Site-directed mutagenesis of acyl carrier protein (ACP) reveals amino acid residues involved in ACP structure and acyl-ACP synthetase activity.

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) interacts with many different enzymes during the synthesis of fatty acids, phospholipids, and other specialized products in bacteria. To examine the structural and functional roles of amino acids previously implicated in interactions between the ACP polypeptide and fatty acids attached to the phosphopantetheine prosthetic group, recombinant Vibrio harveyi ACP and mutant derivatives of conserved residues Phe-50, Ile-54, Ala-59, and Tyr-71 were prepared from glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins. Circular dichroism revealed that, unlike Escherichia coli ACP, V. harveyi-derived ACPs are unfolded at neutral pH in the absence of divalent cations; all except F50A and I54A recovered native conformation upon addition of MgCl(2). Mutant I54A was not processed to the holo form by ACP synthase. Some mutations significantly decreased catalytic efficiency of ACP fatty acylation by V. harveyi acyl-ACP synthetase relative to recombinant ACP, e.g. F50A (4%), I54L (20%), and I54V (31%), whereas others (V12G, Y71A, and A59G) had less effect. By contrast, all myristoylated ACPs examined were effective substrates for the luminescence-specific V. harveyi myristoyl-ACP thioesterase. Conformationally sensitive gel electrophoresis at pH 9 indicated that fatty acid attachment stabilizes mutant ACPs in a chain length-dependent manner, although stabilization was decreased for mutants F50A and A59G. Our results indicate that (i) residues Ile-54 and Phe-50 are important in maintaining native ACP conformation, (ii) residue Ala-59 may be directly involved in stabilization of ACP structure by acyl chain binding, and (iii) acyl-ACP synthetase requires native ACP conformation and involves interaction with fatty acid binding pocket residues, whereas myristoyl-ACP thioesterase is insensitive to acyl donor structure.     

Neutralization of acidic residues in helix II stabilizes the folded conformation of acyl carrier protein and variably alters its function with different enzymes

Acyl carrier protein (ACP), a small protein essential for bacterial growth and pathogenesis, interacts with diverse enzymes during the biosynthesis of fatty acids, phospholipids, and other specialized products such as lipid A. NMR and hydrodynamic studies have previously shown that divalent cations stabilize native helical ACP conformation by binding to conserved acidic residues at two sites (A and B) at either end of the "recognition" helix II. To examine the roles of these amino acids in ACP structure and function, site-directed mutagenesis was used to replace individual site A (Asp-30, Asp-35, Asp-38) and site B (Glu-47, Glu-53, Asp-56) residues in recombinant Vibrio harveyi ACP with the corresponding amides, along with combined mutations at each site (SA, SB) or both sites (SA/SB). Like native V. harveyi ACP, all individual mutants were unfolded at neutral pH but adopted a helical conformation in the presence of millimolar Mg(2+) or upon fatty acylation. Mg(2+) binding to sites A or B independently stabilized native ACP conformation, whereas mutant SA/SB was folded in the absence of Mg(2+), suggesting that charge neutralization is largely responsible for ACP stabilization by divalent cations. Asp-35 in site A was critical for holo-ACP synthase activity, while acyl-ACP synthetase and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase (LpxA) activities were more affected by mutations in site B. Both sites were required for fatty acid synthase activity. Overall, our results indicate that divalent cation binding site mutations have predicted effects on ACP conformation but unpredicted and variable consequences on ACP function with different enzymes.     

