Enoyl-ACP reductase

Definition

Enoyl-ACP reductase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. It catalyzes the reduction of the enoyl intermediate, a key step in the iterative elongation of fatty acid chains.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Enoyl-ACP reductase catalyzes the final step in each cycle of fatty acid elongation, reducing the enoyl intermediate to an alkyl intermediate.
2. This enzyme utilizes NADPH as a cofactor to drive the reduction reaction, which is essential for the continued growth of the fatty acid chain.
3. Inhibition of enoyl-ACP reductase can disrupt fatty acid biosynthesis and has been explored as a potential target for antimicrobial and herbicidal compounds.
4. The enoyl-ACP reductase enzyme is part of the fatty acid synthase complex, which is responsible for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids in organisms.
5. Regulation of enoyl-ACP reductase activity can influence the overall rate of fatty acid production and the distribution of different fatty acid chain lengths.

Review Questions

• Describe the role of enoyl-ACP reductase in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway.
  • Enoyl-ACP reductase catalyzes a key step in the iterative elongation of fatty acid chains during de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. It reduces the enoyl intermediate, which is a crucial intermediate in the pathway, to an alkyl intermediate using NADPH as a cofactor. This reduction reaction is essential for the continued growth and elongation of the fatty acid chain, allowing the pathway to proceed to the next cycle of elongation.
• Explain how the inhibition of enoyl-ACP reductase can be exploited for potential antimicrobial or herbicidal applications.
  • Since enoyl-ACP reductase is a key enzyme in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, its inhibition can disrupt the ability of organisms to synthesize fatty acids, which are essential for cell membrane formation and other vital cellular processes. By targeting enoyl-ACP reductase, antimicrobial or herbicidal compounds can effectively inhibit the growth and proliferation of microorganisms or plants, making it a potential target for the development of new therapeutic or agricultural agents.
• Discuss how the regulation of enoyl-ACP reductase activity can influence the overall rate of fatty acid production and the distribution of different fatty acid chain lengths.
  • The activity of enoyl-ACP reductase can be regulated by various mechanisms, such as allosteric regulation, post-translational modifications, or the availability of cofactors like NADPH. Changes in enoyl-ACP reductase activity can directly impact the rate of fatty acid biosynthesis, as this enzyme catalyzes a critical step in the elongation process. Furthermore, the regulation of enoyl-ACP reductase can influence the distribution of different fatty acid chain lengths produced, as the enzyme's efficiency and kinetics can favor the formation of shorter or longer fatty acid chains. This regulation of enoyl-ACP reductase is important for organisms to modulate their fatty acid profiles to meet their specific physiological and metabolic needs.

Related terms

Fatty acid biosynthesis: The metabolic pathway that synthesizes fatty acids from acetyl-CoA and NADPH, involving a series of enzymatic reactions.

Acetyl-CoA: A key metabolic intermediate that serves as the starting point for fatty acid synthesis and other anabolic pathways.

Acyl carrier protein (ACP): A cofactor that binds and carries the growing fatty acid chain during the biosynthesis process.