五个3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶同源蛋白的功能鉴定

大肠杆菌的FabB和FabF均具有长链3-酮基脂酰ACP合成酶活性.除参与长链饱和脂酰链的延伸外,FabB还是合成不饱和脂肪酸的关键酶之一,参与不饱和脂酰ACP的从头合成,最终生成顺-9-十六烯脂酰ACP.而FabF只能将顺-9-十六烯脂酰ACP延伸为顺-11-十八烯脂酰ACP,不参与不饱和脂酰ACP的从头合成.有研究表明,粪肠球菌、乳酸乳球菌、丙酮丁醇梭菌和茄科雷尔氏菌等细菌的FabF同源蛋白,具有类似大肠杆菌FabB和FabF的双功能.为证实该现象是否普遍存在,本研究选取了枯草芽孢杆菌BsfabF、中华苜蓿根瘤菌SmfabF、霍乱弧菌VcfabF、铜绿假单胞菌PafabF1和PafabF2 5个同源基因进行功能鉴定,体外酶学分析表明,5个FabF同源蛋白均具有长链3-酮基脂酰ACP合成酶活性,异体互补大肠杆菌CL28的脂肪酸组分分析显示,SmfabF、VcfabF、PafabF1和PafabF2具有3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅱ(FabF)活性,遗传互补大肠杆菌温度敏感突变株CY242和CY244的研究显示,仅有PafabF2编码的蛋白拥有3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅰ(FabB)活性,能互补大肠杆菌fabB的突变.这表明不是所有的FabF同源蛋白均具有3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅰ和Ⅱ的双重活性.     

细菌3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶研究进展

3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶(FabG)在细菌中广泛存在并且十分保守,已经发现的所有FabG及其同系物都具有类似的催化活性中心序列,隶属于短链醇脱氢酶/还原酶(SDRs)超家族成员。它是Ⅱ型脂肪酸合成反应中的关键酶,将3-酮脂酰ACP还原为3-羟脂酰ACP多以NADPH作为辅酶。从搜集的文献来看,国内外针对不同细菌中3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶同系物的研究报道体现了其多样性的特点。但是,近年来,该方面的专题综述十分少见。本文主要对3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶的结构特征、在脂肪酸合成和其他方面的生物学功能,以及以该酶为作用靶点的抑菌剂等方面进行概述,以期为将来3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶的深入研究提供理论参考。     

野油菜黄单胞菌中烯脂酰ACP还原酶的功能鉴定

烯脂酰ACP还原酶是细菌脂肪酸合成的关键酶之一.本研究通过生物信息学分析发现,野油菜黄单胞菌Xanthomonas campestris(Xcc)8004基因组中XC_0119(Xccfab V)注释为反-2-烯脂酰Co A还原酶基因.但其编码产物与铜绿假单胞菌的烯脂酰ACP还原酶Fab V具有较高的同源性,并含有相同的催化活性中心Tyr-(Xaa)8-Lys序列.用携带Xccfab V的质粒载体互补大肠杆菌fab I温度敏感突变株JP1111,转化子能在42℃生长,表明Xccfab V能遗传互补大肠杆菌fab I突变.体外重建脂肪酸合成反应表明,Xcc Fab V能催化不同链长的烯脂酰ACP还原为脂酰ACP,且催化活性不受三氯森抑制.遗传学研究表明,Xccfab V是必需基因,不能获得Xccfab V基因敲除突变株.将携带大肠杆菌fab I的外源质粒导入野生菌后,可敲除染色体上的fab V基因,获得的替换突变株生长特性和脂肪酸组成未发生显著变化,但替换突变株对三氯森敏感.上述结果证实,野油菜黄单胞菌fab V是必需基因,编码烯脂酰ACP还原酶,参与脂肪酸从头合成反应,且Fab V是Xcc对三氯森耐受的根本原因.     

