Open AccessEvidence for the synthesis of the multi‐positional isomers of monounsaturated fatty acid in Methylococcus capsusatus by the anaerobic pathway
Author(s) -
Jahnke Linda L.,
Diggs Kari
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1989.tb03041.x
Subject(s) - fatty acid , cerulenin , chemistry , double bond , biosynthesis , substrate (aquarium) , biochemistry , fatty acid synthesis , stereochemistry , structural isomer , enzyme , organic chemistry , biology , fatty acid synthase , ecology
The biosynthesis of the positional isomers of the monounsaturated fatty acids of Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) has been investigated by studying the incorporation of [2‐ 14 C]malonyl CoA into long‐chain fatty acids in vitro. The major unsaturated products were Δ 9 16:1 and Δ 11 18:1; however, Δ 8 , Δ 10 and Δ 11 16:1, as well as, Δ 10 , Δ 12 and Δ 13 18:1 were also synthesized. The exclusion of O 2 from the reaction vessel did not affect the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids or the double bonds positions. Cerulenin inhibited the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acid more than saturated fatty acid. The use of both [1‐ 14 C] octanoate and [1‐ 14 C] decanoate as substrate resulted in the synthesis of long‐chain fatty acids, however, unsaturates were only synthesized from octanoate. These results imply that the unique positional isomers of M. capsulatus are not synthesized by an aerobic mechanism.