De Novo Synthesis of Chrysin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Chrysin, a flavonoid, has been found to have been widely used in the health food field. But at present, chrysin production is hindered by the low availability of precursors and the lack of catalytic enzymes with high activity. Therefore, ZmPAL was initially screened to synthesize trans-cinnamic acid with high catalytic activity and specificity. To enhance the supply of precursors, the shikimic acid and chorismic acid pathway genes were overexpressed. Besides, the expression of the intracellular and mitochondrial carbon metabolism genes CIT, MAC1/3, CTP1, YHM2, RtME, and MDH was enhanced to increase the intracellular acetyl-CoA content. Chrysin was synthesized through a novel gene combination of ScCPR-EbFNSI-1 and PcFNSI. Finally, de novo synthesis of chrysin was achieved, reaching 41.9 mg/L, which is the highest reported concentration to date. In summary, we identified efficient enzymes for chrysin production and increased it by regulating acetyl-CoA metabolism in mitochondria and the cytoplasm, laying a foundation for future large-scale production.

Hepatic malonyl-CoA synthesis restrains gluconeogenesis by suppressing fat oxidation, pyruvate carboxylation, and amino acid availability

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) promotes prandial liver metabolism by producing malonyl-CoA, a substrate for de novo lipogenesis and an inhibitor of CPT-1-mediated fat oxidation. We report that inhibition of ACC also produces unexpected secondary effects on metabolism. Liver-specific double ACC1/2 knockout (LDKO) or pharmacologic inhibition of ACC increased anaplerosis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, and gluconeogenesis by activating hepatic CPT-1 and pyruvate carboxylase flux in the fed state. Fasting should have marginalized the role of ACC, but LDKO mice maintained elevated TCA cycle intermediates and preserved glycemia during fasting. These effects were accompanied by a compensatory induction of proteolysis and increased amino acid supply for gluconeogenesis, which was offset by increased protein synthesis during feeding. Such adaptations may be related to Nrf2 activity, which was induced by ACC inhibition and correlated with fasting amino acids. The findings reveal unexpected roles for malonyl-CoA synthesis in liver and provide insight into the broader effects of pharmacologic ACC inhibition.

Efficient De Novo Biosynthesis of Curcumin in Escherichia coli by Optimizing Pathway Modules and Increasing the Malonyl-CoA Supply

Curcumin is a natural phenylpropanoid compound with various biological activities and is widely used in food and pharmaceuticals. A de novo curcumin biosynthetic pathway was constructed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Optimization of the curcumin biosynthesis module achieved a curcumin titer of 26.8 ± 0.6 mg/L. Regulating the metabolic fluxes of the β-oxidation pathway and fatty acid elongation cycle and blocking the endogenous malonyl-CoA consumption pathway increased the titer to 113.6 ± 7.1 mg/L. Knockout of endogenous curcumin reductase (curA) and intermediate product detoxification by heterologous expression of the solvent-resistant pump (srpB) increased the titer to 137.5 ± 3.0 mg/L. A 5 L pilot-scale fermentation, using a three-stage pH alternation strategy, increased the titer to 696.2 ± 20.9 mg/L, 178.5-fold higher than the highest curcumin titer from de novo biosynthesis previously reported, thereby laying the foundation for efficient biosynthesis of curcumin and its derivatives.

Obesity-induced metabolic imbalance allosterically modulates CtBP2 to inhibit PPAR-alpha transcriptional activity

Maintenance of metabolic homeostasis is secured by metabolite-sensing systems, which can be overwhelmed by constant macronutrient surplus in obesity. Not only the uptake processes but also the consumption of energy substrates determine the cellular metabolic burden. We herein describe a novel transcriptional system in this context comprised of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), a master regulator for fatty acid oxidation, and C-terminal binding protein 2 (CtBP2), a metabolite-sensing transcriptional co-repressor. CtBP2 interacts with PPARα to repress its activity, and the interaction is enhanced upon binding to malonyl-CoA, a metabolic intermediate increased in tissues in obesity and reported to suppress fatty acid oxidation through inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1). In line with our preceding observations that CtBP2 adopts a monomeric configuration upon binding to acyl-CoAs, we determined that mutations in CtBP2 that shift the conformational equilibrium toward monomers increase the interaction between CtBP2 and PPARα. In contrast, metabolic manipulations that reduce malonyl-CoA decreased the formation of the CtBP2/PPARα complex. Consistent with these in vitro findings, we found that the CtBP2/PPARα interaction is accelerated in obese livers while genetic deletion of CtBP2 in the liver causes derepression of PPARα target genes. These findings support our model where CtBP2 exists primarily as a monomer in the metabolic milieu of obesity to repress PPARα, representing a liability in metabolic diseases that can be exploited to develop therapeutic approaches.

Serine Racemase mediates subventricular zone neurogenesis via fatty acid metabolism

The adult subventricular zone (SVZ) is a neurogenic niche that continuously produces newborn neurons. Here we show that serine racemase (SR), an enzyme that catalyzes the racemization of L-serine to D-serine and vice versa, affects neurogenesis in the adult SVZ by controlling de novo fatty acid synthesis. Germline and conditional deletion of SR (nestin precursor cells) leads to diminished neurogenesis in the SVZ. Nestin-cre+ mice showed reduced expression of fatty acid synthase and its substrate malonyl-CoA, which are involved in de novo fatty acid synthesis. Global lipidomic analyses revealed significant alterations in different lipid subclasses in nestin-cre+ mice. Decrease in fatty acid synthesis was mediated by phospho Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase that was AMP-activated protein kinase independent. Both L- and D-serine supplementation rescued defects in SVZ neurogenesis, proliferation, and levels of malonyl-CoA in vitro. Our work shows that SR affects adult neurogenesis in the SVZ via lipid metabolism.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 is a suppressor of the adipocyte thermogenic program

Disruption of adipocyte de novo lipogenesis (DNL) by deletion of fatty acid synthase (FASN) in mice induces browning in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). However, adipocyte FASN knockout (KO) increases acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) and malonyl-CoA in addition to depletion of palmitate. We explore which of these metabolite changes triggers adipose browning by generating eight adipose-selective KO mouse models with loss of ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), ACC2, malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) or FASN, or dual KOs ACLY/FASN, ACC1/FASN, and ACC2/FASN. Preventing elevation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA by depletion of adipocyte ACLY or ACC1 in combination with FASN KO does not block the browning of iWAT. Conversely, elevating malonyl-CoA levels in MCD KO mice does not induce browning. Strikingly, adipose ACC1 KO induces a strong iWAT thermogenic response similar to FASN KO while also blocking malonyl-CoA and palmitate synthesis. Thus, ACC1 and FASN are strong suppressors of adipocyte thermogenesis through promoting lipid synthesis rather than modulating the DNL intermediates acetyl-CoA or malonyl-CoA.

