Mapping of acyl carrier domain within the subunit of type I bacterial fatty acid synthetase

A fluorescent thiol reagent, N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarinyl) maleimide, was used to label the acyl carrier site of the bacterial fatty acid synthetase from Brevibacterium ammoniagenes. The reagent bound preferentially to the 4'-phosphopantetheine thiol group of the acyl carrier domain and irreversively inactivated the enzyme. The modified enzyme was cleaved by proteinases for the mapping of the labeled site. The fluorescent fragment was readily detected on a polyacrylamide gel after electrophoresis. The region of 45 kDa containing the 4'-phosphopantetheine was located on the polypeptide at around two-thirds of the full length from the N-terminal.     

Glutamate-41 of Vibrio harveyi acyl carrier protein is essential for fatty acid synthase but not acyl-ACP synthetase activity

Bacterial acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a small, acidic, and highly conserved protein that supplies acyl groups for biosynthesis of a variety of lipid products. Recent modelling studies predict that residues primarily in helix II of Escherichia coli ACP (Glu-41, Ala-45) are involved in its interaction with the condensing enzyme FabH of fatty acid synthase. Using recombinant Vibrio harveyi ACP as a template for site-directed mutagenesis, we have shown that an acidic residue at position 41 is essential for V. harveyi fatty acid synthase (but not acyl-ACP synthetase) activity. In contrast, various replacements of Ala-45 were tolerated by both enzymes. None of the mutations introduced dramatic structural changes based on circular dichroism and native gel electrophoresis. These results confirm that Glu-41 of ACP is a critical residue for fatty acid synthase, but not for all enzymes that utilize ACP as a substrate.     

Complete amino acid sequence of chicken liver acyl carrier protein derived from the fatty acid synthase

The acyl carrier protein domain of the chicken liver fatty acid synthase has been isolated after tryptic treatment of the synthase. The isolated domain functions as an acceptor of acetyl and malonyl moieties in the synthase-catalyzed transfer of these groups from their coenzyme A esters and therefore indicates that the acyl carrier protein domain exists in the complex as a discrete entity. The amino acid sequence of the acyl carrier protein was derived from analyses of peptide fragments produced by cyanogen bromide cleavage and trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestions of the molecule. The isolated acyl carrier protein domain consists of 89 amino acid residues and has a calculated molecular weight of 10,127. The protein contains the phosphopantetheine group attached to the serine residue at position 38. The isolated acyl carrier protein peptide shows some sequence homology with the acyl carrier protein of Escherichia coli, particularly in the vicinity of the site of phosphopantetheine attachment, and shows extensive sequence homology with the acyl carrier protein from the uropygial gland of goose.     

Solution structures of the acyl carrier protein domain from the highly reducing type I iterative polyketide synthase CalE8

Biosynthesis of the enediyne natural product calicheamicins γ(1) (I) in Micromonospora echinospora ssp. calichensis is initiated by the iterative polyketide synthase (PKS) CalE8. Recent studies showed that CalE8 produces highly conjugated polyenes as potential biosynthetic intermediates and thus belongs to a family of highly-reducing (HR) type I iterative PKSs. We have determined the NMR structure of the ACP domain (meACP) of CalE8, which represents the first structure of a HR type I iterative PKS ACP domain. Featured by a distinct hydrophobic patch and a glutamate-residue rich acidic patch, meACP adopts a twisted three-helix bundle structure rather than the canonical four-helix bundle structure. The so-called 'recognition helix' (α2) of meACP is less negatively charged than the typical type II ACPs. Although loop-2 exhibits greater conformational mobility than other regions of the protein with a missing short helix that can be observed in most ACPs, two bulky non-polar residues (Met(992), Phe(996)) from loop-2 packed against the hydrophobic protein core seem to restrict large movement of the loop and impede the opening of the hydrophobic pocket for sequestering the acyl chains. NMR studies of the hydroxybutyryl- and octanoyl-meACP confirm that meACP is unable to sequester the hydrophobic chains in a well-defined central cavity. Instead, meACP seems to interact with the octanoyl tail through a distinct hydrophobic patch without involving large conformational change of loop-2. NMR titration study of the interaction between meACP and the cognate thioesterase partner CalE7 further suggests that their interaction is likely through the binding of CalE7 to the meACP-tethered polyene moiety rather than direct specific protein-protein interaction.     

