Moreover, as stress might precipitate a degenerative cellular phenotype when product generation is required to repair damaged or depleted cellular components, our bgm/dbb stress studies suggest that esterified LCFA and VLCFA products of Bgm and Dbb activity are required to prevent neurodegeneration, a hypothesis that contradicts the long-held view that precursor accumulation is causative of neurodegeneration in ALD patients. The gene discussed is ACSBG1; the disease is adrenoleukodystrophy.