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Biosynthesis of 2‐Hydroxy and iso‐ Even Fatty Acids is Connected to Sphingolipid Formation in Myxobacteria
Author(s) -
Ring Michael W.,
Schwär Gertrud,
Bode Helge B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.200900164
Subject(s) - myxobacteria , myxococcus xanthus , sphingolipid , biochemistry , biosynthesis , fatty acid , biology , hydroxylation , polyunsaturated fatty acid , bacteria , stereochemistry , chemistry , gene , mutant , genetics , enzyme
2‐Hydroxy fatty acids can be found in several different organisms, including bacteria. In this study, we have studied the biosynthesis of 2‐hydroxy fatty acids in the myxobacteria Myxococcus xanthus and Stigmatella aurantiaca , resulting in the identification of a family of stereospecific fatty acid α‐hydroxylases. Although the stereospecificities of the hydroxylases differ between these two species, they share a common function in supporting fatty acid α‐oxidation; that is, the oxidative shortening of fatty acids. Whereas in S. aurantiaca this process takes place during normal vegetative growth, in M. xanthus it takes place only under developmental conditions. We were also able to identify serine palmitoyltransferase encoding genes involved in sphingolipid biosynthesis as well as sphingolipids themselves in both types of myxobacteria, and were able to show that the α‐hydroxylation reaction is in fact dependent on the presence of fatty acids bound to sphingolipids.