Publications

• Identification of a plastid acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase in Arabidopsis and its role in the activation and elongation of exogenous fatty acids.

  Koo A.J., Fulda M., Browse J., Ohlrogge J.B.

  Plant cells are known to elongate exogenously provided fatty acid (FA), but the subcellular sites and mechanisms for this process are not currently understood. When Arabidopsis leaves were incubated with 14C-FAs with <or=16 carbons, the label appeared in elongated and desaturated products. Laurate ... >> More

  Plant cells are known to elongate exogenously provided fatty acid (FA), but the subcellular sites and mechanisms for this process are not currently understood. When Arabidopsis leaves were incubated with 14C-FAs with <or=16 carbons, the label appeared in elongated and desaturated products. Laurate elongation was 85% inhibited by 50 microm cerulenin, an inhibitor of ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthetase I/II. In contrast, haloxyfop, an inhibitor of cytosolic acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase, inhibited only elongation into very long chain FAs (>or=20 carbons) but not synthesis of 14C-unsaturated 18-carbon or 16-carbon FAs. Isolated pea chloroplasts were also able to elongate 14C-FAs (<or=16 carbons) in the light. No detectable 14C-acyl-CoA intermediates were formed during 14C-laurate elongation, whereas 14C-acyl-ACP accumulated to 2.3 microm. These data indicate that the elongation of exogenous medium-chain FAs to 16- and 18-carbon FAs occurs primarily in the chloroplasts, most likely via the enzymes of de novo FA synthesis. An Arabidopsis mutant with a T-DNA insertion in At4g14070 (AAE15) was reduced 80% in 14C-laurate elongation into 16- and 18-carbon FAs. AAE15 has sequence similarity to long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases and a predicted N-terminal plastidial targeting sequence. Direct acyl-ACP-forming activity from FA and ACP was observed in extracts of Arabidopsis leaves and isolated chloroplasts but aae15 plants had markedly reduced in vitro acyl-ACP synthesis activity. Together these results demonstrate that plants possess a mechanism for direct activation of FA to ACP in the plastid via an acyl-ACP synthetase encoded by At4g14070. << Less

  Plant J. 44:620-632(2005) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Activation of long chain fatty acids with acyl carrier protein: demonstration of a new enzyme, acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase, in Escherichia coli.

  Ray T.K., Cronan J.E. Jr.

  A soluble enzyme activity which catalyzes the synthesis of acyl-acyl carrier protein from acyl carrier proteins, a long chain fatty acid, and ATP has been demonstrated in E. coli. The reaction requires high concentrations of both Ca++ and Mg++ for activity, and cleaves ATP to AMP and PPi. The fatt ... >> More

  A soluble enzyme activity which catalyzes the synthesis of acyl-acyl carrier protein from acyl carrier proteins, a long chain fatty acid, and ATP has been demonstrated in E. coli. The reaction requires high concentrations of both Ca++ and Mg++ for activity, and cleaves ATP to AMP and PPi. The fatty acyl product has been identified as acyl-acyl carrier protein by its solubility, thioester linkage, molecular weight, charge, and biological activity. Several criteria indicate the enzyme is distinct from acyl-CoA synthetase. The fatty acid specificity of the enzyme suggests a role of acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase in the incorporation of fatty acids into phospholipid. << Less

  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 73:4374-4378(1976) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Fatty acid activation in cyanobacteria mediated by acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase enables fatty acid recycling.

  Kaczmarzyk D., Fulda M.

  In cyanobacteria fatty acids destined for lipid synthesis can be synthesized de novo, but also exogenous free fatty acids from the culture medium can be directly incorporated into lipids. Activation of exogenous fatty acids is likely required prior to their utilization. To identify the enzymatic a ... >> More

  In cyanobacteria fatty acids destined for lipid synthesis can be synthesized de novo, but also exogenous free fatty acids from the culture medium can be directly incorporated into lipids. Activation of exogenous fatty acids is likely required prior to their utilization. To identify the enzymatic activity responsible for activation we cloned candidate genes from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and identified the encoded proteins as acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetases (Aas). The enzymes catalyze the ATP-dependent esterification of fatty acids to the thiol of acyl carrier protein. The two protein sequences are only distantly related to known prokaryotic Aas proteins but they display strong similarity to sequences that can be found in almost all organisms that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. To investigate the biological role of Aas activity in cyanobacteria, aas knockout mutants were generated in the background of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and S. elongatus PCC 7942. The mutant strains showed two phenotypes characterized by the inability to utilize exogenous fatty acids and by the secretion of endogenous fatty acids into the culture medium. The analyses of extracellular and intracellular fatty acid profiles of aas mutant strains as well as labeling experiments indicated that the detected free fatty acids are released from membrane lipids. The data suggest a considerable turnover of lipid molecules and a role for Aas activity in recycling the released fatty acids. In this model, lipid degradation represents a third supply of fatty acids for lipid synthesis in cyanobacteria. << Less

  Plant Physiol 152:1598-1610(2010) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]