野油菜黄单胞菌中3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水酶功能研究

细菌采用II型脂肪酸系统合成脂肪酸,其中3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶催化唯一的脱水反应,是细菌生长的关键酶之一.野油菜黄单胞菌(Xcc)引起几乎所有十字花科植物的黑腐病,在全球范围内造成广泛的经济损失.为研究Xcc中3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶,本研究利用大肠杆菌3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶FabZ序列同源比对时,发现其与XC_2876 (XcfabZ)编码蛋白具有同源性,序列一致性达到46.1%,同时还具有保守的α螺旋结构和活性位点.将XcfabZ异体遗传互补大肠杆菌fabZ(EcfabZ)条件突变株HW7,结果显示添加IPTG能恢复突变株的生长,初步表明XcFabZ具有3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶活性.而体外活性分析显示,XcFabZ能在脂肪酸合成的起始反应和延伸反应中发挥3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶活性作用.本研究不能直接获得XcfabZ基因敲除突变株,但将携带EcfabZ或XcfabZ的表达质粒导入后,获得基因替换突变株,证明XcfabZ是必需基因. EcfabZ替换突变株的脂肪酸组成与野生菌有差异,对逆境条件(高盐、低pH、H_2O_2和SDS)的耐受性显著下降,运动性也显著降低,但XcfabZ替换突变株恢复到野生菌水平,表明XcFabZ与EcFabZ虽然都具有3-羟脂酰ACP脱水酶活性,但在细胞中生理功能可能有一些差别.     

乳酸乳球菌fabZ1和fabZ2基因功能的鉴定

大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)是Ⅱ型脂肪酸合成系统的模式生物,3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水异构酶(FabA)是不饱和脂肪酸合成中的关键酶.生物信息学分析表明,乳酸乳球菌(Lactococcus lactis)的基因组中没有标注为3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水异构酶的基因,但有两个标注为3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水酶基因LlfabZ1和LlfabZ2,其编码的蛋白质与EcFabZ的相似性分别为41%和45.1%,且都具有3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水酶两个保守的α螺旋结构.用携带LlfabZ1和LlfabZ2的质粒载体遗传互补大肠杆菌fabA温度敏感突变株CY57,在42℃下不能恢复生长,但无细胞抽提物的结果显示LlFabZ1能够使反-2-癸烯酰ACP异构成顺-3-癸烯酰ACP,而LlFabZ2则不能.互补大肠杆菌fabZ突变株HW7显示,在诱导的条件下,含有LlfabZ2的转化子能够恢复生长,而LlfabZ1则不能.体外重建脂肪酸合成反应及蛋白质活性测定表明,LlFabZ1具有3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水异构酶功能,而LlFabZ2只具有3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水酶功能.另外,未得到LlfabZ1和LlfabZ2的突变株,表明LlFabZ1和LlFabZ2可能是乳酸乳球菌脂肪酸合成酶系中的必不可少的关键蛋白.上述结果证实了乳酸乳球菌fabZ1和fabZ2两个基因在脂肪酸合成中的功能.     

恶臭假单胞菌中3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶FabG5是脂肪酸合成关键酶

3-酮脂酰ACP还原酶(FabG)催化脂肪酸合成中的第一步还原反应,是细菌生长的关键酶之一.恶臭假单胞菌在环境污染治理和工业聚羟基脂肪酸(PHA)的生产中,都具有重要的应用价值.生物信息学分析显示,恶臭假单胞菌基因组编码6个FabG同源蛋白质,与大肠杆菌FabG相比较,PpFabG5序列相似性最高(76.5%),其他几个PpFabG也都具有较高的序列相似性(约50%).除PpFabG4之外,其他的同源蛋白质都具有催化活性位点和N端辅因子结合位点.为研究恶臭假单胞菌中这6个FabG同源蛋白质的生物学功能,本文进行了异体遗传互补、体外酶学活性分析、体内基因敲除与突变株性状分析等研究.结果显示,只有PpfabG1、PpfabG3、PpfabG5能恢复大肠杆菌fabG温度敏感突变株CL104在42℃时生长,其中PpfabG1互补株生长较弱.而在体外活性检测中,PpFabG1、PpFabG3和PpFabG5在脂肪酸合成起始反应和延伸反应中都具有催化活性,但PpFabG1活性较弱,PpFabG6仅在起始反应中具有催化活性. PpfabG5是恶臭假单胞菌生长的必需基因,不能被敲除,而其他几个PpfabG基因敲除后不影响菌体的生长,突变株的脂肪酸组成与野生菌也无差异.但PpfabG1、PpfabG2敲除后菌体的运动性下降,PpfabG3、PpfabG6突变影响了生物被膜的合成量,而PpfabG4、PpfabG6敲除突变株对H2O2的耐受性增强,表明这些基因具有不同的生理功能,可能在菌体的不同逆境中发挥作用.     

粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis)β酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅱ同源蛋白功能分析

FabB和FabF是大肠杆菌(Escherichia.coli)脂肪酸合成的关键酶.生物信息学分析显示,粪肠球菌基因组中有2个与大肠杆菌fabF同源的基因:fabF1和fabF2,缺少与fabB同源的基因.用粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis)V583总DNA为模板,PCR扩增fabF1和fabF2基因,以pBAD24为载体,构建了重组质粒pHW13(fabF1)和pHW14(fabF2).体内体外研究显示:fabF1基因能互补大肠杆菌fabB突变,FabF1具有β酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅰ(FabB)活性;fabF2能互补大肠杆菌fabF突变,FabF2具有β酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅱ(FabF)活性.同时发现粪肠球菌FabF2不同于大肠杆菌FabF,它还拥有微弱β酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅰ(FabB)活性,可使大肠杆菌fabB突变株产生少量的不饱和脂肪酸.上述结果表明,FabF类酶(FabF like enzyme)同样可以具有β酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅰ(FabB)活性.     

流产布氏杆菌烯脂酰ACP还原酶的鉴定

烯脂酰ACP还原酶是细菌脂肪酸合成的关键酶之一．流产布氏杆菌基因组有2个注释为烯脂酰ACP还原酶基因fabI的同源基因：fabI1和fabI2．由这2个fabI同源基因编码的蛋白质分别与大肠杆菌FabI有50%和51%的同源性,且都拥有与大肠杆菌FabI一样的催化中心Tyr-(Xaa)₆-Lys序列．分别用携带这2个同源基因的质粒载体转化大肠杆菌fabI温度敏感突变菌株JP1111．转化子能在42℃生长,表明这2个基因均能遗传互补大肠杆菌fabI突变,并使此菌株恢复脂肪酸的合成．另外,体外酶学分析显示,由这2个同源基因编码的蛋白质都拥有烯脂酰ACP还原酶活性,均能参与细菌脂肪酸合成．上述结果证实,流产布氏杆菌同时拥有2个同种类型的烯脂酰ACP还原酶,是一种新的烯脂酰ACP多样性的表现．     

天蓝色链霉菌中长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶的功能

【背景】链霉菌属于放线菌科,在土壤环境中广泛分布。链霉菌具有复杂的形态分化和多样性的次生代谢网络,能产生大量具有生物活性的次级代谢产物,被广泛深入研究。【目的】天蓝色链霉菌是链霉菌的模式菌株,其脂肪酸合成代谢与次级代谢联系紧密,但目前脂肪酸合成代谢途径还不清楚,其长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶还未见报道。【方法】利用大肠杆菌FabF序列进行同源比对,发现天蓝色链霉菌A3(2)的基因组中,SCO2390(ScoFabF1)、SCO1266(ScoFabF2)、SCO0548(ScoFabF3)和SCO5886 (ScoRedR)具有较高的相似性,并具有保守的Cys-His-His催化活性中心,可能具有长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶活性。采用PCR扩增方法分别获得以上基因,连入表达载体pBAD24M后分别互补大肠杆菌fabB(ts)突变株和fabB(ts)fabF双突变株,并检测转化子的生长情况。以上基因与pET-28b连接后,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达,并利用Ni-NTA纯化获得蛋白,体外测定其催化活性。将以上基因分别互补大肠杆菌fabF突变株后,GC-MS测定互补株的脂肪酸组成。【结果】4个同源基因中,只有ScofabF1能恢复fabB(ts)fabF双突变株42°C时在添加油酸条件下的生长,其他3个基因均不能恢复生长。而这4个基因都不能恢复fabB(ts)突变株42°C时生长。体外活性测定ScoFabF1具有长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶活性,其他3个蛋白都不具有该活性。仅ScofabF1能显著提高大肠杆菌fabF突变株的顺-11-十八碳烯酸(C18:1)比例,其他3个基因都不具有该功能。【结论】天蓝色链霉菌中ScofabF1编码长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶II,在脂肪酸利用过程中发挥重要作用。天蓝色链霉菌中没有发现编码长链3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶I的基因,其可能通过其他途径合成少量的不饱和脂肪酸。以上研究结果为进一步研究天蓝色链霉菌中脂肪酸合成机制奠定了基础。     

