Elongase

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Elongase is a generic term for an enzyme that extends the length of fatty acid. The nomenclature is not applied rigorously. Often, elongase refers to enzymes that produce very long chain fatty acids. Sometimes, elongase also includes unsaturases, which introduce C=C double bonds in the backbone. [1] Because fatty acids and their derivatives are biochemically influential, elongases are of considerable interest.

Contents

Biosynthesis of palmitic acid

Fatty acids up to C16 in length are produced by fatty acid synthases (FAS's). [2] The starting point is the acetyl derivative of the acyl carrier protein, which adds two-carbon building blocks provided by malonyl coenzyme A (after decarboxylation). This process produces 3-ketoacyl-CoA's as intermediates. The C=O (keto) group is replaced with CH2 via a series of steps. This process is repeated up to C16.

Beyond palmitic acid

For a fatty acid to grow in length beyond C16, a second but related class of enzymes involved. but the enzymes are generically called elongases. Six such elongases are recognized. One example is ELOVL4, which elongates long chain fatty acids (LC-FA) into very long-chain saturated (VLC-SFA) and polyunsaturated (VLC-PUFA) fatty acids, collectively known as VLC-FA (very long chain fatty acid).

The starting point for elongation of palmitic acid is palmitoyl-CoA, analogous to acetyl ACP, the starting point for FAS. As in FAS, elongation proceeds by 2-carbon units provided by malonyl-CoA. As in the biosynthesis of palmitic acid, the 3-ketoacyl-CoA is processed to remove the keto group. In this way, stearic acid is produced. [3]

Beyond stearic acid, elongation is followed by unsaturation, leading to polyunsaturated fatty acids. Such species are often precursors to signaling molecules.

Related Research Articles

Fatty acid metabolism consists of various metabolic processes involving or closely related to fatty acids, a family of molecules classified within the lipid macronutrient category. These processes can mainly be divided into (1) catabolic processes that generate energy and (2) anabolic processes where they serve as building blocks for other compounds.

In biochemistry and metabolism, beta oxidation (also β-oxidation) is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle, generating NADH and FADH2, which are electron carriers used in the electron transport chain. It is named as such because the beta carbon of the fatty acid chain undergoes oxidation and is converted to a carbonyl group to start the cycle all over again. Beta-oxidation is primarily facilitated by the mitochondrial trifunctional protein, an enzyme complex associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane, although very long chain fatty acids are oxidized in peroxisomes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malonyl-CoA</span> Chemical compound

Malonyl-CoA is a coenzyme A derivative of malonic acid.

<i>Monascus</i> Genus of fungi

Monascus is a genus of mold. Among the known species of this genus, the red-pigmented Monascus purpureus is among the most important because of its use in the production of certain fermented foods in East Asia, particularly China and Japan.

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FASN gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acyl-CoA</span> Group of coenzymes that metabolize fatty acids

Acyl-CoA is a group of coenzymes that metabolize fatty acids. Acyl-CoA's are susceptible to beta oxidation, forming, ultimately, acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle, eventually forming several equivalents of ATP. In this way, fats are converted to ATP, the universal biochemical energy carrier.

In biochemistry, fatty acid synthesis is the creation of fatty acids from acetyl-CoA and NADPH through the action of enzymes called fatty acid synthases. This process takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell. Most of the acetyl-CoA which is converted into fatty acids is derived from carbohydrates via the glycolytic pathway. The glycolytic pathway also provides the glycerol with which three fatty acids can combine to form triglycerides, the final product of the lipogenic process. When only two fatty acids combine with glycerol and the third alcohol group is phosphorylated with a group such as phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid is formed. Phospholipids form the bulk of the lipid bilayers that make up cell membranes and surrounds the organelles within the cells. In addition to cytosolic fatty acid synthesis, there is also mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFASII), in which malonyl-CoA is formed from malonic acid with the help of malonyl-CoA synthetase (ACSF3), which then becomes the final product octanoyl-ACP (C8) via further intermediate steps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase</span> Enzyme

In molecular biology, Beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase EC 2.3.1.41, is an enzyme involved in fatty acid synthesis. It typically uses malonyl-CoA as a carbon source to elongate ACP-bound acyl species, resulting in the formation of ACP-bound β-ketoacyl species such as acetoacetyl-ACP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biosynthesis of doxorubicin</span>

