This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, to be specific, those acting on the CH-OH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor.
This enzyme participates in the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies and the metabolism of butyric acid.
[1] In this case, 1.1.1 means this enzyme is an oxidoreductase that acts on the CH-OH group of the donor molecule using NAD(+) or NADP(+) as the acceptor.
Other names in common use include: BHBDH is found in the mitochondria and catalyzes the oxidation of 3-hydroxybutyyrate to acetoacetate and it uses NAD as a coenzyme.
Then when the reaction is occurring at the optimum pH a proton is removed from the hydroxyl group of the substrate and this allows for a carbonyl-bond to form.
The largest and most significant peak of BHBDH activity occurred 4–8 hours in the rectal glands of the sharks.
In the dogfish shark, the main function of BHBDH is to help with the breakdown of ketone bodies in the cells.
When starved, the ketone levels in the shark bodies increases, especially after long-term starvation.
The rapid decline is correlated with significant elevations of BHBDH activity, which points towards this enzyme being very important to process ketone bodies.