Acyl-CoA synthetase bubblegum family member 2 (ACSBG2)

ACSBG2 (Acyl-CoA synthetase bubblegum family member 2; ACSBG2) is an enzyme responsible for the activation of long-chain and very-long-chain fatty acids through ligation to coenzyme A, forming fatty acyl-CoA esters that are critical for both lipid synthesis and degradation via beta-oxidation. ACSBG2 shows substrate specificity for oleic and linoleic acids and is primarily expressed in testis and brainstem, indicating tissue-selective physiological roles—most notably in reproduction and perhaps in nervous system lipid metabolism. The enzyme is located in the cytosol and mitochondria, facilitating its function in the cellular fatty acid metabolic process. Variants and functional defects in ACSBG2 are associated with genetic lipid storage disorders, including ceroid lipofuscinosis and adrenoleukodystrophy. Recent evolutionary analysis reveals that ACSBG2 belongs to a conserved family of acyl-CoA synthetases across vertebrates, sharing function and structure with other family members (ACSBG1, ACSBG3). In livestock and birds, genetic variation in ACSBG2 influences milk fat content and fat deposition traits. Expression of ACSBG2 is regulated by microRNAs such as miR-125b-5p during adipogenesis in chicken, underscoring the gene’s importance in fat biology. No established clinical drugs currently target ACSBG2, but disruption of its function would be expected to have marked effects on lipid metabolism and possibly reproductive physiology.

Other names

Long-chain-fatty-acid--CoA ligase ACSBG2Bubblegum-related proteinBGRPRTD-NY3DKFZp434K1635BRGLTesticular tissue protein Li 8Arachnidonate--CoA ligase ACSBG2UNQ2443/PRO5005

Drugs (experimental/future) targeting ACSBG2 would theoretically inhibit its enzymatic conversion of free fatty acids to fatty acyl-CoA, modifying cellular lipid synthesis and degradation. No approved mechanism of action for any drug is reported for ACSBG2 specifically.