Biosynthesis and physiology of coenzyme Q in bacteria.
Ubiquinone, also called coenzyme Q, is a lipid subject to oxido-reduction cycles. It functions in the respiratory electron transport chain and plays a pivotal role in energy generating processes. In this review, we focus on the biosynthetic pathway and physiological role of ubiquinone in bacteria. We present the studies which, within a period of five decades, led to the identification and characterization of the genes named ubi and involved in ubiquinone production in Escherichia coli. When available, the structures of the corresponding enzymes are shown and their biological function is detailed. The phenotypes observed in mutants deficient in ubiquinone biosynthesis are presented, either in model bacteria or in pathogens. A particular attention is given to the role of ubiquinone in respiration, modulation of two-component activity and bacterial virulence. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 18th European Bioenergetic Conference.
Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283 Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier 13009 Marseille, France.
Laurent
L
Aussel
Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, UMR 5249 CEA - Université Grenoble I - CNRS, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex France.
Fabien
F
Pierrel
Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283 Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier 13009 Marseille, France.
Laurent
L
Loiseau
Laboratoire de Chimie des Processus Biologiques, UMR 8229 CNRS, UPMC, Collège de France, 11 Place Marcellin Berthelot, 75231 Paris Cedex 05 France.
Murielle
M
Lombard
Laboratoire de Chimie des Processus Biologiques, UMR 8229 CNRS, UPMC, Collège de France, 11 Place Marcellin Berthelot, 75231 Paris Cedex 05 France.
Marc
M
Fontecave
Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283 Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier 13009 Marseille, France. Electronic address: barras@imm.cnrs.fr.
Frédéric
F
Barras
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D014451:Ubiquinone
Aerobic respiration; Coenzyme Q; Escherichia coli; Q(8) biosynthesis; Salmonella; ubi genes