Apoa1 - apolipoprotein A-I

This gene encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically cleaved to yield a signal peptide and a proproptein that is subsequently processed to generate the active mature peptide. The encoded protein is the major protein component of plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL). This protein facilitates the removal of cholesterol and other fats from tissues by transporting them to the liver for excretion. This protein is a cofactor for lecithin cholesterolacyltransferase, an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of free cholesterol to cholesteryl esters. Mutations in this gene in humans causes familial HDL deficiency, Tangier disease and familial visceral amyloidosis. Similar clinical features are exhibited by mice with mutations in this gene. This gene is clustered with three other apolipoprotein genes on chromosome 9. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2013]