This gene encodes a member of the lipoxygenase family of structurally related nonheme iron dioxygenases involved in the production of fatty acid hydroperoxides. The encoded protein converts arachidonic acid exclusively to 15S-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid, while metabolizing linoleic acid less effectively. This gene is located in a cluster of related genes and a pseudogene that spans approximately 100 kilobases on the short arm of chromosome 17. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]