title: The Role of fadD19 and echA19 in Sterol Side Chain Degradation by Mycobacterium smegmatis.
abstract: Mycobacteria are able to degrade natural sterols and use them as a source of carbon and energy. Several genes which play an important role in cholesterol ring degradation have been described in Mycobacterium smegmatis. However, there are limited data describing the molecular mechanism of the aliphatic side chain degradation by Mycobacterium spp. In this paper, we analyzed the role of the echA19 and fadD19 genes in the degradation process of the side chain of cholesterol and β-sitosterol. We demonstrated that the M. smegmatis fadD19 and echA19 genes are not essential for viability. FadD19 is required in the initial step of the biodegradation of C-24 branched sterol side chains in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc²155, but not those carrying a straight chain like cholesterol. Additionally, we have shown that echA19 is not essential in the degradation of either substrate. This is the first report, to our knowledge, on the molecular characterization of the genes playing an essential role in C-24 branched side chain sterol degradation in M. smegmatis mc²155.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Street, 90-237 Lodz, Poland. nwronska@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wrońska
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 106 Lodowa Street, 93-232 Lodz, Poland. abrzostek@cbm.pan.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brzostek
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Street, 90-237 Lodz, Poland. rszewcz@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szewczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Street, 90-237 Lodz, Poland. asobon@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soboń
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 106 Lodowa Street, 93-232 Lodz, Poland. jdziadek@cbm.pan.pl.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dziadek
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Street, 90-237 Lodz, Poland. katalis@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lisowska
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008025:Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000378:metabolism; D013261:Sterols / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012855:Sitosterols; D013261:Sterols; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D002784:Cholesterol; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase; D008025:Ligases
keywords: M. smegmatis; cholesterol; microbial sterol degradation; sterol side-chain degradation; β-sitosterol