Engineering 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid Production from Glucose in Yarrowia lipolytica through Malonyl-CoA Pathway

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is an important intermediate compound in the chemical industry. Green and environmentally friendly microbial synthesis methods are becoming increasingly popular in a range of industries. Compared to other chassis cells, Yarrowia lipolytica possesses advantages, such as high tolerance to organic acid and a sufficient precursor required to synthesize 3-HP. In this study, gene manipulations, including the overexpression of genes MCR-NCa, MCR-CCa, GAPNSm, ACC1 and ACSSeL641P and knocking out bypass genes MLS1 and CIT2, leading to the glyoxylate cycle, were performed to construct a recombinant strain. Based on this, the degradation pathway of 3-HP in Y. lipolytica was discovered, and relevant genes MMSDH and HPDH were knocked out. To our knowledge, this study is the first to produce 3-HP in Y. lipolytica. The yield of 3-HP in recombinant strain Po1f-NC-14 in shake flask fermentation reached 1.128 g·L^-1, and the yield in fed-batch fermentation reached 16.23 g·L^-1. These results are highly competitive compared to other yeast chassis cells. This study creates the foundation for the production of 3-HP in Y. lipolytica and also provides a reference for further research in the future.

Design and Assembly of a Biofactory for (2S)-Naringenin Production in Escherichia coli: Effects of Oxygen Transfer on Yield and Gene Expression

The molecule (2S)-naringenin is a scaffold molecule with several nutraceutical properties. Currently, (2S)-naringenin is obtained through chemical synthesis and plant isolation. However, these methods have several drawbacks. Thus, heterologous biosynthesis has emerged as a viable alternative to its production. Recently, (2S)-naringenin production studies in Escherichia coli have used different tools to increase its yield up to 588 mg/L. In this study, we designed and assembled a bio-factory for (2S)-naringenin production. Firstly, we used several parametrized algorithms to identify the shortest pathway for producing (2S)-naringenin in E. coli, selecting the genes phenylalanine ammonia lipase (pal), 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4cl), chalcone synthase (chs), and chalcone isomerase (chi) for the biosynthetic pathway. Then, we evaluated the effect of oxygen transfer on the production of (2S)-naringenin at flask (50 mL) and bench (4 L culture) scales. At the flask scale, the agitation rate varied between 50 rpm and 250 rpm. At the bench scale, the dissolved oxygen was kept constant at 5% DO (dissolved oxygen) and 40% DO, obtaining the highest (2S)-naringenin titer (3.11 ± 0.14 g/L). Using genome-scale modeling, gene expression analysis (RT-qPCR) of oxygen-sensitive genes was obtained.

Malonyl-CoA Accumulation as a Compensatory Cytoprotective Mechanism in Cardiac Cells in Response to 7-Ketocholesterol-Induced Growth Retardation

The major oxidized product of cholesterol, 7-Ketocholesterol (7KCh), causes cellular oxidative damage. In the present study, we investigated the physiological responses of cardiomyocytes to 7KCh. A 7KCh treatment inhibited the growth of cardiac cells and their mitochondrial oxygen consumption. It was accompanied by a compensatory increase in mitochondrial mass and adaptive metabolic remodeling. The application of [U-¹³C] glucose labeling revealed an increased production of malonyl-CoA but a decreased formation of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) in the 7KCh-treated cells. The flux of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle decreased, while that of anaplerotic reaction increased, suggesting a net conversion of pyruvate to malonyl-CoA. The accumulation of malonyl-CoA inhibited the carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) activity, probably accounting for the 7-KCh-induced suppression of β-oxidation. We further examined the physiological roles of malonyl-CoA accumulation. Treatment with the inhibitor of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase, which increased the intracellular malonyl-CoA level, mitigated the growth inhibitory effect of 7KCh, whereas the treatment with the inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which reduced malonyl-CoA content, aggravated such a growth inhibitory effect. Knockout of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase gene (Mlycd^-/-) alleviated the growth inhibitory effect of 7KCh. It was accompanied by improvement of the mitochondrial functions. These findings suggest that the formation of malonyl-CoA may represent a compensatory cytoprotective mechanism to sustain the growth of 7KCh-treated cells.

"Multiagent" Screening Improves Directed Enzyme Evolution by Identifying Epistatic Mutations

Enzyme evolution has enabled numerous advances in biotechnology and synthetic biology, yet still requires many iterative rounds of screening to identify optimal mutant sequences. This is due to the sparsity of the fitness landscape, which is caused by epistatic mutations that only offer improvements when combined with other mutations. We report an approach that incorporates diverse substrate analogues in the screening process, where multiple substrates act like multiple agents navigating the fitness landscape, identifying epistatic mutant residues without a need for testing the entire combinatorial search space. We initially validate this approach by engineering a malonyl-CoA synthetase and identify numerous epistatic mutations improving activity for several diverse substrates. The majority of these mutations would have been missed upon screening for a single substrate alone. We expect that this approach can accelerate a wide array of enzyme engineering programs.

The Classical, Yet Controversial, First Enzyme of Lipid Synthesis: Escherichia coli Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase

Escherichia coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the enzyme responsible for synthesis of malonyl-CoA, the building block of fatty acid synthesis, is the paradigm bacterial ACC. Many reports on the structures and stoichiometry of the four subunits comprising the active enzyme as well as on regulation of ACC activity and expression have appeared in the almost 20 years since this subject was last reviewed. This review seeks to update and expand on these reports.