The multifunctional polypeptide chain of rabbit mammary fatty acid synthase contains a domain homologous with the acyl carrier protein of Escherichia coli

The phosphopantetheine thiol of rabbit mammary fatty acid synthase was specifically alkylated using chloro[14C]acetyl-CoA and a radioactive fragment generated by limited elastase digestion of the modified protein was purified by gel filtration. We have previously mapped this fragment to an internal location in the 250 000-Mr polypeptide adjacent to the thioesterase domain [Eur. J. Biochem. 130, 185-193 (1983)]. The purified fragment had apparent molecular weights of 23 000 by gel filtration and 10 000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, while amino acid analysis indicated a minimal molecular weight of 10 400. We have determined the amino acid sequence of the first 64 residues of the fragment. The phosphopantetheine moiety is esterified to a serine at residue 38 in the sequence. When the sequences of the rabbit acyl carrier fragment and the 8847-Mr acyl carrier protein of Escherichia coli are aligned, 17 out of 64 residues are identical. These results suggest that the limited proteolysis delineates an internal acyl carrier domain within the rabbit protein and provide the first clear evidence that multifunctional fatty acid synthases have arisen by fusion of ancestral monofunctional proteins.     

Isoforms of acyl carrier protein involved in seed-specific fatty acid synthesis

Seeds of coriandrum sativum (coriander) and Thunbergia alata (black-eyed Susan vine) produce unusual monoenoic fatty acids which constitute over 80% of the total fatty acids of the seed oil. The initial step in the formation of these fatty acids is the desaturation of palmitoyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) at the delta(4) or delta(6) positions to produce delta(4)-hexadecenoic acid (16:1(delta(4)) or delta(6)-hexadecenoic acid (16:1(delta(6)), respectively. The involvement of specific forms of ACP in the production of these novel monoenoic fatty acids was studied. ACPs were partially purified from endosperm of coriander and T. alata and used to generate 3H- and 14C-labelled palmitoyl-ACP substrates. In competition assays with labelled palmitoyl-ACP prepared from spinach (Spinacia oleracea), delta(4)-acyl-ACP desaturase activity was two- to threefold higher with coriander ACP than with spinach ACP. Similarly, the T. alata delta(6) desaturase favoured T. alata ACP over spinach ACP. A cDNA clone, Cs-ACP-1, encoding ACP was isolated from a coriander endosperm cDNA library. Cs-ACP-1 mRNA was predominantly expressed in endosperm rather than leaves. The Cs-ACP-1 mature protein was expressed in E. coli and comigrated on SDS-PAGE with the most abundant ACP expressed in endosperm tissues. In in vitro delta(4)-palmitoyl-ACP desaturase assays, the Cs-ACP-1 expressed from E. coli was four- and 10-fold more active than spinach ACP or E. coli ACP, respectively, in the synthesis of delta(4)-hexadecenoic acid from palmitoyl-ACP. In contrast, delta(9)-stearoyl-ACP desaturase activity from coriander endosperm did not discriminate strongly between different ACP species. These results indicate that individual ACP isoforms are specifically involved in the biosynthesis of unusual seed fatty acids and further suggest that expression of multiple ACP isoforms may participate in determining the products of fatty acid biosynthesis.     

Crystal structure of Streptococcus pneumoniae acyl carrier protein synthase: an essential enzyme in bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis

Acyl carrier protein synthase (AcpS) catalyzes the formation of holo-ACP, which mediates the essential transfer of acyl fatty acid intermediates during the biosynthesis of fatty acids and lipids in the cell. Thus, AcpS plays an important role in bacterial fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, making it an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. We have determined, for the first time, the crystal structure of the Streptococcus pneumoniae AcpS and AcpS complexed with 3'5'-ADP, a product of AcpS, at 2.0 and 1.9 A resolution, respectively. The crystal structure reveals an alpha/beta fold and shows that AcpS assembles as a tightly packed functional trimer, with a non-crystallographic pseudo-symmetric 3-fold axis, which contains three active sites at the interface between protomers. Only two active sites are occupied by the ligand molecules. Although there is virtually no sequence similarity between the S.pneumoniae AcpS and the Bacillus subtilis Sfp transferase, a striking structural similarity between both enzymes was observed. These data provide a starting point for structure-based drug design efforts towards the identification of AcpS inhibitors with potent antibacterial activity.     

