Fish odor syndrome, also known as Trimethylaminuria, is a metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme Monooxygenase 3 (FMO3). This enzyme is responsible for the oxidation of trimethylamine (TMA), a compound with a strong fishy odor, into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is odorless. When FMO3 is deficient, TMA accumulates in the body and is excreted in sweat, urine, and breath, leading to the characteristic odor associated with the syndrome.
Enzyme
Function
Fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase
Involved in tyrosine metabolism
Methane monooxygenase
Oxidizes methane to methanol
Monooxygenase 3 (FMO3)
Oxidizes trimethylamine to trimethylamine N-oxide
D-amino acid oxidase
Degrades D-amino acids
In summary, the deficiency of Monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) leads to the symptoms of Fish odor syndrome due to its role in processing trimethylamine.