AWAT1 is an acyl-CoA wax alcohol acyltransferase that catalyzes the formation of ester bonds between fatty alcohols and fatty acyl-CoAs to produce wax monoesters 1. The enzyme exhibits strong substrate specificity, preferring decyl alcohol (C10) with reduced activity toward longer-chain alcohols (C16, C18), and showing a strong preference for saturated acyl-CoAs 1. AWAT1 is primarily expressed in skin tissues, with differentiation-specific expression in sebaceous glands 1, where it plays a significant role in sebum composition. The gene is located on the X chromosome X AWAT2 and DGAT2L6 2. Clinically, AWAT1 expression is substantially attenuated in atopic dermatitis (AD) skin from African populations, contributing to broader dysregulation of lipid metabolism while preserving normal epidermal barrier differentiation genes 3. AWAT1 expression is also dramatically repressed in response to aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists like TCDD, contributing to dioxin-induced sebaceous gland atrophy 4. These findings suggest AWAT1 dysfunction may contribute to compromised skin barrier function in inflammatory skin diseases and environmental toxin exposure.