
The VLCFAs produced by ELOVL3 are commonly incorporated into ceramides or metabolized to lipid mediators that regulate cellular growth, differentiation, proliferation, and other physiological functions . These fatty acids serve as precursors of membrane lipids and bioactive lipid mediators involved in multiple biological processes .
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Where is ELOVL3 primarily expressed in human and animal tissues?
ELOVL3 is expressed primarily in brown and white adipose tissue, skin sebaceous glands, and the liver . Its expression pattern varies developmentally, with extremely low expression in embryonic livers that increases postnatally . In mice, ELOVL3 exhibits sex-specific expression patterns, with male-biased expression becoming apparent between 4 and 8 weeks of age .
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How is ELOVL3 expression regulated at the transcriptional level?
ELOVL3 expression is regulated by multiple transcription factors and signaling pathways:
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ZHX2 (Zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2) acts as a transcriptional activator of hepatic ELOVL3 expression
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Tumor suppressor p53 transcriptionally activates ELOVL3, connecting it to cell cycle regulation
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Sex hormones significantly influence ELOVL3 expression, with androgens required for male-biased hepatic expression
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Androgen receptor (AR) targets the ELOVL3 promoter and inhibits its transcriptional activity
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Estrogen receptor signaling appears to maintain lower mRNA levels of ELOVL3 in female mice and cells
Microarray data from BALB/cJ mice (carrying a natural hypomorphic mutation in ZHX2) showed a positive correlation between ZHX2 and ELOVL3 expression levels . Studies using ChIP assays have confirmed that ZHX2 directly binds the ELOVL3 promoter and an upstream DHS to regulate transcription .
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What is the relationship between ELOVL3 and cell cycle regulation?
ELOVL3 appears to function as a negative regulator of cell proliferation. Evidence supporting this includes:
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ELOVL3 mRNA levels are extremely low in embryonic livers, increase postnatally, and decrease dramatically during liver regeneration
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Overexpression of ELOVL3 slows the in vitro growth of Huh7 cells and stalls HeLa cell cycle progression in S-phase
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Forced ELOVL3 expression results in significant reductions in Cyclins D, A, and E, which are key regulators of cell cycle progression
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ELOVL3 is transcriptionally activated by p53, a well-established tumor suppressor involved in cell cycle arrest
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VLCFAs synthesized by ELOVL3 are often incorporated into ceramides, which are effective tumor suppressors that induce apoptosis and reduce proliferation through cell cycle arrest
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What are the known alternative names and protein characteristics of ELOVL3?
ELOVL3 is also known by several alternative names:
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CIG30 (Cold-inducible glycoprotein of 30 kDa)
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3-keto acyl-CoA synthase ELOVL3
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ELOVL fatty acid elongase 3
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Very long chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 3
The human ELOVL3 protein functions as a condensing enzyme that exhibits activity toward saturated and unsaturated acyl-CoA substrates . Commercial antibodies against ELOVL3 are available for techniques including immunohistochemistry (IHC-P) and immunocytochemistry/immunofluorescence (ICC/IF) .
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