Background
In the production of energy from fats, acetyl-Coenzyme A acyltransferase 2 (ACAA2) is one of the enzymes that catalyzes the last step of the mitochondrial beta-oxidation pathway, an aerobic process breaking down fatty acids into acetyl-CoA. Using free CoA, ACAA2 catalyzes the thiolytic cleavage of medium- to long-chain unbranched 3-oxoacyl-CoAs into acetyl-CoA and a fatty acyl-CoA shortened by two carbon atoms. ACAA2 also catalyzes the condensation of two acetyl-CoA molecules into acetoacetyl-CoA and could be involved in the production of ketone bodies. ACAA2 also displays hydrolase activity on various fatty acyl-CoAs. Thereby, could be responsible for the production of acetate in a side reaction to beta-oxidation.
Cellular location
Mitochondrion