The mtFAS pathway is essential for producing octanoic acid that is used to synthesize lipoic acid, which is essential for aerobic metabolism. The protein encoded by MECR is an oxidoreductase that catalyzes the last step in mtFAS.[10]
Genetic mutations to MECR have been suggested to cause MEPAN Syndrome, a neurometabolic disorder in humans that involves disruptions in the pathway involved in mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFAS). MEPAN patients were found to harbor recessive mutations in MECR, and typically present with childhood-onset dystonia, optic atrophy, and basal ganglia signal abnormalities on MRI.[12]
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^Masuda N, Yasumo H, Furusawa T, et al. (October 1998). "Nuclear receptor binding factor-1 (NRBF-1), a protein interacting with a wide spectrum of nuclear hormone receptors". Gene. 221 (2): 225–33. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(98)00461-2. PMID9795230.
Maruyama K, Sugano S (January 1994). "Oligo-capping: a simple method to replace the cap structure of eukaryotic mRNAs with oligoribonucleotides". Gene. 138 (1–2): 171–4. doi:10.1016/0378-1119(94)90802-8. PMID8125298.
Suzuki Y, Yoshitomo-Nakagawa K, Maruyama K, et al. (October 1997). "Construction and characterization of a full length-enriched and a 5'-end-enriched cDNA library". Gene. 200 (1–2): 149–56. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(97)00411-3. PMID9373149.