Identification and molecular characterization of the beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase component of the Arabidopsis mitochondrial fatty acid synthase

Substrate specificity of condensing enzymes is a predominant factor determining the nature of fatty acyl chains synthesized by type II fatty acid synthase (FAS) enzyme complexes composed of discrete enzymes. The gene (mtKAS) encoding the condensing enzyme, beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] (ACP) synthase (KAS), constituent of the mitochondrial FAS was cloned from Arabidopsis thaliana, and its product was purified and characterized. The mtKAS cDNA complemented the KAS II defect in the E. coli CY244 strain mutated in both fabB and fabF encoding KAS I and KAS II, respectively, demonstrating its ability to catalyze the condensation reaction in fatty acid synthesis. In vitro assays using extracts of CY244 containing all E. coli FAS components, except that KAS I and II were replaced by mtKAS, gave C(4)-C(18) fatty acids exhibiting a bimodal distribution with peaks at C(8) and C(14)-C(16). Previously observed bimodal distributions obtained using mitochondrial extracts appear attributable to the mtKAS enzyme in the extracts. Although the mtKAS sequence is most similar to that of bacterial KAS IIs, sensitivity of mtKAS to the antibiotic cerulenin resembles that of E. coli KAS I. In the first or priming condensation reaction of de novo fatty acid synthesis, purified His-tagged mtKAS efficiently utilized malonyl-ACP, but not acetyl-CoA as primer substrate. Intracellular targeting using green fluorescent protein, Western blot, and deletion analyses identified an N-terminal signal conveying mtKAS into mitochondria. Thus, mtKAS with its broad chain length specificity accomplishes all condensation steps in mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis, whereas in plastids three KAS enzymes are required.     

Characterization of recombinant thioesterase and acyl carrier protein domains of chicken fatty acid synthase expressed in Escherichia coli

Fatty acid synthase of animal tissue is a multifunctional enzyme comprised of two identical subunits, each containing seven partial activities and a site for the prosthetic group, 4'-phosphopantetheine (acyl carrier protein). We have recently isolated cDNA clones of chicken fatty acid synthase coding for the dehydratase, enoyl reductase, beta-ketoacyl reductase, acyl carrier protein, and thioesterase domains (Chirala, S.S., Kasturi, R., Pazirandeh, M., Stolow, D.T., Huang, W.Y., and Wakil, S.J. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 3750-3757). To gain insight into the structure and function of the various domains, the portion of the cDNA coding for the acyl carrier protein and thioesterase domains was expressed in Escherichia coli by using an expression vector that utilizes the phage lambda PL promoter. The recombinant protein was efficiently expressed and purified to near homogeneity using anion-exchange and hydroxyapatite chromatography. As expected from the coding capacity of the cDNA expressed, the protein has a molecular weight of 43,000 and reacts with antithioesterase antibodies. The recombinant thioesterase was found to be enzymatically active and has the same substrate specificity and kinetic properties as the native enzyme of the multifunctional synthase. Treatment of the recombinant protein with alpha-chymotrypsin results in the cleavage of the acyl carrier protein and thioesterase domain junction sequence at exactly the same site as with native fatty acid synthase. The amino acid composition of the purified recombinant protein revealed the presence of 0.6 mol of beta-alanine/mol of protein, indicating partial pantothenylation of the recombinant acyl carrier protein domain. These results indicate that the expressed protein has a conformation similar to the native enzyme and that its folding into functionally active domains is independent of the remaining domains of the multifunctional synthase subunit. These conclusions are consistent with the proposal that the multifunctional synthase gene has evolved from fusion of component genes.     

