title: Coenzyme A and its derivatives: renaissance of a textbook classic.
abstract: In 1945, Fritz Lipmann discovered a heat-stable cofactor required for many enzyme-catalysed acetylation reactions. He later determined the structure for this acetylation coenzyme, or coenzyme A (CoA), an achievement for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953. CoA is now firmly embedded in the literature, and in students' minds, as an acyl carrier in metabolic reactions. However, recent research has revealed diverse and important roles for CoA above and beyond intermediary metabolism. As well as participating in direct post-translational regulation of metabolic pathways by protein acetylation, CoA modulates the epigenome via acetylation of histones. The organization of CoA biosynthetic enzymes into multiprotein complexes with different partners also points to close linkages between the CoA pool and multiple signalling pathways. Dysregulation of CoA biosynthesis or CoA thioester homoeostasis is associated with various human pathologies and, although the biochemistry of CoA biosynthesis is highly conserved, there are significant sequence and structural differences between microbial and human biosynthetic enzymes. Therefore the CoA biosynthetic pathway is an attractive target for drug discovery. The purpose of the Coenzyme A and Its Derivatives in Cellular Metabolism and Disease Biochemical Society Focused Meeting was to bring together researchers from around the world to discuss the most recent advances on the influence of CoA, its biosynthetic enzymes and its thioesters in cellular metabolism and diseases and to discuss challenges and opportunities for the future.
authors.affiliation: *Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, U.K.
authors.forename: Frederica L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Theodoulou
authors.affiliation: †Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ody C M
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Sibon
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jackowski
authors.affiliation: §Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gout
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D003065:Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D010205:Pantothenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010205:Pantothenic Acid; D003065:Coenzyme A