This gene belongs to the lipoxygenase (LOX) gene family whose members encode enzymes that catalyze the addition of molecular oxygen to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to yield fatty acid hydroperoxides. The encoded enzyme preferentially metabolizes arachidonic acid to yield 8-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (8-HETE), while metabolizing linoleic acid less efficiently. The gene may also function as a tumor suppressor. This gene is located in a cluster of related genes that spans approximately 75 kilobases on chromosome 11. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2013]