X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is characterized biochemically by dec
reased ability of cells to activate (via very-long-chain acyl-coenzyme A sy
nthetase [VLCS]) and subsequently degrade very-long-chain fatty acids in pe
roxisomes. It is noteworthy that the gene defective in X-ALD encodes ALDP,
a peroxisomal membrane protein unrelated to VLCS. We cloned human VLCS (hVL
CS) and found that peroxisomes from X-ALD fibroblasts contained immunoreact
ive hVLCS, refuting the earlier hypothesis that ALDP is required to anchor
VLCS to the peroxisomal membrane. Furthermore, hVLCS was topographically or
iented facing the peroxisomal matrix in both control and X-ALD fibroblasts,
contradicting the alternative hypothesis that ALDP is required to transloc
ate VLCS into peroxisomes. However, overexpression of both hVLCS and ALDP i
n X-ALD fibroblasts synergistically increased very-long-chain fatty acid P-
oxidation, indicating that these proteins interact functionally.