A multifunctional enzyme is involved in bacterial ether lipid biosynthesis
May 11th, 2014 by Wolfram Lorenzen
Nature Chemical Biology 10, 425 (2014). doi:10.1038/nchembio.1526
Authors: Wolfram Lorenzen, Tilman Ahrendt, Kenan A J Bozhüyük & Helge B Bode
Fatty acid–derived ether lipids are present not only in most vertebrates but also in some bacteria. Here we describe what is to our knowledge the first gene cluster involved in the biosynthesis of such lipids in myxobacteria that encodes the multifunctional enzyme ElbD, which shows similarity to polyketide synthases. Initial characterization of elbD mutants in Myxococcus xanthus and Stigmatella aurantiaca showed the importance of these ether lipids for fruiting body formation and sporulation.