O75907

DGAT1 also known as ARGP1 is a microsomal enzyme that assists in the synthesid of fatty acids into triglycerides. DGAT1 catalyzes the terminal and only committed step in triacylglycerol synthesis by using diacylglycerol (DAG) and fatty acyl CoA as substrates. DGAT1 plays a fundamental role in the metabolism of cellular diacylglycerol and is important in higher eukaryotes for physiologic processes involving triacylglycerol metabolism such as intestinal fat absorption, lipoprotein assembly, adipose tissue formation, and lactation. DGAT1 is involved in fat absorption in the intestine and in basal level triglyceride synthesis in adipose tissue, where it is more highly expressed. Mice lacking DGAT1 have increased energy expenditure and therefore are resistant to obesity. In addition, mice lacking both copies of DGAT1 are completely devoid of milk secretion, most likely because of deficient triglyceride synthesis in the mammary gland.