BCAT2 and hepatocellular carcinoma: For instance, alterations in the splicing patterns of BCAT2, which encodes a branched chain aminotransferase found in mitochondria, DAP3, which helps in protein synthesis within the mitochondrion, and ECHDC2, which is involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, were found to be present both in HBV- and HCV-associated HCC.