不同细菌来源的3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅲ生物学特性分析

3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅲ(FabH)是催化细菌脂肪酸合成的起始反应.研究表明,革兰氏阳性细菌FabH对支链脂酰-CoA前体的选择性是其合成支链脂肪酸的关键.但部分革兰氏阴性细菌也产生一定量的支链脂肪酸,其合成机制还不清楚.为此,本研究选取了革兰氏阳性细菌枯草芽孢杆菌BsfabH1和BsfabH2、金黄色葡萄球菌SafabH、天蓝色链霉菌ScofabH、革兰氏阴性细菌茄科雷尔氏菌RsfabH、大肠杆菌EcfabH,以及产支链脂肪酸的水稻黄单胞菌XoofabH,共7种fabH同源基因进行生物学特性分析.异体遗传互补茄科雷尔氏菌fabH突变株RsmH,表明这7个基因编码蛋白都具有3-酮脂酰ACP合成酶Ⅲ活性.脂肪酸组成分析显示,4个革兰氏阳性菌fabH和XoofabH互补株类似,均能产生支链脂肪酸,而EcfabH和RsfabH互补株不产生支链脂肪酸,说明XooFabH不同于EcFabH,参与支链脂肪酸合成.体外酶学分析表明,XooFabH与4种革兰氏阳性菌FabH类似,对支链脂酰-CoA有较高的选择,但EcFabH和RsFabH对支链前体活性低.与革兰氏阳性细菌FabH不同,XooFabH对中短链长(C4~C10)脂酰-CoA也具有较高的活性.综合以上结果,不同细菌来源FabH的生物学特性差异明显,FabH能利用支链前体是细菌合成支链脂肪酸的关键因素.     

Only one of the two annotated Lactococcus lactis fabG genes encodes a functional beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase

The small genome of the Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis IL1403 contains two genes that encode proteins annotated as homologues of Escherichia coli beta-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase. E. coli fabG encodes beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase, the enzyme responsible for the first reductive step of the fatty acid synthetic cycle. Both of the L. lactis genes are adjacent to (and predicted to be cotranscribed with) other genes that encode proteins having homology to known fatty acid synthetic enzymes. Such relationships have often been used to strengthen annotations based on sequence alignments. Annotation in the case of beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase is particularly problematic because the protein is a member of a vast protein family, the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. The recent isolation of an E. coli fabG mutant strain encoding a conditionally active beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase allowed physiological and biochemical testing of the putative L. lactishomologues. We report that expression of only one of the two L. lactis proteins (that annotated as FabG1) allows growth of the E. coli fabG strain under nonpermissive conditions and restores in vitro fatty acid synthetic ability to extracts of the mutant strain. Therefore, like E. coli, L. lactis has a single beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase active with substrates of all fatty acid chain lengths. The second protein (annotated as FabG2), although inactive in fatty acid synthesis both in vivo and in vitro, was highly active in reduction of the model substrate, beta-ketobutyryl-CoA. As expected from work on the E. coli enzyme, the FabG1 beta-ketobutyryl-CoA reductase activity was inhibited by ACP (which blocks access to the active site) whereas the activity of FabG2 was unaffected by the presence of ACP. These results seem to be an example of a gene duplication event followed by divergence of one copy of the gene to encode a protein having a new function.     

Isolation and characterization of beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (fabG) mutants of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

FabG, beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase, performs the NADPH-dependent reduction of beta-ketoacyl-ACP substrates to beta-hydroxyacyl-ACP products, the first reductive step in the elongation cycle of fatty acid biosynthesis. We report the first documented fabG mutants and their characterization. By chemical mutagenesis followed by a tritium suicide procedure, we obtained three conditionally lethal temperature-sensitive fabG mutants. The Escherichia coli [fabG (Ts)] mutant contains two point mutations: A154T and E233K. The beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase activity of this mutant was extremely thermolabile, and the rate of fatty acid synthesis measured in vivo was inhibited upon shift to the nonpermissive temperature. Moreover, synthesis of the acyl-ACP intermediates of the pathway was inhibited upon shift of mutant cultures to the nonpermissive temperature, indicating blockage of the synthetic cycle. Similar results were observed for in vitro fatty acid synthesis. Complementation analysis revealed that only the E233K mutation was required to give the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype. In the two Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium fabG(Ts) mutants one strain had a single point mutation, S224F, whereas the second strain contained two mutations (M125I and A223T). All of the altered residues of the FabG mutant proteins are located on or near the twofold axes of symmetry at the dimer interfaces in this homotetrameric protein, suggesting that the quaternary structures of the mutant FabG proteins may be disrupted at the nonpermissive temperature.     

