Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase 2 (FAAH2)

FAAH2 encodes a fatty acid amide hydrolase that shares a conserved protein motif with the amidase signature family of enzymes. The encoded enzyme is able to catalyze the hydrolysis of a broad range of bioactive lipids, including those from the three main classes of fatty acid amides; N-acylethanolamines, fatty acid primary amides and N-acyl amino acids. This enzyme has a preference for monounsaturated acyl chains as a substrate.The deduced 532-amino acid FAAH2 protein contains a predicted N-terminal transmembrane domain, an amidase signature sequence containing the ser-ser-lys catalytic triad, and shares approximately 20% amino acid identity with FAAH1. FAAH2 was detected in the membrane fraction of transfected cancer cells, and protein protection assays showed that FAAH2 is luminally orientated in the membrane, unlike the cytoplasmic orientation of FAAH1.