The product of this gene specifies an erythroid-specific mitochondrially located enzyme. The encoded protein catalyzes the first step in the heme biosynthetic pathway. Defects in this gene cause X-linked pyridoxine-responsive sideroblastic anemia. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified.[7]
Its gene contains an IRE in its 5'-UTR region on which an IRP binds if the iron level is too low, thus inhibiting its translation.
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^Bishop DF, Henderson AS, Astrin KH (Jun 1990). "Human delta-aminolevulinate synthase: assignment of the housekeeping gene to 3p21 and the erythroid-specific gene to the X chromosome". Genomics. 7 (2): 207–14. doi:10.1016/0888-7543(90)90542-3. PMID2347585.
Han L, Zhong Y, Huang B, Han L, Pan L, Xu X, Wang X, Huang B, Lu J (2008). "Sodium butyrate activates erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase gene through Sp1 elements at its promoter". Blood Cells, Molecules & Diseases. 41 (2): 148–53. doi:10.1016/j.bcmd.2008.04.002. PMID18555711.
Cox TC, Sadlon TJ, Schwarz QP, Matthews CS, Wise PD, Cox LL, Bottomley SS, May BK (Feb 2004). "The major splice variant of human 5-aminolevulinate synthase-2 contributes significantly to erythroid heme biosynthesis". The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 36 (2): 281–95. doi:10.1016/S1357-2725(03)00246-2. PMID14643893.
Sussman NL, Lee PL, Dries AM, Schwartz MR, Barton JC (2008). "Multi-organ iron overload in an African-American man with ALAS2 R452S and SLC40A1 R561G". Acta Haematologica. 120 (3): 168–73. doi:10.1159/000181183. PMID19066423.
Lee PL, Barton JC, Rao SV, Acton RT, Adler BK, Beutler E (2006). "Three kinships with ALAS2 P520L (c. 1559 C --> T) mutation, two in association with severe iron overload, and one with sideroblastic anemia and severe iron overload". Blood Cells, Molecules & Diseases. 36 (2): 292–7. doi:10.1016/j.bcmd.2005.12.004. PMID16446107.
Rabstein S, Unfried K, Ranft U, Illig T, Kolz M, Mambetova C, Vlad M, Roman C, Weiss T, Becker D, Brüning T, Pesch B (2008). "Lack of association of delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase polymorphisms with blood lead levels and hemoglobin in Romanian women from a lead-contaminated region". Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A. 71 (11–12): 716–24. doi:10.1080/15287390801985190. PMID18569569.
Abu-Farha M, Niles J, Willmore WG (Oct 2005). "Erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase protein is stabilized by low oxygen and proteasomal inhibition". Biochemistry and Cell Biology. 83 (5): 620–30. doi:10.1139/o05-045. PMID16234850.