Background of the antigen
MBOAT4 (membrane-bound O-acyltransferase domain-containing protein 4, Ghrelin O-acyltransferase) is a 435 amino acid, multi-pass membrane protein that belongs to the membrane-bound acyltransferase family. MBOAT4 functions as an enzyme that attaches an octanoate fatty acid to serine-3 of ghrelin. Ghrelin is a very small, appetite-stimulating hormone secreted by the food-deprived stomach. MBOAT4 can use a variety of fatty acids as substrates including octanoic acid, decanoic acid and tetradecanoic acid. MBOAT4 expression, consistent with its function, is mainly in the stomach and intestines. Due to its primary function, MBOAT4 is a candidate for obesity and appetite suppression studies.
