title: Coenzyme A: back in action.
abstract: Coenzyme A (CoA) is a ubiquitous essential cofactor that plays a central role in the metabolism of carboxylic acids, including short- and long-chain fatty acids. In the last few years, all of the genes encoding the CoA biosynthetic enzymes have been identified and the structures of several proteins in the pathway have been determined. CoA is assembled in five steps from pantothenic acid and pathway intermediates are common to both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In spite of the identical biochemistry, remarkable sequence differences among some of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic enzymes have been revealed by comparative genomics. Renewed interest in CoA has arisen from the realization that the biosynthetic pathway is a target for antibacterial drug discovery and from the unexpected association of a human neurodegenerative disorder with mutations in pantothenate kinase. The purpose of this review is to integrate previous knowledge with the most recent findings in the genetics, enzymology and regulation of CoA biosynthesis in bacteria, plants and mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Yong-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Charles O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jackowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D003065:Coenzyme A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000201:enzymology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism; D010205:Pantothenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D010205:Pantothenic Acid; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C023088:pantothenate kinase; D003065:Coenzyme A