Gavalda_2009_J.Biol.Chem_284_19255

The last steps of the biosynthesis of mycolic acids, essential and specific lipids of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related bacteria, are catalyzed by proteins encoded by the fadD32-pks13-accD4 cluster. Here, we produced and purified an active form of the Pks13 polyketide synthase, with a phosphopantetheinyl (P-pant) arm at both positions Ser-55 and Ser-1266 of its two acyl carrier protein (ACP) domains. Combination of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of protein tryptic digests and radiolabeling experiments showed that, in vitro, the enzyme specifically loads long-chain 2-carboxyacyl-CoA substrates onto the P-pant arm of its C-terminal ACP domain via the acyltransferase domain. The acyl-AMPs produced by the FadD32 enzyme are specifically transferred onto the ketosynthase domain after binding to the P-pant moiety of the N-terminal ACP domain of Pks13 (N-ACP(Pks13)). Unexpectedly, however, the latter step requires the presence of active FadD32. Thus, the couple FadD32-(N-ACP(Pks13)) composes the initiation module of the mycolic condensation system. Pks13 ultimately condenses the two loaded fatty acyl chains to produce alpha-alkyl beta-ketoacids, the precursors of mycolic acids. The developed in vitro assay will constitute a strategic tool for antimycobacterial drug screening.