Systematically Engineered Fatty Acid Catabolite Pathway for the Production of (2S)-Naringenin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The (2S)-naringenin is an important natural flavonoid with several bioactive effects on human health. It is also a key precursor in the biosynthesis of other high value compounds. The production of (2S)-naringenin is significantly influenced by the acetyl-CoA available in the cytosol. In this study, we increased the acetyl-CoA supply via the β-oxidation of fatty acids in the peroxisomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several lipases from different sources and PEX11, FOX1, FOX2, and FOX3, the key genes of the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, were overexpressed during the production of (2S)-naringenin in yeast. The level of acetyl-CoA was 0.205 nmol higher than that in the original strain and the production of (2S)-naringenin increased to 286.62 mg/g dry cell weight when PEX11 was overexpressed in S. cerevisiae strain L07. Remarkable (2S)-naringenin production (1129.44 mg/L) was achieved with fed-batch fermentation, with the highest titer reported in any microorganism. Our results demonstrated the use of fatty acid β-oxidation to increase the level of cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA and the production of its derivatives.

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C negatively regulates the endocannabinoid hydrolase ABHD6 in mice, depending on nutritional status

Background and Purpose

The enzyme α/β‐hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6), a new member of the endocannabinoid system, is a promising therapeutic target against neuronal‐related diseases. However, how ABHD6 activity is regulated is not known. ABHD6 coexists in protein complexes with the brain‐specific carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C (CPT1C). CPT1C is involved in neuro‐metabolic functions, depending on brain malonyl–CoA levels. Our aim was to study CPT1C–ABHD6 interaction and determine whether CPT1C is a key regulator of ABHD6 activity depending on nutritional status.

Experimental Approach

Co‐immunoprecipitation and FRET assays were used to explore ABHD6 interaction with CPT1C or modified malonyl–CoA‐insensitive or C‐terminal truncated CPT1C forms. Cannabinoid CB₁ receptor‐mediated signalling was investigated by determining cAMP levels. A novel highly sensitive fluorescent method was optimized to measure ABHD6 activity in non‐neuronal and neuronal cells and in brain tissues from wild‐type (WT) and CPT1C–KO mice.

Key Results

CPT1C interacted with ABHD6 and negatively regulated its hydrolase activity, thereby regulating 2‐AG downstream signalling. Accordingly, brain tissues of CPT1C–KO mice showed increased ABHD6 activity. CPT1C malonyl–CoA sensing was key to the regulatory role on ABHD6 activity and CB₁ receptor signalling. Fasting, which attenuates brain malonyl–CoA, significantly increased ABHD6 activity in hypothalamus from WT, but not CPT1C–KO, mice.

Conclusions and Implications

Our finding that negative regulation of ABHD6 activity, particularly in the hypothalamus, is sensitive to nutritional status throws new light on the characterization and the importance of the proteins involved as potential targets against diseases affecting the CNS.

(p)ppGpp/GTP and Malonyl-CoA Modulate Staphylococcus aureus Adaptation to FASII Antibiotics and Provide a Basis for Synergistic Bi-Therapy

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human bacterial pathogen for which new inhibitors are urgently needed. Antibiotic development has centered on the fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway, which provides the building blocks for bacterial membrane phospholipids.

Fatty acid biosynthesis (FASII) enzymes are considered valid targets for antimicrobial drug development against the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. However, incorporation of host fatty acids confers FASII antibiotic adaptation that compromises prospective treatments. S. aureus adapts to FASII inhibitors by first entering a nonreplicative latency period, followed by outgrowth. Here, we used transcriptional fusions and direct metabolite measurements to investigate the factors that dictate the duration of latency prior to outgrowth. We show that stringent response induction leads to repression of FASII and phospholipid synthesis genes. (p)ppGpp induction inhibits synthesis of malonyl-CoA, a molecule that derepresses FapR, a key regulator of FASII and phospholipid synthesis. Anti-FASII treatment also triggers transient expression of (p)ppGpp-regulated genes during the anti-FASII latency phase, with concomitant repression of FapR regulon expression. These effects are reversed upon outgrowth. GTP depletion, a known consequence of the stringent response, also occurs during FASII latency, and is proposed as the common signal linking these responses. We next showed that anti-FASII treatment shifts malonyl-CoA distribution between its interactants FapR and FabD, toward FapR, increasing expression of the phospholipid synthesis genes plsX and plsC during outgrowth. We conclude that components of the stringent response dictate malonyl-CoA availability in S. aureus FASII regulation, and contribute to latency prior to anti-FASII-adapted outgrowth. A combinatory approach, coupling a (p)ppGpp inducer and an anti-FASII, blocks S. aureus outgrowth, opening perspectives for bi-therapy treatment.

A Single Metabolite which Modulates Lipid Metabolism Alters Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Behavior and Promotes Lymphoid Reconstitution

Fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO), the breakdown of lipids, is a metabolic pathway used by various stem cells. FAO levels are generally high during quiescence and downregulated with proliferation. The endogenous metabolite malonyl-CoA modulates lipid metabolism as a reversible FAO inhibitor and as a substrate for de novo lipogenesis. Here we assessed whether malonyl-CoA can be exploited to steer the behavior of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), quiescent stem cells of clinical relevance. Treatment of mouse HSPCs in vitro with malonyl-CoA increases HSPC numbers compared with nontreated controls and ameliorates blood reconstitution capacity when transplanted in vivo, mainly through enhanced lymphoid reconstitution. Similarly, human HSPC numbers also increase upon malonyl-CoA treatment in vitro. These data corroborate that lipid metabolism can be targeted to direct cell fate and stem cell proliferation. Physiological modulation of metabolic pathways, rather than genetic or pharmacological inhibition, provides unique perspectives for stem cell manipulations in health and disease.

