title: Long-chain acyl-CoA oxidases of Arabidopsis.
abstract: Full-length cDNAs coding for two distinct acyl-CoA oxidases were isolated by screening an Arabidopsis cDNA library. The genes for the two acyl-CoA oxidases have been termed AtACX1 and AtACX2. AtACX1 encodes a peptide of 664 amino acids possessing a molecular mass of 74.3 kDa. AtACX2 encodes a peptide of 691 amino acids in length with a molecular mass of 77.5 kDa. Peroxisomal targeting signals were identified in the primary sequences. AtACX1 has a putative PTS1, whereas AtACX2 has a characteristic PTS2. Expression of AtACX1 and AtACX2 in Escherichia coli gave active enzymes for enzymatic and biochemical analysis. AtACX1 was active with both medium-and long-chain saturated fatty acyl-CoAs and showed maximal activity with C14-CoA. Activity with mono-unsaturated acyl-CoAs was slightly higher than with the corresponding saturated acyl-CoA. AtACX2 was active with long-chain acyl-CoAs and showed maximal activity with C18-CoA. AtACX2 activity with mono-unsaturated acyl-CoAs was approximately twice as high as with the corresponding saturated acyl-CoA. Both enzymes have an apparent Km of approximately 5 microM with the preferred substrate. Northern analysis was conducted to determine the expression patterns of AtACX1 and AtACX2 during germination and in various tissues of a mature plant. The two genes showed generally similar expression profiles and steady-state mRNA levels in seedlings and mature tissues, but subtle differences were observed. Enzymatic analyses of plant extracts revealed that AtACX1 and AtACX2 are members of a family that includes acyl-CoA oxidases specific for shorter-chain acyl-CoAs. Through expression of antisense constructs of the individual genes, we were able to decrease long-chain oxidase activity only in antisense AtACX1 plants. Seedlings with long-chain oxidase activity reduced down to 30% of wild-type levels germinated and established normally; however, reduced root growth appeared to be a general feature of antisense AtACX1 plants.
authors.affiliation: Plant Molecular Science Group, Division of Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hooks
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kellas
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D017343:Genes, Plant; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018744:DNA, Plant; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C467988:ACX3 protein, Arabidopsis; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase