Identification of active-site residues in Bradyrhizobium japonicum malonyl-coenzyme A synthetase

Role of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Escherichia coli Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Synthetase FadD in Long-Term Survival

FadD is an acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase specific for long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Strains mutated in fadD cannot produce acyl-CoA and thus cannot grow on exogenous LCFA as the sole carbon source. Mutants in the fadD (smc02162) of Sinorhizobium meliloti are unable to grow on oleate as the sole carbon source and present an increased surface motility and accumulation of free fatty acids at the entry of the stationary phase of growth. In this study, we found that constitutive expression of the closest FadD homologues of S. meliloti, encoded by sma0150 and smb20650, could not revert any of the mutant phenotypes. In contrast, the expression of Escherichia coli fadD could restore the same functions as S. meliloti fadD. Previously, we demonstrated that FadD is required for the degradation of endogenous fatty acids released from membrane lipids. Here, we show that absence of a functional fadD provokes a significant loss of viability in cultures of E. coli and of S. meliloti in the stationary phase, demonstrating a crucial role of fatty acid degradation in survival capacity.

The PrpF protein of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 catalyzes the isomerization of 2-methyl-cis-aconitate during the catabolism of propionate via the AcnD-dependent 2-methylcitric acid cycle

The 2-methylcitric acid cycle (2-MCC) is a common route of propionate catabolism in microorganisms. In Salmonella enterica, the prpBCDE operon encodes most of the 2-MCC enzymes. In other organisms, e.g., Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, two genes, acnD and prpF replace prpD, which encodes 2-methylcitrate dehydratase. We showed that together, S. oneidensis AcnD and PrpF (SoAcnD, SoPrpF) compensated for the absence of PrpD in a S. enterica prpD strain. We also showed that SoAcnD had 2-methylcitrate dehydratase activity and that PrpF has aconitate isomerase activity. Here we report in vitro evidence that the product of the SoAcnD reaction is an isomer of 2-methyl-cis-aconitate (2-MCA], the product of the SePrpD reaction. We show that the SoPrpF protein isomerizes the product of the AcnD reaction into the PrpD product (2-MCA], a known substrate of the housekeeping aconitase (AcnB]. Given that SoPrpF is an isomerase, that SoAcnD is a dehydratase, and the results from in vivo and in vitro experiments reported here, it is likely that 4-methylaconitate is the product of the AcnD enzyme. Results from in vivo studies using a S. enterica prpD strain show that SoPrpF variants with substitutions of residues K73 or C107 failed to support growth with propionate as the sole source of carbon and energy. High-resolution (1.22 Å) three-dimensional crystal structures of PrpF^K73E in complex with trans-aconitate or malonate provide insights into the mechanism of catalysis of the wild-type protein.

Identification and functional application of a new malonyltransferase NbMaT1 towards diverse aromatic glycosides from Nicotiana benthamiana

A new malonyltransferase NbMaT1 from Nicotiana benthamiana with significant substrate tolerance was identified and used in the chemo-enzymatic synthesis of diverse bioactive malonylated glycosides derivatives in this article.

AAE13 encodes a dual-localized malonyl-CoA synthetase that is crucial for mitochondrial fatty acid biosynthesis

Malonyl-CoA is a key intermediate in a number of metabolic processes associated with its role as a substrate in acylation and condensation reactions. These types of reactions occur in plastids, the cytosol and mitochondria, and although carboxylation of acetyl-CoA is the known mechanism for generating the distinct plastidial and cytosolic pools, the metabolic origin of the mitochondrial malonyl-CoA pool is still unclear. In this study we demonstrate that malonyl-CoA synthetase encoded by the Arabidopsis AAE13 (AT3G16170) gene is localized in both the cytosol and the mitochondria. These isoforms are translated from two types of transcripts, one that contains and one that does not contain a mitochondrial-targeting pre-sequence. Whereas the cytosolic AAE13 protein is not essential, due to the presence of a redundant malonyl-CoA generating system provided by a cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the mitochondrial AAE13 protein is essential for plant growth. Phenotypes of the aae13-1 mutant are transgenically reversed only if the mitochondrial pre-sequence is present in the ectopically expressed AAE13 proteins. The aae13-1 mutant exhibits typical metabolic phenotypes associated with a deficiency in the mitochondrial fatty acid synthase system, namely depleted lipoylation of the H subunit of the photorespiratory enzyme glycine decarboxylase, increased accumulation of glycine and glycolate and reduced levels of sucrose. Most of these metabolic alterations, and associated morphological changes, are reversed when the aae13-1 mutant is grown in a non-photorespiratory condition (i.e. a 1% CO2 atmosphere), demonstrating that they are a consequence of the deficiency in photorespiration due to the inability to generate lipoic acid from mitochondrially synthesized fatty acids.