Relationships between fatty acid and polyketide synthases from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2): characterization of the fatty acid synthase acyl carrier protein.

We have characterized an acyl carrier protein (ACP) presumed to be involved in the synthesis of fatty acids in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). This is the third ACP to have been identified in S. coelicolor; the two previously characterized ACPs are involved in the synthesis of two aromatic polyketides: the blue-pigmented antibiotic actinorhodin and a grey pigment associated with the spore walls. The three ACPs are clearly related. The presumed fatty acid synthase (FAS) ACP was partially purified, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence was obtained. The corresponding gene (acpP) was cloned and sequenced and found to lie within 1 kb of a previously characterized gene (fabD) encoding another subunit of the S. coelicolor FAS, malonyl coenzyme A:ACP acyl-transferase. Expression of S. coelicolor acpP in Escherichia coli yielded several different forms, whose masses corresponded to the active (holo) form of the protein carrying various acyl substituents. To test the mechanisms that normally prevent the FAS ACP from substituting for the actinorhodin ACP, acpP was cloned in place of actI-open reading frame 3 (encoding the actinorhodin ACP) to allow coexpression of acpP with the act polyketide synthase (PKS) genes. Pigmented polyketide production was observed, but only at a small fraction of its former level. This suggests that the FAS and PKS ACPs may be biochemically incompatible and that this could prevent functional complementation between the FAS and PKSs that potentially coexist within the same cells.     

The X-ray crystal structure of beta-ketoacyl [acyl carrier protein] synthase I

The crystal structure of the fatty acid elongating enzyme beta-ketoacyl [acyl carrier protein] synthase I (KAS I) from Escherichia coli has been determined to 2.3 A resolution by molecular replacement using the recently solved crystal structure of KAS II as a search model. The crystal contains two independent dimers in the asymmetric unit. KAS I assumes the thiolase alpha(beta)alpha(beta)alpha fold. Electrostatic potential distribution reveals an acyl carrier protein docking site and a presumed substrate binding pocket was detected extending the active site. Both subunits contribute to each substrate binding site in the dimer.     

Solution structure and proposed domain domain recognition interface of an acyl carrier protein domain from a modular polyketide synthase

Polyketides are a medicinally important class of natural products. The architecture of modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), composed of multiple covalently linked domains grouped into modules, provides an attractive framework for engineering novel polyketide-producing assemblies. However, impaired domain-domain interactions can compromise the efficiency of engineered polyketide biosynthesis. To facilitate the study of these domain-domain interactions, we have used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to determine the first solution structure of an acyl carrier protein (ACP) domain from a modular PKS, 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase (DEBS). The tertiary fold of this 10-kD domain is a three-helical bundle; an additional short helix in the second loop also contributes to the core helical packing. Superposition of residues 14-94 of the ensemble on the mean structure yields an average atomic RMSD of 0.64 +/- 0.09 Angstrom for the backbone atoms (1.21 +/- 0.13 Angstrom for all non-hydrogen atoms). The three major helices superimpose with a backbone RMSD of 0.48 +/- 0.10 Angstrom (0.99 +/- 0.11 Angstrom for non-hydrogen atoms). Based on this solution structure, homology models were constructed for five other DEBS ACP domains. Comparison of their steric and electrostatic surfaces at the putative interaction interface (centered on helix II) suggests a model for protein-protein recognition of ACP domains, consistent with the previously observed specificity. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments indicate that two of the identified residues influence the specificity of ACP recognition.     

Evidence that incorporation of exogenous fatty acids into the phospholipids of Escherichia coli does not require acyl carrier protein.

Cells of an Escherichia coli acpS mutant were prepared with decreased intracellular concentrations (to 10% of the normal level) of the holo form of acyl carrier protein. These cells incorporated exogenous oleic acid into phospholipid at a normal rate.     

Plant holo-(acyl carrier protein) synthase.