Tryptophan fluorescence reveals induced folding of Vibrio harveyi acyl carrier protein upon interaction with partner enzymes

We have introduced tryptophan as a local fluorescent probe to monitor the conformation of Vibrio harveyi acyl carrier protein (ACP), a small flexible protein that is unfolded at neutral pH but must undergo reversible conformational change during the synthesis and delivery of bacterial fatty acids. Consistent with known 3D structures of ACP, steady-state fluorescence and quenching experiments indicated that Trp at positions 46, 50, and 72 are buried in the hydrophobic core upon Mg(2+)-induced ACP folding, whereas residues 25 and 45 remain in a hydrophilic environment on the protein surface. Attachment of fatty acids to the phosphopantetheine prosthetic group progressively stabilized the folded conformation of all Trp-substituted ACPs, but longer chains (14:0) were less effective than medium chains (8:0) in shielding Trp from acrylamide quenching in the L46W protein. Interaction with ACP-dependent enzymes LpxA and holo-ACP synthase also caused folding of L46W; fluorescence quenching indicated proximity of Trp-45 in helix II of ACP in LpxA binding. Our results suggest that divalent cations and fatty acylation produce differing environments in the ACP core and also reveal enzyme partner-induced folding of ACP, a key feature of "natively unfolded" proteins.     

Backbone and side chain 1H, 15N & 13C chemical shift assignments of the holo-acyl carrier protein (ACP) of Leishmania major

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a small acidic protein, an important cofactor involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. Its main function is to protect the growing acyl chain from the hydrophilic environment during fatty acid biosynthesis and simultaneously, present it to the active site of fatty acid pathway enzymes, liable for its elongation. The ACP molecule is expressed as apo-ACP (inactive) and is post-transitionally modified to the holo form (active) by the enzyme holo ACP synthase (ACPS). Here we report the complete backbone and side chain chemical shift assignments of the holo-ACP molecule of Leishmania major.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the Apo-, Holo-, and acyl-forms of Escherichia coli acyl carrier protein

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is an essential co-factor protein in fatty acid biosynthesis that shuttles covalently bound fatty acyl intermediates in its hydrophobic pocket to various enzyme partners. To characterize acyl chain-ACP interactions and their influence on enzyme interactions, we performed 19 molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Escherichia coli apo-, holo-, and acyl-ACPs. The simulations were started with the acyl chain in either a solvent-exposed or a buried conformation. All four short-chain (< or = C10) and one long-chain (C16) unbiased acyl-ACP MD simulation show the transition of the solvent-exposed acyl chain into the hydrophobic pocket of ACP, revealing its pathway of acyl chain binding. Although the acyl chain resides inside the pocket, Thr-39 and Glu-60 at the entrance stabilize the phosphopantetheine linker through hydrogen bonding. Comparisons of the different ACP forms indicate that the loop region between helices II and III and the prosthetic linker may aid in substrate recognition by enzymes of fatty acid synthase systems. The MD simulations consistently show that the hydrophobic binding pocket of ACP is best suited to accommodate an octanoyl group and is capable of adjusting in size to accommodate chain lengths as long as decanoic acid. The simulations also reveal a second, novel binding mode of the acyl chains inside the hydrophobic binding pocket directed toward helix I. This study provides a detailed dynamic picture of acyl-ACPs that is in excellent agreement with available experimental data and, thereby, provides a new understanding of enzyme-ACP interactions.     

Structural modification of acyl carrier protein by butyryl group

Fatty acid synthesis in bacteria is catalyzed by a set of individual enzymes known as the type II fatty acid synthase. Acyl carrier protein (ACP) shuttles the acyl intermediates between individual pathway enzymes. In this study, we determined the solution structures of three different forms of ACP, apo‐ACP, ACP, and butyryl‐ACP under identical experimental conditions. The structural studies revealed that attachment of butyryl acyl intermediate to ACP alters the conformation of ACP. This finding supports the more general notion that the attachment of different acyl intermediates alters the ACP structure to facilitate their recognition and turnover by the appropriate target enzymes.     