A novel 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase (FabG3) is involved in the xanthomonadin biosynthesis of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), the causal agent of black rot in crucifers, produces a membrane-bound yellow pigment called xanthomonadin to protect against photobiological and peroxidative damage, and uses a quorum-sensing mechanism mediated by the diffusible signal factor (DSF) family signals to regulate virulence factors production. The Xcc gene XCC4003, annotated as Xcc fabG3, is located in the pig cluster, which may be responsible for xanthomonadin synthesis. We report that fabG3 expression restored the growth of the Escherichia coli fabG temperature-sensitive mutant CL104 under non-permissive conditions. In vitro assays demonstrated that FabG3 catalyses the reduction of 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) intermediates in fatty acid synthetic reactions, although FabG3 had a lower activity than FabG1. Moreover, the fabG3 deletion did not affect growth or fatty acid composition. These results indicate that Xcc fabG3 encodes a 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase, but is not essential for growth or fatty acid synthesis. However, the Xcc fabG3 knock-out mutant abolished xanthomonadin production, which could be only restored by wild-type fabG3, but not by other 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase-encoding genes, indicating that Xcc FabG3 is specifically involved in xanthomonadin biosynthesis. Additionally, our study also shows that the Xcc fabG3-disrupted mutant affects Xcc virulence in host plants.     

Bacillus subtilis acyl carrier protein is encoded in a cluster of lipid biosynthesis genes.

A cluster of Bacillus subtilis fatty acid synthetic genes was isolated by complementation of an Escherichia coli fabD mutant encoding a thermosensitive malonyl coenzyme A-acyl carrier protein transacylase. The B. subtilis genomic segment contains genes that encode three fatty acid synthetic proteins, malonyl coenzyme A-acyl carrier protein transacylase (fabD), 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (fabG), and the N-terminal 14 amino acid residues of acyl carrier protein (acpP). Also present is a sequence that encodes a homolog of E. coli plsX, a gene that plays a poorly understood role in phospholipid synthesis. The B. subtilis plsX gene weakly complemented an E. coli plsX mutant. The order of genes in the cluster is plsX fabD fabG acpP, the same order found in E. coli, except that in E. coli the fabH gene lies between plsX and fabD. The absence of fabH in the B. subtilis cluster is consistent with the different fatty acid compositions of the two organisms. The amino acid sequence of B. subtilis acyl carrier protein was obtained by sequencing the purified protein, and the sequence obtained strongly resembled that of E. coli acyl carrier protein, except that most of the protein retained the initiating methionine residue. The B. subtilis fab cluster was mapped to the 135 to 145 degrees region of the chromosome.     

The nodulation protein NodG shows the enzymatic activity of an 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase

The acyl carrier protein NodF is required for the synthesis of unusual polyunsaturated fatty acids that confer specificity to lipochitin oligosaccharide nodulation (Nod) factors of Rhizobium leguminosarum. In this study, homogeneous NodF protein was used as a ligand to identify proteins of R. leguminosarum that specifically interact with NodF and presumably are involved in the biosynthesis or transfer of the unusual fatty acids. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of a 29-kDa protein that interacts strongly with NodF revealed high similarity to NodG of Rhizobium sp. N33 and to NodG of Sinorhizobium meliloti We cloned and sequenced the gene coding for the NodG-like protein of R. leguminosarum and found it to be the product of the constitutively expressed gene fabG. FabG is the 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase that catalyzes the first reduction step in each cycle of fatty acid elongation. FabG of R. leguminosarum and NodG of Rhizobium sp. N33 were expressed in Escherichia coli. In both cases, the purified protein showed 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase activity in vitro. Therefore, NodG has the same biochemical function as FabG, and the high degree of similarity at the protein and DNA level suggest that nodG is a duplication of the housekeeping genefabG.     

Expression of 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (fabG) genes enhances production of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer from glucose in recombinant Escherichia coli JM109

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biologically produced polyesters that have potential application as biodegradable plastics. Especially important are the short-chain-length-medium-chain-length (SCL-MCL) PHA copolymers, which have properties ranging from thermoplastic to elastomeric, depending on the ratio of SCL to MCL monomers incorporated into the copolymer. Because of the potential wide range of applications for SCL-MCL PHA copolymers, it is important to develop and characterize metabolic pathways for SCL-MCL PHA production. In previous studies, coexpression of PHA synthase genes and the 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase gene (fabG) in recombinant Escherichia coli has been shown to enhance PHA production from related carbon sources such as fatty acids. In this study, a new fabG gene from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 was cloned and its gene product characterized. Results indicate that the Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 and E. coli FabG proteins have different substrate specificities in vitro. The current study also presents the first evidence that coexpression of fabG genes from either E. coli or Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 with fabH(F87T) and PHA synthase genes can enhance the production of SCL-MCL PHA copolymers from nonrelated carbon sources. Differences in the substrate specificities of the FabG proteins were reflected in the monomer composition of the polymers produced by recombinant E. coli. SCL-MCL PHA copolymer isolated from a recombinant E. coli strain had improved physical properties compared to the SCL homopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate. This study defines a pathway to produce SCL-MCL PHA copolymer from the fatty acid biosynthesis that may impact on PHA production in recombinant organisms.     

