fat-6 encodes an Acyl-CoA desaturase (also known as delta-9 fatty acid desaturase); when expressed heterologously in S. cerevisiae, FAT-6 rescues the fatty acid auxotrophy of the ole1 delta-9 desaturase mutant; FAT-6 readily desaturates stearic acid (18:0), or similar fatty acids (17:0 or 18:1 delta-11 trans), but shows less activity on palmitic acid (16:0), and no activity on other medium chain fatty acids (14:0 or 15:0); based on similarity to mammalian Acyl-CoA desaturases, FAT-6 is predicted to localize to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.
Enables stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase activity. Involved in innate immune response; long-chain fatty acid biosynthetic process; and post-embryonic development. Predicted to be located in endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Expressed in hypodermis. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in autosomal dominant nonsyndromic deafness 79. Is an ortholog of human SCD (stearoyl-CoA desaturase) and SCD5 (stearoyl-CoA desaturase 5).