Production of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Polyketide Synthases in Both Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 293; no. 5528; pp. 290 - 293
• Main Authors: Metz, James G., Roessler, Paul, Facciotti, Daniel, Levering, Charlene, Dittrich, Franziska, Lassner, Michael, Valentine, Ray, Lardizabal, Kathryn, Domergue, Frederic, Yamada, Akiko, Yazawa, Kazunaga, Knauf, Vic, Browse, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 13.07.2001; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Anaerobiosis; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Arachidonic Acids - biosynthesis; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Cell growth; cis double bonds; Crypts; Enzymes; Enzymes and enzyme inhibitors; Escherichia coli - enzymology; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Eukaryotic cells; Eukaryotic Cells - metabolism; Fatty Acid Synthases - metabolism; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - biosynthesis; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gammaproteobacteria - metabolism; Genome, Bacterial; Lipids; Marine; Membrane lipids; Membranes; Molecules; Multienzyme Complexes - metabolism; Omega 3 fatty acids; Open Reading Frames; polyketide synthase; polyunsaturated fatty acids; position-specific isomerases; Radiation damage; Shewanella; Shewanella - metabolism; Stem cells; Transferases; United States; Acyltransferases; Molecular structure; Enzyme; Algae; Transferases; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Biosynthesis; Shewanella; Structure function relationship; Fatty-acid synthase; Marine environment; Enzymatic activity; Reaction mechanism; Bacteria; Vibrionaceae; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1059593

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential membrane components in higher eukaryotes and are the precursors of many lipid-derived signaling molecules. Here, pathways for PUFA synthesis are described that do not require desaturation and elongation of saturated fatty acids. These pathways are catalyzed by polyketide synthases (PKSs) that are distinct from previously recognized PKSs in both structure and mechanism. Generation of cis double bonds probably involves position-specific isomerases; such enzymes might be useful in the production of new families of antibiotics. It is likely that PUFA synthesis in cold marine ecosystems is accomplished in part by these PKS enzymes.