Biosynthesis of myristic acid in luminescent bacteria. [Vibrio harveyi]
In vivo pulse-label studies have demonstrated that luminescent bacteria can provide myritic acid (14:0) required for the synthesis of the luciferase substrate myristyl aldehyde. Luminescent wild type Vibrio harveyi incubated with (/sup 14/C) acetate in a nutrient-depleted medium accumulated substantial tree (/sup 14/C)fatty acid (up to 20% of the total lipid label). Radio-gas chromatography revealed that > 75% of the labeled fatty acid is 14:0. No free fatty acid was detected in wild type cells labeled prior to the development of bioluminescence in the exponential growth phase, or in a dark mutant of V. harveyi (mutant M17) that requires exogenous 14:0 for light emission. The preferential accumulation of 14:0 was not observed when wild type cells were labeled with (/sup 14/C)acetate in regular growth medium. Moreover, all V. harveyi strains exhibited similar fatty acid mass compositions regardless of the state of bioluminescence. Since earlier work has shown that a luminescence-related acyltransferase (defective in the M17 mutant) can catalyze the deacylation of fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein in vitro, the present results are consistent with a model in which this enzyme diverts 14:0 to the luminescence system during fatty acid biosynthesis. Under normal conditions, the supply of 14:0 by this pathway is tightly regulated such that bioluminescence development does not significantly alter the total fatty acid composition.
- Research Organization:
- Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, Nova Scotia
- OSTI ID:
- 6021530
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-870644-
- Journal Information:
- Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 46:6; ISSN FEPRA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Inhibition of Vibrio harveyi bioluminescence by cerulenin: In vivo evidence for covalent modification of the reductase enzyme involved in aldehyde synthesis
Inhibition of bacterial luminescence by cerulenin
Related Subjects
550701* -- Microbiology-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOLUMINESCENCE
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
IN VITRO
IN VIVO
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LUCIFERASE
LUMINESCENCE
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
MUTANTS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
SYNTHESIS
TETRADECANOIC ACID
TRACER TECHNIQUES