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Modulating lipid metabolism with malonyl-CoA increases murine HSPCs in vitro

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Malonyl-CoA promotes lymphoid cell fate of HSPCs in vitro and in vivo

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The myeloid bias in aged HSPCs is partially recovered with malonyl-CoA exposure

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Malonyl-CoA increases the numbers of human HSPCs in vitro

Peroxisomal oxidation of erucic acid suppresses mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation by stimulating malonyl-CoA formation in the rat liver

Feeding of rapeseed (canola) oil with a high erucic acid concentration is known to cause hepatic steatosis in animals. Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation plays a central role in liver lipid homeostasis, so it is possible that hepatic metabolism of erucic acid might decrease mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. However, the precise mechanistic relationship between erucic acid levels and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is unclear. Using male Sprague-Dawley rats, along with biochemical and molecular biology approaches, we report here that peroxisomal β-oxidation of erucic acid stimulates malonyl-CoA formation in the liver and thereby suppresses mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Excessive hepatic uptake and peroxisomal β-oxidation of erucic acid resulted in appreciable peroxisomal release of free acetate, which was then used in the synthesis of cytosolic acetyl-CoA. Peroxisomal metabolism of erucic acid also remarkably increased the cytosolic NADH/NAD⁺ ratio, suppressed sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity, and thereby activated acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which stimulated malonyl-CoA biosynthesis from acetyl-CoA. Chronic feeding of a diet including high-erucic-acid rapeseed oil diminished mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and caused hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in the rats. Of note, administration of a specific peroxisomal β-oxidation inhibitor attenuated these effects. Our findings establish a cross-talk between peroxisomal and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. They suggest that peroxisomal oxidation of long-chain fatty acids suppresses mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation by stimulating malonyl-CoA formation, which might play a role in fatty acid-induced hepatic steatosis and related metabolic disorders.

Coenzyme A and Its Thioester Pools in Obese Zucker and Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats

Feeding behavior is closely related to hypothalamic malonyl-CoA level in the brain and diet-induced obesity affects total CoA pools in liver. Herein, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the CoA pools formed in thirteen tissues of Zucker and Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. Hypothalamic malonyl-CoA levels in obese rats remained low and were almost the same as those of lean rats, despite obese rats having much higher content of leptin, insulin, and glucose in their sera. Regardless of the fa-genotypes, larger total CoA pools were formed in the livers of ZDF rats and the size of hepatic total CoA pools in Zucker rats showed almost one tenth of the size of ZDF rats. The decreased total CoA pool sizes in Zucker rats was observed in the brown adipose tissues, while ZDF-fatty rats possessed 6% of total CoA pool in the lean rats in response to fa deficiency. This substantially lower CoA content in the obese rats would be disadvantageous to non-shivering thermogenesis. Thus, comparing the intracellular CoA behaviors between Zucker and ZDF rats, as well as the lean and fatty rats of each strain would help to elucidate features of obesity and type 2 diabetes in combination with result (s) of differential gene expression analysis and/or comparative genomics.

Sensing of nutrients by CPT1C regulates late endosome/lysosome anterograde transport and axon growth

Anterograde transport of late endosomes or lysosomes (LE/Lys) is crucial for proper axon growth. However, the role of energetic nutrients has been poorly explored. Malonyl-CoA is a precursor of fatty acids, and its intracellular levels highly fluctuate depending on glucose availability or the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). We demonstrate in HeLa cells that carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C (CPT1C) senses malonyl-CoA and enhances LE/Lys anterograde transport by interacting with the endoplasmic reticulum protein protrudin and facilitating the transfer of Kinesin-1 from protrudin to LE/Lys. In cultured mouse cortical neurons, glucose deprivation, pharmacological activation of AMPK or inhibition of malonyl-CoA synthesis decreases LE/Lys abundance at the axon terminal, and shortens axon length in a CPT1C-dependent manner. These results identify CPT1C as a new regulator of anterograde LE/Lys transport in response to malonyl-CoA changes, and give insight into how axon growth is controlled by nutrients.

Expanding the Dynamic Range of a Transcription Factor-Based Biosensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Metabolite biosensors are useful tools for high-throughput screening approaches and pathway regulation approaches. An important feature of biosensors is the dynamic range. To expand the maximum dynamic range of a transcription factor-based biosensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using the fapO/FapR system from Bacillus subtilis as an example case, five native promoters, including constitutive and glucose-regulated ones, were modified. By evaluating different binding site (BS) positions in the core promoters, we identified locations that resulted in a high maximum dynamic range with low expression under repressed conditions. We further identified BS positions in the upstream element region of the TEF1 promoter that did not influence the native promoter strength but resulted in repression in the presence of a chimeric repressor consisting of FapR and the yeast repressor Mig1. These modified promoters with broad dynamic ranges will provide useful information for the engineering of future biosensors and their use in complex genetic circuits.

Mechanistic MALDI-TOF Cell-Based Assay for the Discovery of Potent and Specific Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitors

Human cancers require fatty acid synthase (FASN)-dependent de novo long-chain fatty acid synthesis for proliferation. FASN is therefore an attractive drug target, but fast technologies for reliable label-free cellular compound profiling are lacking. Recently, MALDI-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has emerged as an effective technology for discovery of recombinant protein target inhibitors. Here we present an automated, mechanistic MALDI-MS cell assay, which monitors accumulation of the FASN substrate, malonyl-coenzyme A (CoA), in whole cells with limited sample preparation. Profiling of inhibitors, including unpublished compounds, identified compound 1 as the most potent FASN inhibitor (1 nM in A549 cells) discovered to date. Moreover, cellular MALDI-MS assays enable parallel profiling of additional pathway metabolites. Surprisingly, several compounds triggered cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) but not malonyl-CoA accumulation indicating that they inhibit diacylglycerol generation but not FASN activity. Taken together, our study suggests that MALDI-MS cell assays may become important tools in drug profiling that provide additional mechanistic insights concerning compound action on metabolic pathways.

Development of a Genetically Encoded Biosensor for Detection of Polyketide Synthase Extender Units in Escherichia coli

The scaffolds of polyketides are constructed via assembly of extender units based on malonyl-CoA and its derivatives that are substituted at the C2-position with diverse chemical functionality. Subsequently, a transcription-factor-based biosensor for malonyl-CoA has proven to be a powerful tool for detecting malonyl-CoA, facilitating the dynamic regulation of malonyl-CoA biosynthesis and guiding high-throughput engineering of malonyl-CoA-dependent processes. Yet, a biosensor for the detection of malonyl-CoA derivatives has yet to be reported, severely restricting the application of high-throughput synthetic biology approaches to engineering extender unit biosynthesis and limiting the ability to dynamically regulate the biosynthesis of polyketide products that are dependent on such α-carboxyacyl-CoAs. Herein, the FapR biosensor was re-engineered and optimized for a range of mCoA concentrations across a panel of E. coli strains. The effector specificity of FapR was probed by cell-free transcription-translation, revealing that a variety of non-native and non-natural acyl-thioesters are FapR effectors. This FapR promiscuity proved sufficient for the detection of the polyketide extender unit methylmalonyl-CoA in E. coli, providing the first reported genetically encoded biosensor for this important metabolite. As such, the previously unknown broad effector promiscuity of FapR provides a platform to develop new tools and approaches that can be leveraged to overcome limitations of pathways that construct diverse α-carboxyacyl-CoAs and those that are dependent on them, including biofuels, antibiotics, anticancer drugs, and other value-added products.

