Heptanoic and medium branched-chain fatty acids as anaplerotic treatment for medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Triheptanoin (triheptanoylglycerol) has shown value as anaplerotic therapy for patients with long chain fatty acid oxidation disorders but is contraindicated in medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency. In search for anaplerotic therapy for patients with MCAD deficiency, fibroblasts from three patients homozygous for the most common mutation, ACADMG985A/G985A, were treated with fatty acids hypothesized not to require MCAD for their metabolism, including heptanoic (C7; the active component of triheptanoin), 2,6-dimethylheptanoic (dMC7), 6-amino-2,4-dimethylheptanoic (AdMC7), or 4,8-dimethylnonanoic (dMC9) acids. Their effectiveness as anaplerotic fatty acids was assessed in live cells by monitoring changes in cellular oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and mitochondrial protein lysine succinylation, which reflects cellular succinyl-CoA levels, using immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Krebs cycle intermediates were also quantitated in these cells using targeted metabolomics. The four fatty acids induced positive changes in OCR parameters, consistent with their oxidative catalysis and utilization. Increases in cellular IF staining of succinylated lysines were observed, indicating that the fatty acids were effective sources of succinyl-CoA in the absence of media glucose, pyruvate, and lipids. The ability of MCAD deficient cells to metabolize C7 was confirmed by the ability of extracts to enzymatically utilize C7-CoA as substrate but not C8-CoA. To evaluate C7 therapeutic potential in vivo, Acadm-/- mice were treated with triheptanoin for seven days. Dose dependent increase in plasma levels of heptanoyl-, valeryl-, and propionylcarnitine indicated efficient metabolism of the medication. The pattern of the acylcarnitine profile paralleled resolution of liver pathology including reversing hepatic steatosis, increasing hepatic glycogen content, and increasing hepatocyte protein succinylation, all indicating improved energy homeostasis in the treated mice. These results provide the impetus to evaluate triheptanoin and the medium branched chain fatty acids as potential therapeutic agents for patients with MCAD deficiency.

Diversity and novel mutations in membrane transporters of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), encodes a family of membrane proteins belonging to Resistance-Nodulation-Cell Division (RND) permeases also called multidrug resistance pumps. Mycobacterial membrane protein Large (MmpL) transporters represent a subclass of RND transporters known to participate in exporting of lipid components across the cell envelope. These proteins perform an essential role in MTB survival; however, there are no data regarding mutations in MmpL, polyketide synthase (PKS) and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase FadE proteins from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study aimed to screen mutations in transmembrane transporter proteins including MmpL, PKS and Fad through whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in local isolates of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Fourteen samples were collected from TB patients and drug susceptibility testing was performed. However, only three samples were completely sequenced. Moreover, 209 whole-genome sequences of the same geography were also retrieved from NCBI GenBank to analyze the diversity of mutations in MmpL, PKS and Fad proteins. Among the 212 WGS (Accession ID: PRJNA629298, PRJNA629388, and ERR2510337-ERR2510345, ERR2510546-ERR2510645), numerous mutations in Fad (n = 756), PKS (n = 479), and MmpL (n = 306) have been detected. Some novel mutations were also detected in MmpL, PKS and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase Fad. Novel mutations including Asn576Ser in MmpL8, Val943Gly in MmpL9 and Asn145Asp have been detected in MmpL3. The presence of a large number of mutations in the MTB membrane may have functional consequences on proteins. However, further experimental studies are needed to elucidate the variants' effect on MmpL, PKS and FadE functions.

An unusual presentation of type III late onset multiple-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency leading to a review of its classification system.

Multiple-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder which can be split into three types. Type III MADD is associated with acute or subacute proximal muscle weakness and other variable non-specific features making it a challenging diagnosis for the clinician. This case report describes MADD in a 64 year-old lady, thought to be one of the latest first presentations of the disease. Unusually for this condition, the initial presentation was with dyspnoea. Furthermore, since this case provides further evidence that gene variants can predict age of onset, we advocate for further subclassification of type III MADD into late onset MADD (LO-MADD) when homozygous gene variants are present and very LO-MADD when heterozygous gene variants are found.

Optic neuropathy linked to ACAD9 pathogenic variants: A potentially riboflavin-responsive disorder?

Mitochondrial complex I (CI) deficiencies (OMIM 252010) are the commonest inherited mitochondrial disorders in children. Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD9) is a flavoenzyme involved chiefly in CI assembly and possibly in fatty acid oxidation. Biallelic pathogenic variants result in CI dysfunction, with a phenotype ranging from early onset and sometimes fatal mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis to late-onset exercise intolerance. Cardiomyopathy is often associated. We report a patient with childhood-onset optic and peripheral neuropathy without cardiac involvement, related to CI deficiency. Genetic analysis revealed compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in ACAD9, expanding the clinical spectrum associated to ACAD9 mutations. Importantly, riboflavin treatment (15 mg/kg/day) improved long-distance visual acuity and demonstrated significant rescue of CI activity in vitro.