Identification of a key residue in the conformational stability of acyl carrier protein

Conformational flexibility of acyl carrier protein (ACP) is important for its ability to interact with multiple enzymes in bacterial fatty acid metabolism. We have recently shown that, unlike the prototypical ACP from Escherichia coli, the more acidic Vibrio harveyi ACP is largely unfolded at physiological pH. Mutations D18K, A75H and A75H/D18K were made in recombinant V. harveyi ACP (rACP) to determine the importance of basic residues Lys-18 and His-75 in maintaining the native conformation of E. coli ACP. Both D18K and A75H ACPs were fatty acylated by acyl-ACP synthetase, showing that neither mutation grossly alters tertiary structure. Circular dichroism (CD) indicated that rACP refolded upon addition of MgCl(2) at 100-fold lower concentrations (<1 mM) than KCl, suggesting that divalent cations stabilize rACP by interaction at specific sites. Surprisingly, mutants A75H and A75H/D18K exhibited native-like conformation in the absence of MgCl(2), while the D18K mutant was comparable to rACP. Moreover, the alpha-helical content of A75H, A75H/D18K and E. coli ACPs was more sensitive than that of rACP or D18K ACP to modification by the histidine-selective reagent diethylpyrocarbonate. Together, these results suggest that the partial positive charge of His-75 may be important in maintaining the conformational stability of E. coli ACP at a neutral pH.     

Acyl carrier protein: structure-function relationships in a conserved multifunctional protein family.

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a universal and highly conserved carrier of acyl intermediates during fatty acid synthesis. In yeast and mammals, ACP exists as a separate domain within a large multifunctional fatty acid synthase polyprotein (type I FAS), whereas it is a small monomeric protein in bacteria and plastids (type II FAS). Bacterial ACPs are also acyl donors for synthesis of a variety of products, including endotoxin and acylated homoserine lactones involved in quorum sensing; the distinct and essential nature of these processes in growth and pathogenesis make ACP-dependent enzymes attractive antimicrobial drug targets. Additionally, ACP homologues are key components in the production of secondary metabolites such as polyketides and nonribosomal peptides. Many ACPs exhibit characteristic structural features of natively unfolded proteins in vitro, with a dynamic and flexible conformation dominated by 3 parallel alpha helices that enclose the thioester-linked acyl group attached to a phosphopantetheine prosthetic group. ACP conformation may also be influenced by divalent cations and interaction with partner enzymes through its "recognition" helix II, properties that are key to its ability to alternately sequester acyl groups and deliver them to the active sites of ACP-dependent enzymes. This review highlights recent progress in defining how the structural features of ACP are related to its multiple carrier roles in fatty acid metabolism.     

The gene encoding Escherichia coli acyl carrier protein lies within a cluster of fatty acid biosynthetic genes.

The gene encoding Escherichia coli acyl carrier protein (ACP) has been isolated and sequenced. The ACP gene (called acpP) was located on the genetic map between fabF and fabD which encode two fatty acid biosynthetic enzymes, 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II and malonyl CoA-ACP transacylase, respectively. An open reading frame between acpP and fabD encodes a 26.5-kDa protein that has significant sequence identity (greater than 40%) with two acetoacetyl-CoA reductases and thus is believed to encode a 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase. This gene (called fabG) is cotranscribed with acpP. Thus, the gene encoding ACP, the key carrier protein of fatty acid synthesis, is located within a cluster of fatty acid biosynthetic genes.     

Evolution of acyl-ACP thioesterases and β-ketoacyl-ACP synthases revealed by protein–protein interactions

The fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a conserved primary metabolic enzyme complex capable of tolerating cross-species engineering of domains for the development of modified and overproduced fatty acids. In eukaryotes, acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterases (TEs) off-load mature cargo from the acyl carrier protein (ACP), and plants have developed TEs for short/medium-chain fatty acids. We showed that engineering plant TEs into the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii does not result in the predicted shift in fatty acid profile. Since fatty acid biosynthesis relies on substrate recognition and protein–protein interactions between the ACP and its partner enzymes, we hypothesized that plant TEs and algal ACP do not functionally interact. Phylogenetic analysis revealed major evolutionary differences between FAS enzymes, including TEs and ketoacyl synthases (KSs), in which the former is present only in some species, whereas the latter is present in all, and has a common ancestor. In line with these results, TEs appeared to be selective towards their ACP partners, whereas KSs showed promiscuous behavior across bacterial, plant, and algal species. Based on phylogenetic analyses, in silico docking, in vitro mechanistic cross-linking, and in vivo algal engineering, we propose that phylogeny can predict effective interactions between ACPs and partner enzymes.     