Doxorubicin (DXR) is a 14-hydroxylated version of daunorubicin, the immediate precursor of DXR in its biosynthetic pathway. Daunorubicin is more abundantly found as a natural product because it is produced by a number of different wild type strains of streptomyces. In contrast, only one known non-wild type species, streptomyces peucetius subspecies caesius ATCC 27952, was initially found to be capable of producing the more widely used doxorubicin. This strain was created by Arcamone et al. in 1969 by mutating a strain producing daunorubicin, but not DXR, at least in detectable quantities. Subsequently, Hutchinson's group showed that under special environmental conditions, or by the introduction of genetic modifications, other strains of streptomyces can produce doxorubicin. His group has also cloned many of the genes required for DXR production, although not all of them have been fully characterized. In 1996, Strohl's group discovered, isolated and characterized dox A, the gene encoding the enzyme that converts daunorubicin into DXR. By 1999, they produced recombinant Dox A, a Cytochrome P450 oxidase, and found that it catalyzes multiple steps in DXR biosynthesis, including steps leading to daunorubicin. This was significant because it became clear that all daunorubicin producing strains have the necessary genes to produce DXR, the much more therapeutically important of the two. Hutchinson's group went on to develop methods to improve the yield of DXR, from the fermentation process used in its commercial production, not only by introducing Dox A encoding plasmids, but also by introducing mutations to deactivate enzymes that shunt DXR precursors to less useful products, for example baumycin-like glycosides. Some triple mutants, that also over-expressed Dox A, were able to double the yield of DXR. This is of more than academic interest because at that time DXR cost about $1.37 million per kg and current production in 1999 was 225 kg per annum. More efficient production techniques have brought the price down to $1.1 million per kg for the non-liposomal formulation. Although DXR can be produced semi-synthetically from daunorubicin, the process involves electrophilic bromination and multiple steps and the yield is poor. Since daunorubicin is produced by fermentation, it would be ideal if the bacteria could complete DXR synthesis more effectively.

In enzymology, a [acyl-carrier-protein] S-acetyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible chemical reaction

In enzymology, a [acyl-carrier-protein] S-malonyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

In enzymology, a beta-ketoacyl-acyl-carrier-protein synthase I is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III</span> Enzyme

In enzymology, a β-ketoacyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] synthase III (EC 2.3.1.180) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

In enzymology, an erythronolide synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fatty-acyl-CoA synthase</span>

Fatty-acyl-CoA Synthase, or more commonly known as yeast fatty acid synthase, is an enzyme complex responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis, and is of Type I Fatty Acid Synthesis (FAS). Yeast fatty acid synthase plays a pivotal role in fatty acid synthesis. It is a 2.6 MDa barrel shaped complex and is composed of two, unique multi-functional subunits: alpha and beta. Together, the alpha and beta units are arranged in an α6β6 structure. The catalytic activities of this enzyme complex involves a coordination system of enzymatic reactions between the alpha and beta subunits. The enzyme complex therefore consists of six functional centers for fatty acid synthesis.

Very-long-chain 3-oxoacyl-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.330, very-long-chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductase, very-long-chain beta-ketoacyl-CoA reductase, KCR (gene), IFA38 (gene)) is an enzyme with systematic name (3R)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA:NADP+ oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Very-long-chain 3-oxoacyl-CoA synthase (EC 2.3.1.199, very-long-chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase, very-long-chain beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase, condensing enzyme, CUT1, CER6, FAE1, KCS, ELO) is an enzyme with systematic name malonyl-CoA:very-long-chain acyl-CoA malonyltransferase (decarboxylating and thioester-hydrolysing). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Odd-chain fatty acids are those fatty acids that contain an odd number of carbon atoms. In addition to being classified according to their saturation or unsaturation, fatty acids are also classified according to their odd or even numbers of constituent carbon atoms. With respect to natural abundance, most fatty acids are even chain, e.g. palmitic (C16) and stearic (C18). In terms of physical properties, odd and even fatty acids are similar, generally being colorless, soluble in alcohols, and often somewhat oily. The odd-chain fatty acids are biosynthesized and metabolized slightly differently from the even-chained relatives. In addition to the usual C12-C22 long chain fatty acids, some very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are also known. Some of these VLCFAs are also of the odd-chain variety.

Fatty acyl-CoA esters are fatty acid derivatives formed of one fatty acid, a 3'-phospho-AMP linked to phosphorylated pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and cysteamine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ketoacyl synthase</span> Catalyst for a key step in fatty acid synthesis

Ketoacyl synthases (KSs) catalyze the condensation reaction of acyl-CoA or acyl-acyl ACP with malonyl-CoA to form 3-ketoacyl-CoA or with malonyl-ACP to form 3-ketoacyl-ACP. This reaction is a key step in the fatty acid synthesis cycle, as the resulting acyl chain is two carbon atoms longer than before. KSs exist as individual enzymes, as they do in type II fatty acid synthesis and type II polyketide synthesis, or as domains in large multidomain enzymes, such as type I fatty acid synthases (FASs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs). KSs are divided into five families: KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, and KS5.

References

  1. Jump, D. B. (2009). "Mammalian Fatty Acid Elongases". Lipidomics. Methods in Molecular Biology. Vol. 579. pp. 375–389. doi:10.1007/978-1-60761-322-0_19. ISBN   978-1-60761-321-3. PMC   2764369 . PMID   19763486.
  2. Nelson, David L.; Cox, Michael M. (2005). Principles of Biochemistry (4th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman. p. 780. ISBN   0-7167-4339-6.
  3. Jakobsson, A.; Westerberg, R.; Jacobsson, A. (2006). "Fatty acid elongases in mammals: Their regulation and roles in metabolism". Progress in Lipid Research. 45 (3): 237–249. doi:10.1016/j.plipres.2006.01.004.