title: Multifunctional acyltransferases from Tetrahymena thermophila.
abstract: Multifunctional acyltransferases are able to catalyze the esterification of various acyl-acceptors with activated fatty acids. Here we describe the identification of four proteins from Tetrahymena thermophila that share certain properties with mammalian acyltransferases regarding their predicted transmembrane structure, their molecular mass and the typical acyltransferase motif. Expression of the Tetrahymena sequences results in production of triacylglycerols and wax esters in recombinant yeast when appropriate substrates are provided. The in vitro characterization shows, that these enzymes are capable of esterifying different acyl-acceptors including fatty alcohols, diols, diacylglycerols and isoprenols with acyl-CoA thioesters. Based on these catalytic activities and the sequence similarities of the Tetrahymena proteins with acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) family members, we conclude that we identified a new group of DGAT2-related multifunctional acyltransferases from protozoan organisms.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany. em.biester@bio1.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Biester
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hellenbrand
authors.forename: Margrit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frentzen
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004952:Esters / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D016808:Tetrahymena thermophila / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014885:Waxes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D007527:Isoenzymes; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D014885:Waxes; D000217:Acyltransferases