Structural studies of fatty acyl-(acyl carrier protein) thioesters reveal a hydrophobic binding cavity that can expand to fit longer substrates

A knowledge of the structures of acyl chain loaded species of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) as used in fatty acid biosynthesis and a range of other metabolic events, is essential for a full understanding of the molecular recognition at the heart of these processes. To date the only crystal structure of an acylated species of ACP is that of a butyryl derivative of Escherichia coli ACP. We have now determined the structures of a family of acylated E. coli ACPs of varying acyl chain length. The acyl moiety is attached via a thioester bond to a phosphopantetheine linker that is in turn bound to a serine residue in ACP. The growing acyl chain can be accommodated within a central cavity in the ACP for transport during the elongation stages of lipid synthesis through changes in the conformation of a four alpha-helix bundle. The results not only clarify the means by which a substrate of varying size and complexity is transported in the cell but also suggest a mechanism by which interacting enzymes can recognize the loaded ACP through recognition of surface features including the conformation of the phosphopantetheine linker.     

Purification and characterization of acyl carrier protein from two cyanobacteria species

The acyl carrier protein (ACP), an essential protein cofactor for fatty acid synthesis, has been isolated from two cyanobacteria: the filamentous, heterocystous, Anabaena variabilis (ATCC 29211) and the unicellular Synechocystis 6803 (ATCC 27184). Both ACPs have been purified to homogeneity utilizing a three-column procedure. Synechocystis 6803 ACP was purified 1800-fold with 67% yield, while A. variabilis ACP was purified 1040-fold with 50% yield. Yields of 13.0 micrograms ACP/g Synechocystis 6803 and 9.0 micrograms ACP/g A. variabilis were achieved. Amino acid analysis indicated that these ACPs were highly charged acidic proteins similar to other known ACPs. Sequence analysis revealed that both cyanobacterial ACPs were highly conserved with both spinach and Escherichia coli ACP at the phosphopantetheine prosthetic group region. Examining the probability of alpha-helix and beta-turn regions in various ACPs, showed that cyanobacterial ACPs were more closely related to E. coli ACP than spinach ACP I. Immunoblot analysis and a competitive binding assay for ACP illustrated that both ACPs bound poorly to spinach ACP I antibody. SDS/PAGE and native PAGE of Synechocystis 6803 ACP and A. variabilis ACP showed that cyanobacteria ACPs co-migrated with E. coli ACP and had relative molecular masses of 18,100 and 17,900 respectively. Both native and urea gel analysis of acyl-ACP products from fatty acid synthase reactions demonstrated that bacterial ACPs and plant ACP gave essentially the same metabolic products when assayed using either bacterial or plant fatty acid synthase. A. variabilis and Synechocystis 6803 ACP could be acylated using E. coli acyl ACP synthetase.     

Isolation of Vibrio harveyi acyl carrier protein and the fabG, acpP, and fabF genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis.

We report the isolation of Vibrio harveyi acyl carrier protein (ACP) and cloning of a 3,973-bp region containing the fabG (encoding 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase, 25.5 kDa), acpP (encoding ACP, 8.7 kDa), fabF (encoding 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II, 43.1 kDa), and pabC (encoding aminodeoxychorismate lyase, 29.9 kDa) genes. Predicted amino acid sequences were, respectively, 78, 86, 76, and 35% identical to those of the corresponding Escherichia coli proteins. Five of the 11 sequence differences between V. harveyi and E. coli ACP were nonconservative amino acid differences concentrated in a loop region between helices I and II.     

