ABHD5

The protein encoded by this gene belongs to a large family of proteins defined by an alpha/beta hydrolase fold, and contains three sequence motifs that correspond to a catalytic triad found in the esterase/lipase/thioesterase subfamily. It differs from other members of this subfamily in that its putative catalytic triad contains an asparagine instead of the serine residue. Mutations in this gene have been associated with Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, a triglyceride storage disease with impaired long-chain fatty acid oxidation.[7][8]

CGI-58 is known to be a co-activator of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL/PNPLA2) that associates with lipid droplets in association with perilipin proteins.[5] Phosphorylation of certain perilipins by protein kinase A causes dissociation of CGI-58 from the perilipins and permits interaction with ATGL.[5] CGI-58 additionally interacts with beclin 1,[5][9] and CGI-58 has been shown to promote autophagy in colorectal cancer in a PNPLA2-independent manner.[9][10]

Model organisms have been used in the study of ABHD5 function. A conditional knockout mouse line, called Abhd5^{tm1a(KOMP)Wtsi}[15][16] was generated as part of the International Knockout Mouse Consortium program — a high-throughput mutagenesis project to generate and distribute animal models of disease to interested scientists — at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.[17][18][19]

Male and female animals underwent a standardized phenotypic screen to determine the effects of deletion.[13][20] Twenty three tests were carried out on mutant mice but no significant abnormalities were observed.[13]

• Human ABHD5 genome location and ABHD5 gene details page in the UCSC Genome Browser.