Tafazzin

Tafazzin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TAZ gene. Tafazzin is highly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle. It is involved in the metabolism of cardiolipin.

Tafazzin functions as a phospholipid-lysophospholipid transacylase.

Pathology
The mutation of the tafazzin gene is associated with a number of clinical disorders including Barth syndrome (BTHS) (type II 3-Methylglutaconic aciduria), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic DCM, endocardial fibroelastosis, and left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC). Tafazzin is responsible for remodeling of a phospholipid cardiolipin (CL), the signature lipid of the mitochondrial inner membrane. As a result, BTHS patients exhibit defects in CL metabolism, including aberrant CL fatty acyl composition, accumulation of monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) and reduced total CL levels.

History
The protein was identified by Italian scientists Silvia Bione et al. in 1996. Owing to the complex procedure required for the identification of tafazzin, the protein was named after "Tafazzi", a masochistic comic character in an Italian television show.