Antibiotic therapy in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections targets de novo fatty acid biosynthesis, which is orchestrated by a 1.9 MDa type I fatty acid synthase (FAS). Here, we characterize M. tuberculosis FAS by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy and interpret the data by docking the molecular models of yeast and Mycobacterium smegmatis FAS. Our analysis reveals a porous barrel-like structure of considerable conformational variability that is illustrated by the identification of several conformational states with altered topology in the multienzymatic assembly. This demonstrates that the barrel-like structure of M. tuberculosis FAS is not just a static scaffold for the catalytic domains, but may play an active role in coordinating fatty acid synthesis. The conception of M. tuberculosis FAS as a highly dynamic assembly of domains revises the view on bacterial type I fatty acid synthesis and might inspire new strategies for inhibition of de novo fatty acid synthesis in M. tuberculosis.

• PMID: 23746808
• DOI full text
• PubMed

Reference Type

Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Authors

Ciccarelli L, Connell SR, Enderle M, Mills DJ, Vonck J, Grininger M

Primary Lit For

Additional Lit For

Review For