Complex Formation Between Mycobacterial Polysaccharides and Fatty Acyl-CoA Derivatives

The mycobacterial polysaccharides MMP and MGLP, which contain numerousO -methyl-sugar residues, markedly stimulate fatty acid synthesis catalyzed by a multienzyme complex fromMycobacterium phlei [Ilton, M.et al. (1971)Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 68, 87-91]. When aqueous solutions containing MMP or MGLP and palmitoyl-CoA were chromatographed on Sephadex G-75 under conditions that widely separate the individual components, polysaccharide and fatty acyl-CoA were eluted in a single peak, indicating formation of a molecular complex. Similarly, the mycobacterial polysaccharides associate with the CoA derivatives of C18 , C20 , and C22 acids to yield complexes containing maximally 1 mol of fatty acyl-CoA per mol of polysaccharide. The formation of these novel complexes may result from hydrophobic interactions between the paraffin chains of the acyl-CoA derivatives andO -methyl-sugar residues of the polysaccharides.