Modulation of the central carbon metabolism of Corynebacterium glutamicum improves malonyl-CoA availability and increases plant polyphenol synthesis

In recent years microorganisms have been engineered towards synthesizing interesting plant polyphenols such as flavonoids and stilbenes from glucose. Currently, the low endogenous supply of malonyl-CoA, indispensable for plant polyphenol synthesis, impedes high product titers. Usually, limited malonyl-CoA availability during plant polyphenol production is avoided by supplementing fatty acid synthesis-inhibiting antibiotics such as cerulenin, which are known to increase the intracellular malonyl-CoA pool as a side effect. Motivated by the goal of microbial polyphenol synthesis being independent of such expensive additives, we used rational metabolic engineering approaches to modulate regulation of fatty acid synthesis and flux into the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) in Corynebacterium glutamicum strains capable of flavonoid and stilbene synthesis. Initial experiments showed that sole overexpression of genes coding for the native malonyl-CoA-forming acetyl-CoA carboxylase is not sufficient for increasing polyphenol production in C. glutamicum. Hence, the intracellular acetyl-CoA availability was also increased by reducing the flux into the TCA cycle through reduction of citrate synthase activity. In defined cultivation medium, the constructed C. glutamicum strains accumulated 24 mg·L ^-1 (0.088 mM) naringenin or 112 mg·L ^-1 (0.49 mM) resveratrol from glucose without supplementation of phenylpropanoid precursor molecules or any inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis.

Inhibition of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase by Phosphorylation or the Inhibitor ND-654 Suppresses Lipogenesis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rapidly increasing due to the prevalence of obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but the molecular triggers that initiate disease development are not fully understood. We demonstrate that mice with targeted loss-of-function point mutations within the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation sites on acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1 Ser79Ala) and ACC2 (ACC2 Ser212Ala) have increased liver de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and liver lesions. The same mutation in ACC1 also increases DNL and proliferation in human liver cancer cells. Consistent with these findings, a novel, liver-specific ACC inhibitor (ND-654) that mimics the effects of ACC phosphorylation inhibits hepatic DNL and the development of HCC, improving survival of tumor-bearing rats when used alone and in combination with the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib. These studies highlight the importance of DNL and dysregulation of AMPK-mediated ACC phosphorylation in accelerating HCC and the potential of ACC inhibitors for treatment.

Impairment of Angiogenesis by Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibition Involves mTOR Malonylation

The role of fatty acid synthesis in endothelial cells (ECs) remains incompletely characterized. We report that fatty acid synthase knockdown (FASN^KD) in ECs impedes vessel sprouting by reducing proliferation. Endothelial loss of FASN impaired angiogenesis in vivo, while FASN blockade reduced pathological ocular neovascularization, at >10-fold lower doses than used for anti-cancer treatment. Impaired angiogenesis was not due to energy stress, redox imbalance, or palmitate depletion. Rather, FASN^KD elevated malonyl-CoA levels, causing malonylation (a post-translational modification) of mTOR at lysine 1218 (K1218). mTOR K-1218 malonylation impaired mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase activity, thereby reducing phosphorylation of downstream targets (p70S6K/4EBP1). Silencing acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (an enzyme producing malonyl-CoA) normalized malonyl-CoA levels and reactivated mTOR in FASN^KD ECs. Mutagenesis unveiled the importance of mTOR K1218 malonylation for angiogenesis. This study unveils a novel role of FASN in metabolite signaling that contributes to explaining the anti-angiogenic effect of FASN blockade.

Repurposing type III polyketide synthase as a malonyl-CoA biosensor for metabolic engineering in bacteria

Malonyl-CoA is an important central metabolite for the production of diverse valuable chemicals including natural products, but its intracellular availability is often limited due to the competition with essential cellular metabolism. Several malonyl-CoA biosensors have been developed for high-throughput screening of targets increasing the malonyl-CoA pool. However, they are limited for use only in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and require multiple signal transduction steps. Here we report development of a colorimetric malonyl-CoA biosensor applicable in three industrially important bacteria: E. coli, Pseudomonas putida, and Corynebacterium glutamicum RppA, a type III polyketide synthase producing red-colored flaviolin, was repurposed as a malonyl-CoA biosensor in E. coli Strains with enhanced malonyl-CoA accumulation were identifiable by the colorimetric screening of cells showing increased red color. Other type III polyketide synthases could also be repurposed as malonyl-CoA biosensors. For target screening, a 1,858 synthetic small regulatory RNA library was constructed and applied to find 14 knockdown gene targets that generally enhanced malonyl-CoA level in E. coli These knockdown targets were applied to produce two polyketide (6-methylsalicylic acid and aloesone) and two phenylpropanoid (resveratrol and naringenin) compounds. Knocking down these genes alone or in combination, and also in multiple different E. coli strains for two polyketide cases, allowed rapid development of engineered strains capable of enhanced production of 6-methylsalicylic acid, aloesone, resveratrol, and naringenin to 440.3, 30.9, 51.8, and 103.8 mg/L, respectively. The malonyl-CoA biosensor developed here is a simple tool generally applicable to metabolic engineering of microorganisms to achieve enhanced production of malonyl-CoA-derived chemicals.

A conserved mammalian mitochondrial isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase ACC1 provides the malonyl-CoA essential for mitochondrial biogenesis in tandem with ACSF3

Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFAS) is a highly conserved pathway essential for mitochondrial biogenesis. The mtFAS process is required for mitochondrial respiratory chain assembly and function, synthesis of the lipoic acid cofactor indispensable for the function of several mitochondrial enzyme complexes and essential for embryonic development in mice. Mutations in human mtFAS have been reported to lead to neurodegenerative disease. The source of malonyl-CoA for mtFAS in mammals has remained unclear. We report the identification of a conserved vertebrate mitochondrial isoform of ACC1 expressed from an ACACA transcript splicing variant. A specific knockdown (KD) of the corresponding transcript in mouse cells, or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated inactivation of the putative mitochondrial targeting sequence in human cells, leads to decreased lipoylation and mitochondrial fragmentation. Simultaneous KD of ACSF3, encoding a mitochondrial malonyl-CoA synthetase previously implicated in the mtFAS process, resulted in almost complete ablation of protein lipoylation, indicating that these enzymes have a redundant function in mtFAS. The discovery of a mitochondrial isoform of ACC1 required for lipoic acid synthesis has intriguing consequences for our understanding of mitochondrial disorders, metabolic regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and cancer.