Characterization and site-directed mutagenesis of the putative novel acyl carrier protein Rv0033 and Rv1344 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycolic acids are generated in Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a result of the interaction of two fatty acid biosynthetic systems: type I fatty acid synthase (FAS) and type II fatty acid synthase. Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a small, acidic protein in type II FAS systems. It plays a central role in mycolic acid biosynthesis by transferring the acyl groups from one enzyme to another for the completion of the fatty acid synthesis cycle. The nature of the proper recognition between ACPs and its many interactive proteins is not understood. Here, we report the over-expression, purification, and characterization of two putative ACPs: Rv0033 and Rv1344 in M. tuberculosis. In order to study the role of the conserved residues and the conformation of whole protein, some site-directed mutations of recombinant Acp1344 were made and the 3D structure of Acp1344 was modeled.     

Photoaffinity cross-linking of acyl carrier protein to Escherichia coli membranes.

Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) is a small acidic protein which interacts with the various enzymes implicated in the biosynthesis of fatty acids in E. coli. It also interacts with the inner membrane proteins implicated in the biosynthesis of phospholipids. Samples of radioactive ACP were prepared with high specific activities and bearing photoactivable aryl azide derivatives. Two photoactivable reagents were used: para azido phenacyl bromide (pAPA) which reacts with the SH of the ACP prosthetic group and the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of 4-azido salicylic acid (NHS-ASA) which reacts with the amino groups of the protein. Various methods were used to demonstrate that ACP could be cross-linked specifically to an inner membrane protein of E. coli, most probably to the glycerol-3-phosphate acyl transferase (GPAT). This covalent link should provide a powerful tool for further analysis of the structure of GPAT and its role in phospholipid biosynthesis. These photoactivable aryl azide derivatives of ACP could also be very useful for studying the interaction of ACP with the soluble enzymes implicated in fatty acid biosynthesis.     

A mechanism based protein crosslinker for acyl carrier protein dehydratases

Recent advances in the structural study of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) biosynthetic enzymes have illuminated our understanding of modular enzymes of the acetate pathway. However, one significant and persistent challenge in such analyses is resolution of the acyl carrier protein (ACP), a small (～9 kDa) protein to which biosynthetic intermediates are tethered throughout the biosynthetic cycle. Here we report a chemoenzymatic crosslinking strategy in which the installation of a historical suicide substrate scaffold upon the 4′-phosphopantetheine (PPant) arm of the ACP is used to capture the active site of acyl carrier protein dehydratase (DH) domains in FAS. Through the synthesis of a small panel of related probes we identify structural features essential for ACP–DH crosslinking, and apply gel-based assays to demonstrate the stability as well as purification strategies for isolation of the chemoenzymatically modified ACP. Applying these carrier protein crosslinking techniques to the structural analysis of FAS and PKS complexes has the potential to provide snapshots of these biosynthetic assembly lines at work.     

A soluble fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase from the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio harveyi

An enzyme catalyzing the ligation of long chain fatty acids to bacterial acyl carrier protein (ACP) has been detected and partially characterized in cell extracts of the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio harveyi. Acyl-ACP synthetase activity (optimal pH 7.5-8.0) required millimolar concentrations of ATP and Mg2+ and was slightly activated by Ca2+, but was inhibited at high ionic strength and by Triton X-100. ACP from either Escherichia coli (apparent Km = 20 microM) or V. harveyi was used as a substrate. Of the [14C]fatty acids tested as substrates (8-18 carbons), a preference for fatty acids less than or equal to 14 carbons in length was observed. Vibrio harveyi acyl-ACP synthetase appears to be a soluble hydrophilic enzyme on the basis of subcellular fractionation and Triton X-114 phase partition assay. The enzyme was not coinduced with luciferase activity or light emission in vivo during the late exponential growth phase in liquid culture. Acyl-ACP synthetase activity was also detected in extracts from the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, but not Photobacterium phosphoreum. The cytosolic nature and enzymatic properties of V. harveyi acyl-ACP synthetase indicate that it may have a different physiological role than the membrane-bound activity of E. coli, which has been implicated in phosphatidylethanolamine turnover. Acyl-ACP synthetase activity in V. harveyi could be involved in the intracellular activation and elongation of exogenous fatty acids that occurs in this species or in the reactivation of free myristic acid generated by luciferase.     

Purification and characterization of fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase from Vibrio harveyi.

A Vibrio harveyi enzyme which catalyzes the ATP-dependent ligation of fatty acids to acyl carrier protein (ACP) has been purified 6,000-fold to apparent homogeneity by anion-exchange, gel filtration, and ACP-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Purified acyl-ACP synthetase migrated as a single 62-kDa band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and as an 80-kDa protein by gel filtration under reducing conditions. Activity of the purified enzyme was lost within hours in the absence of glycerol and low concentrations of Triton X-100. Acyl-ACP synthetase exhibited Kms for myristic acid, ACP, and ATP of 7 microM, 18 microM, and 0.3 mM, respectively. The enzyme was specific for adenine-containing nucleotides, and AMP was the product of the reaction. No covalent acyl-enzyme intermediate was observed. Enzyme activity was stimulated up to 50% by iodoacetamide but inhibited > 80% by N-ethylmaleimide: inhibition by the latter was prevented by ATP and ACP but not myristic acid. Dithiothreitol and sulfhydryl-directed reagents also influenced enzyme size, activity, and elution pattern on anion-exchange resins. The function of acyl-ACP synthetase has not been established, but it may be related to the capacity of V. harveyi to elongate exogenous fatty acids by an ACP-dependent mechanism.     

Acyl carrier protein synthases from gram-negative, gram-positive, and atypical bacterial species: Biochemical and structural properties and physiological implications

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase (AcpS) catalyzes the transfer of the 4'-phosphopantetheine moiety from coenzyme A (CoA) onto a serine residue of apo-ACP, resulting in the conversion of apo-ACP to the functional holo-ACP. The holo form of bacterial ACP plays an essential role in mediating the transfer of acyl fatty acid intermediates during the biosynthesis of fatty acids and phospholipids. AcpS is therefore an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we have purified and characterized the AcpS enzymes from Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which exemplify gram-negative, gram-positive, and atypical bacteria, respectively. Our gel filtration column chromatography and cross-linking studies demonstrate that the AcpS enzyme from M. pneumoniae, like E. coli enzyme, exhibits a homodimeric structure, but the enzyme from S. pneumoniae exhibits a trimeric structure. Our biochemical studies show that the AcpS enzymes from M. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae can utilize both short- and long-chain acyl CoA derivatives but prefer long-chain CoA derivatives as substrates. On the other hand, the AcpS enzyme from E. coli can utilize short-chain CoA derivatives but not the long-chain CoA derivatives tested. Finally, our biochemical studies show that M. pneumoniae AcpS is kinetically a very sluggish enzyme compared with those from E. coli and S. pneumoniae. Together, the results of these studies show that the AcpS enzymes from different bacterial species exhibit different native structures and substrate specificities with regard to the utilization of CoA and its derivatives. These findings suggest that AcpS from different microorganisms plays a different role in cellular physiology.     

Identification and analysis of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) docking site on beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III

The molecular details that govern the specific interactions between acyl carrier protein (ACP) and the enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis are unknown. We investigated the mechanism of ACP-protein interactions using a computational analysis to dock the NMR structure of ACP with the crystal structure of beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III (FabH) and experimentally tested the model by the biochemical analysis of FabH mutants. The activities of the mutants were assessed using both an ACP-dependent and an ACP-independent assay. The ACP interaction surface was defined by mutations that compromised FabH activity in the ACP-dependent assay but had no effect in the ACP-independent assay. ACP docked to a positively charged/hydrophobic patch adjacent to the active site tunnel on FabH, which included a conserved arginine (Arg-249) that was required for ACP docking. Kinetic analysis and direct binding studies between FabH and ACP confirmed the identification of Arg-249 as critical for FabH-ACP interaction. Our experiments reveal the significance of the positively charged/hydrophobic patch located adjacent to the active site cavities of the fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes and the high degree of sequence conservation in helix II of ACP across species.