Methyl-branched fatty acids and polyketides occur in a variety of living organisms. Previous studies have established that multifunctional enzymes use methylmalonyl coenzyme A (CoA) as the substrate to generate methyl-branched products such as mycocerosic acids and polyketides. However, we do not know which of the component activities show selectivity for methylmalonyl-CoA in any biological sys...

In order to determine the regulation mechanisms of ergosterol biosynthesis in yeast, we developed growth conditions leading to high or limiting ergosterol levels in wild type and sterol-auxotrophic mutant strains. An excess of sterol is obtained in anaerobic sterol-supplemented cultures of mutant and wild type strains. A low sterol level is obtained in aerobic growth conditions in mutant strain...

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthase catalyzes the polymerization of (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA (CoA = coenzyme A) into high molecular weight PHB. Recombinant wild-type (wt) class III synthase from Allochromatium vinosum (PhaCPhaE(Av)), antibodies to this synthase and to PHB, and [(14)C]hydroxybutyryl-CoA (HB-CoA) have been used to detect oligomeric hydroxybutyrate (HB) units covalently bound to th...

Dietary vegetable oils and fish oils rich in PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) exert hypocholesterolaemic and hypotriglyceridaemic effects in rodents. The plasma cholesterol-lowering properties of PUFA are due partly to a diminution of cholesterol synthesis and of the activity of the rate-limiting enzyme HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase). To better understand the mec...

cu-Isopropylmalate synthase (EC 4.1.3.12) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was purified to a purity of about 95%. The molecular weight of the enzyme is approximately 127,000, as determined by sedimentation equilibrium centrifugation and by intersubunit cross-linking. Under denaturing conditions, one major species (95%) with molecular weight of about 65,000 is obtained. The dimeric structure of the...

Abstract The 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) pathway is one of the six known natural carbon fixation pathways, in which species used bicarbonate. It has been considered to be most suitable for aerobic CO 2 among pathways. Mesaconate a high value-added derivative 3-HP and can as co-monomer produce fire-retardant materials hydrogels. In this study, we use mesaconate reporting compound evaluate con...

Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase (PHA) from Chromatium vinosum catalyzes the conversion of 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA (HB-CoA) to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and CoA. The synthase is composed of a approximately 1:1 mixture of two subunits, PhaC and PhaE. Size-exclusion chromatography indicates that in solution PhaC and PhaE exist as large molecular weight aggregates. The holo-enzyme, PhaEC, has a specific...

Low expression of the mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase gene during development correlates with an unusually low hepatic ketogenic capacity and lack of hyperketonaemia in piglets. Here we report the isolation and characterization of the 5' end of the pig mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase gene. The 581 bp region proximal to the transcription start site permits transcri...

Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), a reagent commonly employed for the inhibition of serine proteases, has been found to cause significant inhibition of the incorporation of labeled acetate, but not mevalonate, into nonsaponifiable lipid and digitonin-precipitable sterols in the 10,000 X g supernatant fraction of rat liver homogenate preparations. In two experiments, the extent of inhibition...

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase has been purified to homogeneity from avian liver. The enzyme in dilute phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, has an S20,w of 5.7 S and a molecular weight of 105,000 determined by sedimentation equilibrium; the presence of 0.1 M KCl causes dissociation to a form one-half that size, i.e. about 57,000 daltons. Since the subunit molecular weight of the syn...