Mapping the Functional Topology of the Animal Fatty Acid Synthase by Mutant Complementation in Vitro

An in vitro mutant complementation approach has been used to map the functional topology of the animal fatty acid synthase. A series of knockout mutants was engineered, each mutant compromised in one of the seven functional domains, and heterodimers generated by hybridizing all possible combinations of the mutated subunits were isolated and characterized. Heterodimers comprised of a subunit containing either a β-ketoacyl synthase or malonyl/acetyltransferase mutant, paired with a subunit containing mutations in any one of the other five domains, are active in fatty acid synthesis. Heterodimers in which both subunits carry a knockout mutation in either the dehydrase, enoyl reductase, keto reductase, or acyl carrier protein are inactive. Heterodimers comprised of a subunit containing a thioesterase mutation paired with a subunit containing a mutation in either the dehydrase, enoyl reductase, β-ketoacyl reductase, or acyl carrier protein domains exhibit very low fatty acid synthetic ability. The results are ...