Diglyceride acyltransferase (or O-acyltransferase), DGAT, catalyzes the formation of triglycerides (triacylglycerols) from diacylglycerol and acyl-CoA.
[1] The reaction catalyzed by DGAT is considered the terminal and only committed step in the acyl-CoA-dependent triglyceride synthesis, universally important in animal, plants, and microorganisms.
The conversion is essential for intestinal absorption (i.e. DGAT1) and adipose tissue formation (i.e. DGAT2) in mammalian.
DGAT1 reconstitutes triglycerides in a committed step after which they are packaged together with cholesterol and proteins to form chylomicrons.
[5] In contrast, DGAT2−/− mice[6] have reduced triglyceride levels but are lipopenic, suffer from skin barrier abnormalities (including the inability to retain moisture), and die shortly after birth.