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FADS2

Meaning

Fatty Acid Desaturase 2, an endoplasmic reticulum-bound enzyme encoded by the FADS2 gene, which acts as the initial and often rate-limiting enzyme in the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis cascade. It is also referred to as Delta-6 Desaturase (D6D) because it introduces a double bond at the sixth carbon atom from the carboxyl end of the fatty acid chain. This enzyme is crucial for converting essential dietary fatty acids into their more biologically active forms. Reduced function can lead to an imbalance in the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.