ALDH2

• OMIM: 100650

• MGI: 99600

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 ( ALDH -2) is one belonging to the group of aldehyde dehydrogenases enzyme which is needed in the human body to break down alcohol ( ethanol). ALDH - 2 converts the generated by ADH from alcohol, toxic acetaldehyde ( ethanal ) into acetate.

46 percent of Japanese and 56 percent of the Chinese are affected by a polymorphism of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2. They are the carriers of a dominant allele of the ALDH2 gene, in which at position 487 of the amino acid sequence of the glutamate is replaced by lysine. The mutant ALDH2 can acetaldehyde less effective process than the wild -type protein and is itself degraded more rapidly. This leads easily to an accumulation of acetaldehyde in the body and thus to the associated with exaggerated consumption of alcohol poisoning symptoms (flushing syndrome). The persons concerned are therefore more sensitive to the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

Some lactic acid bacteria tread with the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and the opposite way: Under good conditions, they build the whole of the glycolysis -derived pyruvate to lactate from. However, there is lack of glucose, cleave various homofermentative strains pyruvate by pyruvate formate - lyase in addition to formate and acetyl coenzyme A. Half of the acetyl-CoA can now be implemented by the aldehyde dehydrogenase into acetaldehyde, which converts the alcohol in ethanol. From the other half of the acetyl-CoA acetate is prepared which can be used for ATP synthesis.