Acetyl CoA Carboxylase Inhibition Reduces Hepatic Steatosis but Elevates Plasma Triglycerides in Mice and Humans: A Bedside to Bench Investigation

Inhibiting lipogenesis prevents hepatic steatosis in rodents with insulin resistance. To determine if reducing lipogenesis functions similarly in humans, we developed MK-4074, a liver-specific inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1) and (ACC2), enzymes that produce malonyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis. MK-4074 administered to subjects with hepatic steatosis for 1 month lowered lipogenesis, increased ketones, and reduced liver triglycerides by 36%. Unexpectedly, MK-4074 increased plasma triglycerides by 200%. To further investigate, mice that lack ACC1 and ACC2 in hepatocytes (ACC dLKO) were generated. Deletion of ACCs decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations in liver due to reduced malonyl-CoA, which is required for elongation of essential fatty acids. PUFA deficiency induced SREBP-1c, which increased GPAT1 expression and VLDL secretion. PUFA supplementation or siRNA-mediated knockdown of GPAT1 normalized plasma triglycerides. Thus, inhibiting lipogenesis in humans reduced hepatic steatosis, but inhibiting ACC resulted in hypertriglyceridemia due to activation of SREBP-1c and increased VLDL secretion.

Increasing Malonyl-CoA Derived Product through Controlling the Transcription Regulators of Phospholipid Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Malonyl-CoA is a precursor of a variety of compounds such as polyketides and flavonoids. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, malonyl-CoA concentration is tightly regulated and therefore maintained at a very low level, limiting the production of malonyl-CoA-derived chemicals. Here we manipulated the phospholipid synthesis transcriptional regulators to control the malonyl-CoA levels and increase the downstream product. Through manipulating different regulators including Ino2p, Ino4p, Opi1p, and a series of synthetic Ino2p variants, combining with studying the inositol and choline effect, the engineered strain achieved a 9-fold increase of the titer of malonyl-CoA-derived product 3-hydroxypropionic acid, which is among the highest improvement relative to previously reported strategies. Our study provides a new strategy to regulate malonyl-CoA availability and will contribute to the production of other highly valued malonyl-CoA-derived chemicals.

The acyl-activating enzyme PhAAE13 is an alternative enzymatic source of precursors for anthocyanin biosynthesis in petunia flowers

Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids, are responsible for the orange to blue coloration of flowers and act as visual attractors to aid pollination and seed dispersal. Malonyl-CoA is the precursor for the formation of flavonoids and anthocyanins. Previous studies have suggested that malonyl-CoA is formed almost exclusively by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the ATP-dependent formation of malonyl-CoA from acetyl-CoA and bicarbonate. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of Petunia hybrida acyl-activating enzyme 13 (PhAAE13), a member of clade VII of the AAE superfamily that encodes malonyl-CoA synthetase, was isolated. The expression of PhAAE13 was highest in corollas and was down-regulated by ethylene. Virus-induced gene silencing of petunia PhAAE13 significantly reduced anthocyanin accumulation, fatty acid content, and cuticular wax components content, and increased malonic acid content in flowers. The silencing of PhAAE3 and PhAAE14, the other two genes in clade VII of the AAE superfamily, did not change the anthocyanin content in petunia flowers. This study provides strong evidence indicating that PhAAE13, among clade VII of the AAE superfamily, is specifically involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in petunia flowers.

Recent advances in targeting the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway using fatty acid synthase inhibitors

INTRODUCTION

Elevated lipogenesis has been associated with a variety of diseases including obesity, cancer and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fatty acid synthase (FASN) plays a pivotal role in de novo lipogenesis, making this multi-catalytic protein an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Recently, the first FASN inhibitor successfully advanced through the drug development process and entered clinical evaluation in oncology. Areas covered: This review discusses the biological roles of FASN in three prominent disease areas: cancer, obesity-related disorders and NAFLD. Recent advances in drug discovery strategies and design of newer FASN inhibitors are also highlighted. Expert opinion: Despite the abundance of evidence linking the lipogenic pathway to cancer, progression of FASN-targeted molecules has been rather slow and challenging and no compounds have moved past the preclinical phase. The landscape has recently changed with the recent advancement of the first FASN inhibitor into clinical evaluation for solid tumors. Needless to say, the successful translation into the clinical setting will open opportunities for expanding the therapeutic utility of FASN inhibitors not just in oncology but in other diseases associated with elevated lipogenesis such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and NAFLD.

Thymoquinone, a bioactive component of Nigella sativa, normalizes insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells under glucose overload via regulation of malonyl-CoA

Thymoquinone (2-isopropyl-5-methylbenzo-1,4-quinone) is a major bioactive component of Nigella sativa, a plant used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of symptoms, including elevated blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Normalization of elevated blood glucose depends on both glucose disposal by peripheral tissues and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from pancreatic β-cells. We employed clonal β-cells and rodent islets to investigate the effects of thymoquinone (TQ) and Nigella sativa extracts (NSEs) on GSIS and cataplerotic metabolic pathways implicated in the regulation of GSIS. TQ and NSE regulated NAD(P)H/NAD(P)(+) ratios via a quinone-dependent redox cycling mechanism. TQ content was positively correlated with the degree of redox cycling activity of NSE extracts, suggesting that TQ is a major component engaged in mediating NSE-dependent redox cycling. Both acute and chronic exposure to TQ and NSE enhanced GSIS and were associated with the ability of TQ and NSE to increase the ATP/ADP ratio. Furthermore, TQ ameliorated the impairment of GSIS following chronic exposure of β-cells to glucose overload. This protective action was associated with the TQ-dependent normalization of chronic accumulation of malonyl-CoA, elevation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase, and fatty acid-binding proteins following chronic glucose overload. Together, these data suggest that TQ modulates the β-cell redox circuitry and enhances the sensitivity of β-cell metabolic pathways to glucose and GSIS under normal conditions as well as under hyperglycemia. This action is associated with the ability of TQ to regulate carbohydrate-to-lipid flux via downregulation of ACC and malonyl-CoA.

