Lecithin retinol acyltransferase

Transfers the acyl group from the sn-1 position of phosphatidylcholine to all-trans retinol, producing all-trans retinyl esters. Retinyl esters are storage forms of vitamin A (Probable). LRAT plays a critical role in vision (Probable). It provides the all-trans retinyl ester substrates for the isomerohydrolase which processes the esters into 11-cis-retinol in the retinal pigment epithelium; due to a membrane-associated alcohol dehydrogenase, 11 cis-retinol is oxidized and converted into 11-cis-retinaldehyde which is the chromophore for rhodopsin and the cone photopigments (Probable). Required for the survival of cone photoreceptors and correct rod photoreceptor cell morphology (By similarity).