Reaction: a long-chain acyl-CoA + 2 NADPH + 2 H+ = a long-chain alcohol + 2 NADP+ + CoA
Glossary: a long-chain acyl-CoA = an acyl-CoA thioester where the acyl chain contains 13 to 22 carbon atoms.
Other name(s): FAR (gene name)
Systematic name: NADPH:long-chain acyl-CoA reductase
Comments: The enzyme has been characterized from the plant Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba). The alcohol is formed by a four-electron reduction of fatty acyl-CoA. Although the reaction proceeds through an aldehyde intermediate, a free aldehyde is not released. The recombinant enzyme was shown to accept saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs of 16 to 22 carbons.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, PDB, CAS registry number:
References:
1. Metz, J.G., Pollard, M.R., Anderson, L., Hayes, T.R. and Lassner, M.W. Purification of a jojoba embryo fatty acyl-coenzyme A reductase and expression of its cDNA in high erucic acid rapeseed. Plant Physiol. 122 (2000) 635-644. [PMID: 10712526]