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OTC is a member of the ATCase/OTCase family. OTC has a key part in the urea cycle, catalyzing the second step in this pathway: the transformation of L-orthinine and carbamoyl phosphate to L-citrulline. In humans, the urea cycle is a vital pathway to detoxification of ammonia. Alterations in the gene encoding OTC are linked to the X-linked disorder OTCD (ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency). OTCD disorder of the urea cycle is characterized by hyperammonemia.

NAT6 is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of acetyl groups from acetyl-CoA to acrylamines. NAT6 is located mainly in the cytoplasm and its activity has been recognized by its feasibility to acetylate the N-terminus of proteins using a ping-pong-like mechanism and by its substrate specificity. Given that the NAT6 gene maps to the chromosomal region 3p21.3, which includes at least one tumor suppressor gene, the function of NAT6 plays an important role in cancer.

NMNAT1 enzyme is vital for NAD biosynthesis, catalyzing the condensation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) with the AMP moiety of ATP to form NAD or NaAD. NMNAT1 is widely expressed with high levels in skeletal muscle, heart, liver and kidney. This protein appears to have the ability to protect against axonal degeneration following mechanical or toxic insults.

ADH1C is a member of the zinc-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family which metabolizes a large assortment of substrates, such as ethanol, retinol, other aliphatic alcohols, hydroxysteroids, and lipid peroxidation products. ADH1 is a monomorphic and a key factor in fetal and infant livers, becoming less active in gestation and only weakly active during adulthood.

GPD2 (Mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) is a Ca2+-sensitive, FAD-binding protein, which is located on the outer surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Two isoforms have been identified for mGPD: Isoform 1 is comprised of 727 a.a. residues, while isoform 2 lacks 126 a.a. residues of the N-terminus. GPD2 catalyses the oxidation of glycerol-3-phosphate to DHAP (dihydroxyacetone phosphate) with associated reduction of the enzyme-bound FAD. GPD2 is a testis-specific promoter of mitochondrial GPDH. GPD2 along with a cytosolic NAD-linked GPD forms the glycerol phosphate shuttle that uses the interconversion of G-3-P and DHAP to transfer reducing equivalents into mitochondria, which results in the reoxidation of NADH produced during glycolysis.
GPD2 deficiency contributes to the impairment of glucose-stimulated INS discharge in a number of animal models of non-INS dependent diabetes mellitus. GPD2 up-regulation as a result of a highly glycolytic environment contributes to the general increase in ROS generation and may lead to the progression of prostate cancer.

NT5C2 (NT5B/PNT5) has a vital role in the maintenance of purine/pyrimidine nucleotides. NT5C2 contains a phosphotransferase active site which catalyzes the dephosphorylation of 6-hydroxypurine nucleoside 5'-monophosphates. Furthermore, NT5C2 regulates the level of inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP) pools inside cells by way of hydrolysis.

METTL1 is recognized as tRNA (guanine-N(7)-)-methyltransferase that is a part of the methyltransferase superfamily. METTL1 displays high sequence similarity to yeast ORF YDL201w and can be inactivated by phosphorylation. METTL1 protein has a conserved S-adenosylmethionine-binding motif and ccatalyzes the formation of N(7)-methylguanine at position 46 (m7G46) in tRNA.

Mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) consist of a small 28S subunit and a large 39S subunit. Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein S28, also known as MRPS28, is a protein coding gene which encodes a 28S subunit protein which is known as mitochondrial ribosomal protein S35.

Alcohol dehydrogenase 6 (ADH6) belongs to the alcohol dehydrogenase family. Alcohol dehydrogenase family members metabolize a wide variety of substrates, including ethanol, retinol, other aliphatic alcohols, hydroxysteroids, and lipid peroxidation products. ADH6 is expressed in the stomach as well as in the liver, and it contains a glucocorticoid response element upstream of its 5’ UTR, which is a steroid hormone receptor binding site.

Ectonucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolase 3, also known as ENTPD3, which owns a threefold preference for the hydrolysis of ATP over ADP is similar to E-type nucleotidases (NTPases). ENTPD3 is a protein coding gene which contains four apyrase-conserved areas which is characteristic of NTPases.

WARS is part of the class I tRNA synthetase family. 2 types of tryptophanyl tRNA synthetase exist, a cytoplasmic form, called WARS, and a mitochondrial form, called WARS2. WARS catalyzes the aminoacylation of tRNA(trp) with tryptophan and is induced by INF. WARS controls ERK, Akt, and eNOS activation pathways that are related with angiogenesis, cytoskeletal reorganization and shear stress-responsive gene expression.

Aspartoacylase is a homodimer which catalyzes the deacetylation of N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) (a protein whose hydrolysis is crucial to maintenance of intact white matter) to generate acetate and L-aspartate. Aspartoacylase (ASPA) is expressed in the liver, lung and kidney tissue, as well as in the skeletal muscle and in cerebral white matter. NAA is ample in the brain where hydrolysis by aspartoacylase is believed to aid maintain white matter. In other tissues ASPA functions as a scavenger of NAA from body fluids. ASPA gene mutations cause Canavan disease (CAND or spongy degeneration of the brain).

