Fatty acid desaturase

Desaturases are enzymes that can transfer electrons from one molecule to another while keeping the substrate, ie the target molecule, desaturate (Latin saturare = saturate ), " installation" that is, a multiple bond. Because they oxidize a molecule and reduce another here, they belong to the protein family of oxidoreductases.

In organic molecules are called saturated single bonds because the atoms involved in the bond can not undergo further bonds. Double and triple bonds, however, are called unsaturated ( here, the atoms involved additional bonds received ).

First of all desaturases double bonds lead into fatty acids, but also in other molecules with long hydrocarbon chains, such as carotene.

Desaturases are indicated by the position at which they desaturate.

People lack for example, the Δ - 12 desaturase (that is, the desaturase, the fatty acids in the twelfth double bond reduced). Therefore, linoleic acid, which there is a double bond (two in total, one at 9 - and at 12 - position), an essential fatty acid because it can not be produced by the body itself.

Schematic reaction equation

Fatty acid electron donor ( reduced) O2 → fatty acid having a double bond electron donor ( oxidized) 2 H2O

• Oxidoreductase
• Protein group