1. An improved method was developed for the assay of plant holo-(acyl carrier protein) synthase activity, using Escherichia coli acyl-(acyl carrier protein) synthetase as a coupling enzyme. 2. Holo-(acyl carrier protein) synthase was partially purified from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves by a combination of (NH4)2SO4 fractionation and anion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography. 3. The partially purified enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.2 and Km values of 2 microM, 72 microM and 3 mM for apo-(acyl carrier protein), CoA and Mg2+ respectively. Synthase activity was inhibited in vitro by the reaction product 3',5'-ADP. 4. Results from the fractionation of spinach leaf and developing castor-oil-seed (Ricinus communis) endosperm cells were consistent with a cytosolic localization of holo-(acyl carrier protein) synthase activity in plant cells.     

Probing the interactions of an acyl carrier protein domain from the 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase

The assembly‐line architecture of polyketide synthases (PKSs) provides an opportunity to rationally reprogram polyketide biosynthetic pathways to produce novel antibiotics. A fundamental challenge toward this goal is to identify the factors that control the unidirectional channeling of reactive biosynthetic intermediates through these enzymatic assembly lines. Within the catalytic cycle of every PKS module, the acyl carrier protein (ACP) first collaborates with the ketosynthase (KS) domain of the paired subunit in its own homodimeric module so as to elongate the growing polyketide chain and then with the KS domain of the next module to translocate the newly elongated polyketide chain. Using NMR spectroscopy, we investigated the features of a structurally characterized ACP domain of the 6‐deoxyerythronolide B synthase that contribute to its association with its KS translocation partner. Not only were we able to visualize selective protein–protein interactions between the two partners, but also we detected a significant influence of the acyl chain substrate on this interaction. A novel reagent, CF₃‐S‐ACP, was developed as a ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopic probe of protein–protein interactions. The implications of our findings for understanding intermodular chain translocation are discussed.     

Structure of the mitochondrial beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase from Arabidopsis and its role in fatty acid synthesis

Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis is catalyzed by a dissociated fatty acid synthase similar to those of plant plastids and bacteria. The crystal structure of a mitochondrial beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase (mtKAS), namely that from Arabidopsis thaliana, has been determined for the first time. This enzyme accomplishes the vital condensation steps in constructing fatty acid carbon skeletons. The product profile of mtKAS is unusual in that C8 and C(14-16) fatty acyl chains predominate. An enzyme architecture that likely is the basis for the observed bimodal profile of mtKAS products can be derived from the shape of the acyl binding pocket.     

Biochemical and molecular analyses of the Streptococcus pneumoniae acyl carrier protein synthase, an enzyme essential for fatty acid biosynthesis

Acyl carrier protein synthase (AcpS) is an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of fatty acids in all bacteria. AcpS catalyzes the transfer of 4'-phosphopantetheine from coenzyme A (CoA) to apo-ACP, thus converting apo-ACP to holo-ACP that serves as an acyl carrier for the biosynthesis of fatty acids and lipids. To further understand the physiological role of AcpS, we identified, cloned, and expressed the acpS and acpP genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae and purified both products to homogeneity. Both acpS and acpP form operons with the genes whose functions are required for other cellular metabolism. The acpS gene complements an Escherichia coli mutant defective in the production of AcpS and appears to be essential for the growth of S. pneumoniae. Gel filtration and cross-linking analyses establish that purified AcpS exists as a homotrimer. AcpS activity was significantly stimulated by apo-ACP at concentrations over 10 microm and slightly inhibited at concentrations of 5-10 microm. Double reciprocal analysis of initial velocities of AcpS at various concentrations of CoA or apo-ACP indicated a random or compulsory ordered bi bi type of reaction mechanism. Further analysis of the inhibition kinetics of the product (3',5'-ADP) suggested that it is competitive with respect to CoA but mixed (competitive and noncompetitive) with respect to apo-ACP. Finally, apo-ACP bound tightly to AcpS in the absence of CoA, but CoA failed to do so in the absence of apo-ACP. Together, these results suggest that AcpS may be allosterically regulated by apo-ACP and probably proceeds by an ordered reaction mechanism with the first formation of the AcpS-apo-ACP complex and the subsequent transfer of 4'-phosphopantetheine to the apo-ACP of the complex.