Exome sequencing identifies ACSF3 as a cause of combined malonic and methylmalonic aciduria

We used exome sequencing to identify the genetic basis of combined malonic and methylmalonic aciduria (CMAMMA). We sequenced the exome of an individual with CMAMMA and followed up with sequencing of eight additional affected individuals (cases). This included one individual who was identified and diagnosed by searching an exome database. We identify mutations in ACSF3, encoding a putative methylmalonyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA synthetase as a cause of CMAMMA. We also examined a canine model of CMAMMA, which showed pathogenic mutations in a predicted ACSF3 ortholog. ACSF3 mutant alleles occur with a minor allele frequency of 0.0058 in ∼1,000 control individuals, predicting a CMAMMA population incidence of ∼1:30,000. ACSF3 deficiency is the first human disorder identified as caused by mutations in a gene encoding a member of the acyl-CoA synthetase family, a diverse group of evolutionarily conserved proteins, and may emerge as one of the more common human metabolic disorders.

Malonyl-CoA synthetase, encoded by ACYL ACTIVATING ENZYME13, is essential for growth and development of Arabidopsis

Malonyl-CoA is the precursor for fatty acid synthesis and elongation. It is also one of the building blocks for the biosynthesis of some phytoalexins, flavonoids, and many malonylated compounds. In plants as well as in animals, malonyl-CoA is almost exclusively derived from acetyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2). However, previous studies have suggested that malonyl-CoA may also be made directly from malonic acid by malonyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.14). Here, we report the cloning of a eukaryotic malonyl-CoA synthetase gene, Acyl Activating Enzyme13 (AAE13; At3g16170), from Arabidopsis thaliana. Recombinant AAE13 protein showed high activity against malonic acid (K(m) = 529.4 ± 98.5 μM; V(m) = 24.0 ± 2.7 μmol/mg/min) but little or no activity against other dicarboxylic or fatty acids tested. Exogenous malonic acid was toxic to Arabidopsis seedlings and caused accumulation of malonic and succinic acids in the seedlings. aae13 null mutants also grew poorly and accumulated malonic and succinic acids. These defects were complemented by an AAE13 transgene or by a bacterial malonyl-CoA synthetase gene under control of the AAE13 promoter. Our results demonstrate that the malonyl-CoA synthetase encoded by AAE13 is essential for healthy growth and development, probably because it is required for the detoxification of malonate.

gurke and pasticcino3 mutants affected in embryo development are impaired in acetyl-CoA carboxylase

Normal embryo development is required for correct seedling formation. The Arabidopsis gurke and pasticcino3 mutants were isolated from different developmental screens and the corresponding embryos exhibit severe defects in their apical region, affecting bilateral symmetry. We have recently identified lethal acc1 mutants affected in acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACCase 1) that display a similar embryo phenotype. A series of crosses showed that gk and pas3 are allelic to acc1 mutants, and direct sequencing of the ACC1 gene revealed point mutations in these new alleles. The isolation of leaky acc1 alleles demonstrated that ACCase 1 is essential for correct plant development and that mutations in ACCase affect cellular division in plants, as is the case in yeast. Interestingly, significant metabolic complementation of the mutant phenotype was obtained by exogenous supply of malonate, suggesting that the lack of cytosolic malonyl-CoA is likely to be the initial factor leading to abnormal development in the acc1 mutants.

Malonate metabolism: biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, and industrial application

Malonate is a three-carbon dicarboxylic acid. It is well known as a competitive inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase. It occurs naturally in biological systems, such as legumes and developing rat brains, which indicates that it may play an important role in symbiotic nitrogen metabolism and brain development. Recently, enzymes that are related to malonate metabolism were discovered and characterized. The genes that encode the enzymes were isolated, and the regulation of their expression was also studied. The mutant bacteria, in which the malonate-metabolizing gene was deleted, lost its primary function, symbiosis, between Rhizobium leguminosarium bv trifolii and clover. This suggests that malonate metabolism is essential in symbiotic nitrogen metabolism, at least in clover nodules. In addition to these, the genes matB and matC have been successfully used for generation of the industrial strain of Streptomyces for the production of antibiotics.