Human Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase Alpha (ACACA) Protein

Background

Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase Alpha (ACACA) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA, a critical step in fatty acid biosynthesis. ACACA is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids and plays a central role in lipogenesis. It is highly expressed in lipogenic tissues such as the liver and adipose tissue and is tightly regulated by phosphorylation, dephosphorylation, and allosteric effectors like citrate and palmitoyl-CoA. Dysregulation of ACACA activity contributes to metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease, where excessive lipogenesis exacerbates lipid accumulation. In cancer, ACACA is upregulated to support the enhanced lipid biosynthesis required for rapid tumor cell proliferation, making it a potential therapeutic target. Small-molecule inhibitors of ACACA are being developed to treat metabolic diseases and cancer by reducing de novo fatty acid synthesis.