The FabR (YijC) transcription factor regulates unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.
Unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis is a vital facet of Escherichia coli physiology and requires the expression of two genes, fabA and fabB, in the type II fatty acid synthase system. This study links the FabR (YijC) transcription factor to the regulation of unsaturated fatty acid content through the regulation of fabB gene expression. The yijC (fabR) gene was deleted by replacement with a selectable cassette, and the resulting strains (fabR::kan) possessed significantly elevated levels of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly cis-vaccenate, in their membrane phospholipids. The altered fatty acid composition was observed in the fabR::kan fabF1 double mutant pinpointing fabB as the condensing enzyme responsible for the increased cis-vaccenate production. The fabR::kan strains had 4- to 8-fold higher levels of fabB and a 2- to 3-fold increase in fabA transcripts as judged by Northern blotting, Affymetrix array analysis, and real-time PCR. FabR did not regulate the enzymes of fatty acid beta-oxidation. The elevated level of fabB mRNA was reflected by higher condensing enzyme activity in fabR::kan fabF1 double mutants. Thus, FabR functions as a repressor that potently controls the expression of the fabB gene, which in turn, modulates the physical properties of the membrane by altering the level of unsaturated fatty acid production.
Zhang
Yong-Mei
YM
Department of Infectious Diseases, Protein Science Division, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
Marrakchi
Hedia
H
Rock
Charles O
CO
D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D000085:Acetates; D017931:DNA Primers; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C458522:FabR protein, E coli; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D014157:Transcription Factors