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for the production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates rich in specific monomers

The Escherichia coli fabG(Ec) gene and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhlG(Pa) gene, which encode 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, were expressed in E. coli W3110 and its fadA mutant strain WA101 to examine their roles in medium-chain-length (MCL) polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis from fatty acids. When one of these 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase genes was co-expressed with the Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 PHA synthase gene (phaC2(Ps)) in E. coli W3110, MCL-PHA composed mainly of 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate was synthesized from sodium decanoate. When the fabG(Ec) gene and the phaC2(Ps) gene were co-expressed in the fadA mutant E. coli strain WA101, MCL-PHA rich in 3-hydroxydecanoate monomer up to 93 mol% was accumulated from sodium decanoate. This was possible by efficiently redirecting 3-ketoacyl-coenzymes A from the beta-oxidation pathway to the PHA biosynthesis pathway without losing two carbon units, the strategy of which can be extended for the production of MCL-PHAs rich in other specific monomers.     

FabG, an NADPH-dependent 3-ketoacyl reductase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, provides precursors for medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli hosts expressing fabG of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed 3-ketoacyl coenzyme A (CoA) reductase activity toward R-3-hydroxyoctanoyl-CoA. Furthermore, E. coli recombinants carrying the poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymerase-encoding gene phaC in addition to fabG accumulated medium-chain-length PHAs (mcl-PHAs) from alkanoates. When E. coli fadB or fadA mutants, which are deficient in steps downstream or upstream of the 3-ketoacyl-CoA formation step during beta-oxidation, respectively, were transformed with fabG, higher levels of PHA were synthesized in E. coli fadA, whereas similar levels of PHA were found in E. coli fadB, compared with those of the corresponding mutants carrying phaC alone. These results strongly suggest that FabG of P. aeruginosa is able to reduce mcl-3-ketoacyl-CoAs generated by the beta-oxidation to 3-hydroxyacyl-CoAs to provide precursors for the PHA polymerase.     

Functional complementation of the essential gene fabG1 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Mycobacterium smegmatis fabG but not Escherichia coli fabG

Mycolic acids are a key component of the mycobacterial cell wall, providing structure and forming a major permeability barrier. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis mycolic acids are synthesized by type I and type II fatty acid synthases. One of the enzymes of the type II system is encoded by fabG1. We demonstrate here that this gene can be deleted from the M. tuberculosis chromosome only when another functional copy is provided elsewhere, showing that under normal culture conditions fabG1 is essential. FabG1 activity can be replaced by the corresponding enzyme from the closely related species Mycobacterium smegmatis but not by the enzyme from Escherichia coli. M. tuberculosis carrying FabG from M. smegmatis showed no phenotypic changes, and both the mycolic acids and cell wall permeability were unchanged. Thus, M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis enzymes are interchangeable and do not control the lengths and types of mycolic acids synthesized.     

Cofactor-induced conformational rearrangements establish a catalytically competent active site and a proton relay conduit in FabG

beta-Ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabG) is a key component in the type II fatty acid synthase system. The structures of Escherichia coli FabG and the FabG[Y151F] mutant in binary complexes with NADP(H) reveal that mechanistically important conformational changes accompany cofactor binding. The active site Ser-Tyr-Lys triad is repositioned into a catalytically competent constellation, and a hydrogen bonded network consisting of ribose hydroxyls, the Ser-Tyr-Lys triad, and four water molecules creates a proton wire to replenish the tyrosine proton donated during catalysis. Also, a disordered loop in FabG forms a substructure in the complex that shapes the entrance to the active site. A key observation is that the nicotinamide portion of the cofactor is disordered in the FabG[Y151F].NADP(H) complex, and Tyr151 appears to be necessary for high-affinity cofactor binding. Biochemical data confirm that FabG[Y151F] is defective in NADPH binding. Finally, structural changes consistent with the observed negative cooperativity of FabG are described.