A novel class of CoA-transferase involved in short-chain fatty acid metabolism in butyrate-producing human colonic bacteria.
Bacterial butyryl-CoA CoA-transferase activity plays a key role in butyrate formation in the human colon, but the enzyme and corresponding gene responsible for this activity have not previously been identified. A novel CoA-transferase gene is described from the colonic bacterium Roseburia sp. A2-183, with similarity to acetyl-CoA hydrolase as well as 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase sequences. The gene product, overexpressed in an Escherichia coli lysate, showed activity with butyryl-CoA and to a lesser degree propionyl-CoA in the presence of acetate. Butyrate, propionate, isobutyrate and valerate competed with acetate as the co-substrate. Despite the sequence similarity to 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferases, 4-hydroxybutyrate did not compete with acetate as the co-substrate. Thus the CoA-transferase preferentially uses butyryl-CoA as substrate. Similar genes were identified in other butyrate-producing human gut bacteria from clostridial clusters IV and XIVa, while other candidate CoA-transferases for butyrate formation could not be detected in Roseburia sp. A2-183. This suggests strongly that the newly identified group of CoA-transferases described here plays a key role in butyrate formation in the human colon.
Charrier
Cédric
C
Gut Health Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Duncan
Gary J
GJ
Scientific Support Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Reid
Martin D
MD
Scientific Support Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Rucklidge
Garry J
GJ
Scientific Support Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Henderson
Donna
D
Scientific Support Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Young
Pauline
P
Scientific Support Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Russell
Valerie J
VJ
Gut Health Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Aminov
Rustam I
RI
Gut Health Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Flint
Harry J
HJ
Gut Health Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
Louis
Petra
P
Gut Health Division, Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D015256:Coenzyme A-Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013045:Species Specificity; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002087:Butyrates; D005227:Fatty Acids; C024343:butyryl-coenzyme A; C009061:propionyl-coenzyme A; D015256:Coenzyme A-Transferases