Squalene monooxygenase (also called squalene epoxidase) is a eukaryotic enzyme that uses NADPH and diatomic oxygen to oxidize squalene to 2,3-oxidosqualene (squalene epoxide). Squalene epoxidase catalyzes the first oxygenation step in sterol biosynthesis and is thought to be one of the rate-limiting enzymes in this pathway.[5] In humans, squalene epoxidase is encoded by the SQLEgene.[6]
Several eukaryote genomes lack a squalene monooxygenase encoding gene, but instead encode an alternative squalene epoxidase that performs the same task.[7]
Since squalene epoxidase is on the biosynthetic pathway leading to production of cholesterol, inhibitors of this enzyme may also find application in treatment of hypercholesterolemia.[10]
Localization
In baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), squalene epoxidase is localized to both the endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets. Only the ER localized protein is active.
Additional products
Squalene epoxidase also catalyzes the formation of diepoxysqualene (DOS). DOS is converted to 24(S),25-epoxylanosterol by lanosterol synthase.
^Nagai M, Sakakibara J, Wakui K, Fukushima Y, Igarashi S, Tsuji S, Arakawa M, Ono T (Aug 1997). "Localization of the squalene epoxidase gene (SQLE) to human chromosome region 8q24.1". Genomics. 44 (1): 141–3. doi:10.1006/geno.1997.4825. PMID9286711.
^Chugh A, Ray A, Gupta JB (Jan 2003). "Squalene epoxidase as hypocholesterolemic drug target revisited". Progress in Lipid Research. 42 (1): 37–50. doi:10.1016/S0163-7827(02)00029-2. PMID12467639.
Further reading
Ma J, Dempsey AA, Stamatiou D, Marshall KW, Liew CC (Mar 2007). "Identifying leukocyte gene expression patterns associated with plasma lipid levels in human subjects". Atherosclerosis. 191 (1): 63–72. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2006.05.032. PMID16806233.
Laden BP, Tang Y, Porter TD (Feb 2000). "Cloning, heterologous expression, and enzymological characterization of human squalene monooxygenase". Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 374 (2): 381–8. doi:10.1006/abbi.1999.1629. PMID10666321.
Nagai M, Sakakibara J, Nakamura Y, Gejyo F, Ono T (Jul 2002). "SREBP-2 and NF-Y are involved in the transcriptional regulation of squalene epoxidase". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 295 (1): 74–80. doi:10.1016/S0006-291X(02)00623-X. PMID12083769.
Liu Y, Sun W, Zhang K, Zheng H, Ma Y, Lin D, Zhang X, Feng L, Lei W, Zhang Z, Guo S, Han N, Tong W, Feng X, Gao Y, Cheng S (Jun 2007). "Identification of genes differentially expressed in human primary lung squamous cell carcinoma". Lung Cancer. 56 (3): 307–17. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2007.01.016. PMID17316888.
Suzuki Y, Yoshitomo-Nakagawa K, Maruyama K, Suyama A, Sugano S (Oct 1997). "Construction and characterization of a full length-enriched and a 5'-end-enriched cDNA library". Gene. 200 (1–2): 149–56. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(97)00411-3. PMID9373149.
Maruyama K, Sugano S (Jan 1994). "Oligo-capping: a simple method to replace the cap structure of eukaryotic mRNAs with oligoribonucleotides". Gene. 138 (1–2): 171–4. doi:10.1016/0378-1119(94)90802-8. PMID8125298.
Nagai M, Sakakibara J, Wakui K, Fukushima Y, Igarashi S, Tsuji S, Arakawa M, Ono T (Aug 1997). "Localization of the squalene epoxidase gene (SQLE) to human chromosome region 8q24.1". Genomics. 44 (1): 141–3. doi:10.1006/geno.1997.4825. PMID9286711.
