Document Detail


Synthesis of mycolic acids of mycobacteria: an assessment of the cell-free system in light of the whole genome.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  10101266     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Mycolic acids are 70-90 carbon, alpha-alkyl, beta-hydroxy fatty acids constituting a major component of the cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The fact that the mycolic acid biosynthetic pathway is both essential in mycobacteria and the target for many first-line anti-TB drugs necessitates a detailed understanding of its biochemistry. A whole cell-free, but cell particulate- and membrane-containing enzyme preparation for mycolic acid biosynthesis was developed a few years ago and studied extensively. This system was shown to catalyze the synthesis of mature mycolic acids from [14C]acetate, but allows only minimal deposition into the cell wall proper. In the meantime the sequence of the entire genome of M. tuberculosis has been elucidated and its analysis using numerous protein sequence-based algorithms predicted cytoplasmic localization and a soluble, not a particulate, nature for the enzymes involved in the mycolic acid synthetic pathway. Accordingly, we re-assessed the 'cell-free' system for mycolic acid synthesis and concluded that it is probably due to the presence of unbroken cells, since viable cells were recovered from the cell wall preparation. The amount of whole cells depended upon the efficiency of the cell disruption method and conditions, and the amount of mycolic acid synthesized by the putative cell-free system correlated with the content of whole cells. Thus, accumulated results from the use of this 'cell-free' cell wall-based system should be re-evaluated in the light of these new data.
Authors:
M Salman; P J Brennan; J T Lonsdale
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Biochimica et biophysica acta     Volume:  1437     ISSN:  0006-3002     ISO Abbreviation:  Biochim. Biophys. Acta     Publication Date:  1999 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1999-05-13     Completed Date:  1999-05-13     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0217513     Medline TA:  Biochim Biophys Acta     Country:  NETHERLANDS    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  325-32     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, 1250 S. Collegeville Rd., PO Box 5089, Collegeville, PA 19403, USA. michael_salman-1@sbphrd.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Cell Fractionation
Cell Wall / metabolism
Cell-Free System
Cytoplasm / metabolism
Genome, Bacterial
Mycobacterium / enzymology,  genetics,  metabolism*
Mycolic Acids / metabolism*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
U-19 AI-38087/AI/NIAID NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Mycolic Acids

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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