Development of a Synthetic Malonyl-CoA Sensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Intracellular Metabolite Monitoring and Genetic Screening

Genetic sensors capable of converting key metabolite levels to fluorescence signals enable the monitoring of intracellular compound concentrations in living cells, and emerge as an efficient tool in high-throughput genetic screening. However, the development of genetic sensors in yeasts lags far behind their development in bacteria. Here we report the design of a malonyl-CoA sensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using an adapted bacterial transcription factor FapR and its corresponding operator fapO to gauge intracellular malonyl-CoA levels. By combining this sensor with a genome-wide overexpression library, we identified two novel gene targets that improved intracellular malonyl-CoA concentration. We further utilized the resulting recombinant yeast strain to produce a valuable compound, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, from malonyl-CoA and enhanced its titer by 120%. Such a genetic sensor provides a powerful approach for genome-wide screening and could further improve the synthesis of a large range of chemicals derived from malonyl-CoA in yeast.

Development of a Medium-Throughput Targeted LCMS Assay to Detect Endogenous Cellular Levels of Malonyl-CoA to Screen Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitors

The fatty acid synthase (FAS) enzyme in mammalian cells is a large multidomain protein responsible for de novo synthesis of fatty acids. The steps catalyzed by FAS involve the condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA moieties in the presence of NADPH until palmitate is formed. Inhibition of FAS causes an accumulation of intracellular malonyl-CoA, as this metabolite is essentially committed to fatty acid synthesis once formed. Detection of intracellular metabolites for screening can be problematic due to a lack of appropriate tools, but here we describe a targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LCMS) method to directly measure endogenous levels of malonyl-CoA to drive a drug development structure-activity relationship (SAR) screening cascade. Our process involves preparation of samples at 96-well scale, normalization postpermeabilization via use of a whole-well imaging platform, and the LCMS detection methodology. The assay is amenable to multiplexing cellular endpoints, has a typical Z' of >0.6, and has high reproducibility of EC50 values.

A Sense of Balance: Experimental Investigation and Modeling of a Malonyl-CoA Sensor in Escherichia coli

Production of value-added chemicals in microorganisms is regarded as a viable alternative to chemical synthesis. In the past decade, several engineered pathways producing such chemicals, including plant secondary metabolites in microorganisms have been reported; upscaling their production yields, however, was often challenging. Here, we analyze a modular device designed for sensing malonyl-CoA, a common precursor for both fatty acid and flavonoid biosynthesis. The sensor can be used either for high-throughput pathway screening in synthetic biology applications or for introducing a feedback circuit to regulate production of the desired chemical. Here, we used the sensor to compare the performance of several predicted malonyl-CoA-producing pathways, and validated the utility of malonyl-CoA reductase and malonate-CoA transferase for malonyl-CoA biosynthesis. We generated a second-order dynamic linear model describing the relation of the fluorescence generated by the sensor to the biomass of the host cell representing a filter/amplifier with a gain that correlates with the level of induction. We found the time constants describing filter dynamics to be independent of the level of induction but distinctively clustered for each of the production pathways, indicating the robustness of the sensor. Moreover, by monitoring the effect of the copy-number of the production plasmid on the dose–response curve of the sensor, we managed to coarse-tune the level of pathway expression to maximize malonyl-CoA synthesis. In addition, we provide an example of the sensor’s use in analyzing the effect of inducer or substrate concentrations on production levels. The rational development of models describing sensors, supplemented with the power of high-throughput optimization provide a promising potential for engineering feedback loops regulating enzyme levels to maximize productivity yields of synthetic metabolic pathways.

Negative feedback regulation of fatty acid production based on a malonyl-CoA sensor-actuator

Engineering metabolic biosynthetic pathways has enabled the microbial production of many useful chemicals. However, pathway productivities and yields are often limited by metabolic imbalances. Synthetic regulatory circuits have been shown to be able to balance engineered pathways, improving titers and productivities. Here we developed a negative feedback regulatory circuit based on a malonyl-CoA-based sensor-actuator. Malonyl-CoA is biosynthesized from acetyl-CoA by the acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which is the rate-limiting step for fatty acid biosynthesis. Overexpression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase improves fatty acid production, but slows down cell growth. We have devised a malonyl-CoA sensor-actuator that controls gene expression levels based on intracellular malonyl-CoA concentrations. This sensor-actuator is used to construct a negative feedback circuit to regulate the expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The negative feedback circuit is able to up-regulate acetyl-CoA carboxylase expression when the malonyl-CoA concentration is low and down-regulate acetyl-CoA carboxylase expression when excess amounts of malonyl-CoA have accumulated. We show that the regulatory circuit effectively alleviates the toxicity associated with acetyl-CoA carboxylase overexpression. When used to regulate the fatty acid pathway, the feedback circuit increases fatty acid titer and productivity by 34% and 33%, respectively.

Effects of chronic mild food restriction on behavior and the hypothalamic malonyl-CoA signaling pathway

Depression induces anorexia, leading to suppressed feeding behaviors and energy intake. Previously, we revealed that chronic social defeat induced a mild suppression of feeding in rats with elevated levels of hypothalamic malonyl-CoA which regulates feeding. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the effects of chronic mild food restriction on behavior and on hypothalamic malonyl-CoA. The chronic mild food restricted rats were fed a restricted diet approximately 80% to 90% amount of diet compared to the control for 5 weeks. Ratios of restriction were adjusted with feed consumption in the chronic social defeat stressed rats. Chronic mild food restricted rats exhibited a suppression of body weight gain similar to that of the chronic social defeat stressed rats. Also these rats showed increased time spent in the center area of an open field (OF), prolonged immobility time in forced swim, increased phosphorylation of hypothalamic adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase and a decreased concentration of hypothalamic malonyl-CoA. Weight of the adrenal glands, locomotion in an OF, mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II in the hippocampus were not affected by chronic mild food restriction. Our findings suggest that chronic mild food restriction activates AMPK following a decreased hypothalamic malonyl-CoA.

