title: Inhibiting bacterial fatty acid synthesis.
abstract: The type II fatty acid synthase consists of a series of individual enzymes, each encoded by a separate gene, that catalyze discrete steps in chain elongation. The formation of fatty acids is vital to bacteria, and each of the essential enzymes and their acyl group carriers represent a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial therapeutics. High resolution x-ray and/or NMR structures of representative members of every enzyme in the type II pathway are now available, and these structures are a valuable resource to guide antibacterial drug discovery. The role of each enzyme in regulating pathway activity and the diversity in the components of the pathway in the major human pathogens are important considerations in deciding the most suitable targets for future drug development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.
authors.forename: Yong-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Charles O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Rock
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology*; D015195:Drug Design; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D054889:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type II; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005227:Fatty Acids; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D054889:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type II