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Lipoxygenase
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<p>Lipoxygenases (<a href="/facts/Enzyme_Commission_number/Y5GNLRKX">EC</a> <a href="https://enzyme.expasy.org/EC/1.13.11.-">1.13.11.-</a>) (LOX) are a family of (non-<a href="/facts/Heme/fRhyJAAb">heme</a>) <a href="/facts/Iron/DkICCKIC">iron</a>-containing <a href="/facts/Enzyme/DSI1Fh7y">enzymes</a>, more specifically <a href="/facts/Oxidative_enzymes/L2G582M1">oxidative enzymes</a>, most of which <a href="/facts/Catalyze/LPBS7TQC">catalyze</a> the <a href="/facts/Dioxygenation/Lb0mrjcj">dioxygenation</a> of <a href="/facts/Polyunsaturated/87HcP11s">polyunsaturated</a> <a href="/facts/Fatty_acid/JGg3erIu">fatty acids</a> in <a href="/facts/Lipid/TdQR87HX">lipids</a> containing a cis,cis-1,4-<a href="/facts/Pentadiene/e1MIffpJ">pentadiene</a> into <a href="/facts/Cell_signaling/6oYAVP9I">cell signaling</a> agents that serve diverse roles as <a href="/facts/Autocrine/EwfQEYzG">autocrine</a> signals that regulate the function of their parent cells, <a href="/facts/Paracrine/V8eVwG9z">paracrine</a> signals that regulate the function of nearby cells, and <a href="/facts/Endocrine/PDvN5cpj">endocrine</a> signals that regulate the function of distant cells. </p><p>The lipoxygenases are related to each other based upon their similar genetic structure and dioxygenation activity. However, one lipoxygenase, ALOXE3, while having a lipoxygenase genetic structure, possesses relatively little dioxygenation activity; rather its primary activity appears to be as an isomerase that catalyzes the conversion of hydroperoxy unsaturated fatty acids to their 1,5-<a href="/facts/Epoxide/PLxRI7r1">epoxide</a>, <a href="/facts/Hydroxyl/1Hs2QAEv">hydroxyl</a> derivatives. </p><p>Lipoxygenases are found in eukaryotes (plants, fungi, animals, protists); while the third domain of terrestrial life, the <a href="/facts/Archaea/Adxh0aHw">archaea</a>, possesses proteins with a slight (~20%) amino acid sequence similarity to lipoxygenases, these proteins lack iron-binding residues and therefore are not projected to possess lipoxygenase activity. </p>