The enzyme, found in pathogenic and nonpathogenic mycobacteria species, actinomycetes, and some proteobacteria, hydroxylates the ω-carbon of a number of methyl-branched lipids, including (2E,6E)-farnesol, phytanate, geranylgeraniol, 15-methylpalmitate and (2E,6E)-farnesyl diphosphate. It is a P-450 heme-thiolate enzyme.