Coupled incremental precursor and co-factor supply improves 3-hydroxypropionic acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is an attractive platform chemical, which can be used to produce a variety of commodity chemicals, such as acrylic acid and acrylamide. For enabling a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals as the feedstock for these commercially important chemicals, fermentative production of 3-HP is widely investigated and is centered on bacterial systems in most cases. However, bacteria present certain drawbacks for large-scale organic acid production. In this study, we have evaluated the production of 3-HP in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae through a route from malonyl-CoA, because this allows performing the fermentation at low pH thus making the overall process cheaper. We have further engineered the host strain by increasing availability of the precursor malonyl-CoA and by coupling the production with increased NADPH supply we were able to substantially improve 3-HP production by five-fold, up to a final titer of 463 mg l⁻¹. Our work thus led to a demonstration of 3-HP production in yeast via the malonyl-CoA pathway, and this opens for the use of yeast as a cell factory for production of bio-based 3-HP and derived acrylates in the future.

The AT₂ domain of KirCI loads malonyl extender units to the ACPs of the kirromycin PKS

The antibiotic kirromycin is assembled by a hybrid modular polyketide synthases (PKSs)/nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). Five of six PKSs of this complex assembly line do not have acyltransferase (AT) and have to recruit this activity from discrete AT enzymes. Here, we show that KirCI is a discrete AT which is involved in kirromycin production and displays a rarely found three-domain architecture (AT₁-AT₂-ER). We demonstrate that the second AT domain, KirCI-AT₂, but not KirCI-AT₁, is the malonyl-CoA-specific AT which utilizes this precursor for loading the acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) of the trans-AT PKS in vitro. In the kirromycin biosynthetic pathway, ACP5 is exclusively loaded with ethylmalonate by the enzyme KirCII and is not recognized as a substrate by KirCI. Interestingly, the excised KirCI-AT₂ can also transfer malonate to ACP5 and thus has a relaxed ACP-specificity compared to the entire KirCI protein. The ability of KirCI-AT₂ to load different ACPs provides opportunities for AT engineering as a potential strategy for polyketide diversification.

Skeletal muscle fat metabolism after exercise in humans: influence of fat availability

The mechanisms facilitating increased skeletal muscle fat oxidation following prolonged, strenuous exercise remain poorly defined. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) availability on intramuscular malonyl-CoA concentration and the regulation of whole-body fat metabolism during a 6-h postexercise recovery period. Eight endurance-trained men performed three trials, consisting of 1.5 h high-intensity and exhaustive exercise, followed by infusion of saline, saline + nicotinic acid (NA; low FFA), or Intralipid and heparin [high FFA (HFA)]. Muscle biopsies were obtained at the end of exercise (0 h) and at 3 and 6 h in recovery. Ingestion of NA suppressed the postexercise plasma FFA concentration throughout recovery (P < 0.01), except at 4 h. The alteration of the availability of plasma FFA during recovery induced a significant increase in whole-body fat oxidation during the 6-h period for HFA (52.2 ± 4.8 g) relative to NA (38.4 ± 3.1 g; P < 0.05); however, this response was unrelated to changes in skeletal muscle malonyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)β phosphorylation, suggesting mechanisms other than phosphorylation-mediated changes in ACC activity may have a role in regulating fat metabolism in human skeletal muscle during postexercise recovery. Despite marked changes in plasma FFA availability, no significant changes in intramuscular triglyceride concentrations were detected. These data suggest that the regulation of postexercise skeletal muscle fat oxidation in humans involves factors other than the 5'AMP-activated protein kinase-ACCβ-malonyl-CoA signaling pathway, although malonyl-CoA-mediated regulation cannot be excluded completely in the acute recovery period.

Expression of carnitine palmitoyl-CoA transferase-1B is influenced by a cis-acting eQTL in two chicken lines selected for high and low body weight

Carnitine palmitoyl-CoA transferase-1B is a mitochondrial enzyme in the fatty acid oxidation pathway. In a previous study, CPT1B was identified as differentially expressed in the hypothalamus of two lines of chickens established by long-term selection for high (HWS) or low (LWS) body weight. Mammals have three paralogs (CPT1a, b and c) while nonmammalian vertebrates only have two (CPT1A, B). CPT1A is expressed in liver and CPT1B in muscle. CPT1c is expressed in hypothalamus, where it regulates feeding and energy expenditure. We identified an intronic length polymorphism, fixed for different alleles in the two populations, and mapped the hitherto missing CPT1B locus in the chicken genome assembly, to the distal tip of chromosome 1p. Based on molecular phylogeny and gene synteny we suggest that chicken CPT1B is pro-orthologous of the mammalian CPT1c. Chicken CPT1B was differentially expressed in both muscle and hypothalamus but in opposite directions: higher levels in hypothalamus but lower levels in muscle in the HWS than in the LWS line. Using an advanced intercross population of the lines, we found CPT1B expression to be influenced by a cis-acting expression quantitative trait locus in muscle. The increased expression in hypothalamus and reduced expression in muscle is consistent with an increased food intake in the HWS line and at the same time reduced fatty acid oxidation in muscle yielding a net accumulation of energy intake and storage. The altered expression of CPT1B in hypothalamus and peripheral tissue is likely to be a mechanism contributing to the remarkable difference between lines.

Fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans triggered by the electrophilic lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)

Deposition and mobilization of fat in an organism are tightly controlled by multiple levels of endocrine and neuroendocrine regulation. Because these hormonal mechanisms ultimately act by affecting biochemical reactions of fat synthesis or utilization, obesity could be also modulated by altering directly the underlying lipid biochemistry. We have previously shown that genetically modified mice with an elevated level of the lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE become obese. We now demonstrate that the process is phylogenetically conserved and thus likely to be universal. In the nematode C. elegans, disruption of either conjugation or oxidation of 4-HNE leads to fat accumulation, whereas augmentation of 4-HNE conjugation results in a lean phenotype. Moreover, direct treatment of C. elegans with synthetic 4-HNE causes increased lipid storage, directly demonstrating a causative role of 4-HNE. The postulated mechanism, which involves modulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity, could contribute to the triggering and maintenance of the obese phenotype on a purely metabolic level.