Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 2 (ELOVL2)

Elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 2 (ELOVL2) is an enzyme that plays a critical role in the biosynthesis of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). It catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in the four-step cycle responsible for elongating long-chain and very-long-chain fatty acids. ELOVL2 specifically acts on polyunsaturated acyl-CoA substrates, facilitating synthesis of PUFAs with 20–22 carbons and saturated FAs with 18–20 carbons. The products generated by ELOVL2 are essential precursors for membrane lipids and lipid mediators involved in various biological processes. The methylation status of *ELOVL2* serves as an epigenetic marker correlated strongly with chronological aging across multiple tissues.