Mammalian mitochondrial ribosomal proteins are encoded by nuclear genes and assist in protein synthesis within the mitochondrion. Mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) consist of a small 28S subunit and a large 39S subunit (MRPL13 is a 39S subunit protein) and have an estimated 75% protein to rRNA composition compared to prokaryotic ribosomes, where this ratio is reversed. An additional difference between mammalian mitoribosomes and prokaryotic ribosomes is that the second contain a 5S rRNA. Among various species, the proteins comprising the mitoribosome differ greatly in sequence, and sometimes in biochemical properties, which prevents easy recognition by sequence homology.

Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) is a part of the 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family. LPCAT1 is a key enzyme for remodeling phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine. LPCAT1 possesses both acyltransferase and acetyltransferase activities and also mediates the conversion of 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC) into phosphatidylcholine (PC). LPCAT1 presents a clear preference for saturated fatty acyl-CoAs, and 1-myristoyl or 1-palmitoyl LPC as acyl donors and acceptors, respectively. LPCAT1 synthesizes phosphatidylcholine in pulmonary surfactant and therefore playing an important role in respiratory physiology.

UDP Glycosyltransferase 8 (UGT8) is a member of the UDP-glycosyltransferase family. UGT8 catalyzes the transfer of galactose to ceramide, a crucial enzymatic step in the biosynthesis of galactocerebrosides, which are abundant sphingolipids of the myelin membrane of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.

GGPS1 is PART of the prenyltransferase family. GGPS1 is widely expressed in testis, heart and skeletal muscle, GGPS1 is localized in the cytoplasm and catalyzes the formation of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, a precursor of geranylgeranylated proteins and carotenoids. GGPS1 is a significant enzyme that is responsible for the C20-prenylation of proteins and for the regulation of a nuclear hormone receptor.

Endonuclease III (nth) is a DNA repair enzyme which has both DNA N-glycosylase activity and AP-lyase activity. The DNA N-glycosylase activity releases numerous damaged pyrimidines from DNA by cleaving the N-glycosidic bond and leaving an AP (apurinic/apyrimidinic) site. This AP-lyase activity cleaves the phosphodiester bond 3' to the AP site by a beta-elimination, thus leaving a 3'-terminal unsaturated sugar and a product with a terminal 5'-phosphate.

Heparanase is an endo β-D-glucuronidase, which degrades heparan sulfate side chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in the extracellular matrix. Heparanase plays an important role in ECM degradation, facilitating the migration and extravasation of tumor cells and inflammatory leukocytes (1,2,3). Upon degradation, heparanase releases growth factors and cytokines that stimulate cell proliferation and chemotaxis (4,5). Heparanase is a heterodimer comprised of a 50 kDa subunit harboring the active site and a 8 kDa subunit. It is produced as a latent 65 kDa precursor and proteolytically processed to its active form (1,6). Heparanase is highly expressed in myeloid leukocytes (i.e. neutrophils) in platelets and in human placenta. Human heparanase was found to be upregulated in various types of primary tumors, correlating in some cases with increased tumor invasiveness and vascularity and with poor prospective survival (7,8).

Glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL) converts from inactive phosphorylase B to active phosphorylase A by phosphorylation of serine residue 15. Activity of the PYGL enzyme is further regulated by numerous allosteric effectors and hormonal controls. The liver isozyme supplies the glycemic demands of the body in general whereas the brain and muscle isozymes supply just those tissues.

NMNAT1 enzyme is vital for NAD biosynthesis, catalyzing the condensation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) with the AMP moiety of ATP to form NAD or NaAD. NMNAT1 is widely expressed with high levels in skeletal muscle, heart, liver and kidney. This protein appears to have the ability to protect against axonal degeneration following mechanical or toxic insults.

NADH Dehydrogenase1 Alpha Subcomplex 4 (NDUFA4) is a member of the complex I 9kDa subunit family. Mammalian complex I of mitochondrial respiratory chain is comprised of 45 different subunits. NDUFA4 protein has NADH dehydrogenase activity and oxidoreductase activity. NDUFA4 transfers electrons from NADH to the respiratory chain. The immediate electron acceptor for the NDUFA4 enzyme is assumed to be ubiquinone.

AKR1A1 is part of the aldo/keto reductase superfamily, it catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction from a range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to their related alcohols. AKR1A1 corresponds (65% identity) to aldose reductase, an enzyme that takes part in the pathogenesis of some diabetic and galactosemic complications. AKR1A1 is involved in the activation of procarcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon trans-dihydrodiols, and in the metabolism of various xenobiotics and drugs.

Alcohol dehydrogenase 1A (ADH1A) is a member of the alcohol dehydrogenase family. ADH1A has a key role in ethanol metabolism. ADH1A along with coenzyme NAD catalyzes the reversible conversion of organic alcohols to ketones or aldehydes. The physiologic function of ADH1A in the liver is the elimination of ethanol formed by microorganisms in the intestinal tract. ADH1A is monomorphic and predominant in fetal and infant livers, growing to be less active in gestation and only weakly active during adulthood.

Glycylpeptide N-tetradecan-oyltransferases 2 (NMT2) is a cytoplasmic protein which is a member of the NMT family of proteins. The proteins in the NMT family catalyze the addition of a myristoyl group to the N-terminal glycine residue of eukaryotic, fungal and viral proteins. These proteins are mostly detected in the heart, gut, kidney, liver and placenta. NMT catalyzes the reaction of N-terminal myristoylation of various signaling proteins. NMT transfers myristic acid from myristoyl coenzyme A to the amino group of a protein's N-terminal glycine residue. There are several distinct NMTs which vary in the molecular weight and /or subcellular distribution.