LncMyoD Promotes Skeletal Myogenesis and Regulates Skeletal Muscle Fiber-Type Composition by Sponging miR-370-3p.

The development of skeletal muscle is a highly ordered and complex biological process. Increasing evidence has shown that noncoding RNAs, especially long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs, play a vital role in the development of myogenic processes. In this study, we observed that lncMyoD regulates myogenesis and changes myofiber-type composition. miR-370-3p, which is directly targeted by lncMyoD, promoted myoblast proliferation and inhibited myoblast differentiation in the C2C12 cell line, which serves as a valuable model for studying muscle development. In addition, the inhibition of miR-370-3p promoted fast-twitch fiber transition. Further analysis indicated that acyl-Coenzyme A dehydrogenase, short/branched chain (ACADSB) is a target gene of miR-370-3p, which is also involved in myoblast differentiation and fiber-type transition. Furthermore, our data suggested that miR-370-3p was sponged by lncMyoD. In contrast with miR-370-3p, lncMyoD promoted fast-twitch fiber transition. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-370-3p regulates myoblast differentiation and muscle fiber transition and is sponged by lncMyoD.

Convergent Evolution of a Promiscuous 3-Hydroxypropionyl-CoA Dehydratase/Crotonyl-CoA Hydratase in Crenarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota.

The autotrophic 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (HP/HB) cycle functions in thermoacidophilic, (micro)aerobic, hydrogen-oxidizing Crenarchaeota of the order Sulfolobales as well as in mesophilic, aerobic, ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota. Notably, the HP/HB cycle evolved independently in these two archaeal lineages, and crenarchaeal and thaumarchaeal versions differ regarding their enzyme properties and phylogeny. These differences result in altered energetic efficiencies between the variants. Compared to the crenarchaeal HP/HB cycle, the thaumarchaeal variant saves two ATP equivalents per turn, rendering it the most energy-efficient aerobic pathway for carbon fixation. Characteristically, the HP/HB cycle includes two enoyl coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase reactions: the 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydratase reaction and the crotonyl-CoA hydratase reaction. In this study, we show that both reactions are catalyzed in the aforementioned archaeal groups by a promiscuous 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydratase/crotonyl-CoA hydratase (Msed_2001 in crenarchaeon Metallosphaera sedula and Nmar_1308 in thaumarchaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus). Although these two enzymes are homologous, they are closely related to bacterial enoyl-CoA hydratases and were retrieved independently from the same enzyme pool by the ancestors of Crenarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota, despite the existence of multiple alternatives. This striking similarity in the emergence of enzymes involved in inorganic carbon fixation from two independently evolved pathways highlights that convergent evolution of autotrophy could be much more widespread than anticipated.IMPORTANCE Inorganic carbon fixation is the most important biosynthetic process on Earth and the oldest type of metabolism. The autotrophic HP/HB cycle functions in Crenarchaeota of the order Sulfolobales and in ammonia-oxidizing Archaea of the phylum Thaumarchaeota that are highly abundant in marine, terrestrial, and geothermal environments. Bioinformatic prediction of the autotrophic potential of microorganisms or microbial communities requires identification of enzymes involved in autotrophy. However, many microorganisms possess several isoenzymes that may potentially catalyze the reactions of the cycle. Here, we studied the enzymes catalyzing 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydration and crotonyl-CoA hydration in Nitrosopumilus maritimus (Thaumarchaeota) as well as in Metallosphaera sedula (Crenarchaeota). We showed that both reactions were catalyzed by homologous promiscuous enzymes, which evolved independently from each other from their bacterial homologs. Furthermore, the HP/HB cycle is of applied value, and knowledge of its enzymes is necessary to transfer them to a heterologous host for synthesis of various value-added products.

Assembly of The Mitochondrial Complex†I Assembly Complex Suggests a Regulatory Role for Deflavination.

Fatty acid ß-oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are mitochondrial redox processes that generate ATP. The biogenesis of the respiratory Complex I, a 1 MDa multiprotein complex that is responsible for initiating OXPHOS, is mediated by assembly factors including the mitochondrial complex I assembly (MCIA) complex. However, the organisation and the role of the MCIA complex are still unclear. Here we show that ECSIT functions as the bridging node of the MCIA core complex. Furthermore, cryo-electron microscopy together with biochemical and biophysical experiments reveal that the C-terminal domain of ECSIT directly binds to the vestigial dehydrogenase domain of the FAO enzyme ACAD9 and induces its deflavination, switching ACAD9 from its role in FAO to an MCIA factor. These findings provide the structural basis for the MCIA complex architecture and suggest a unique molecular mechanism for coordinating the regulation of the FAO and OXPHOS pathways to ensure an efficient energy production.

Effects of genetic variations in Acads gene on the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD), encoded by the Acads gene, functions in the mitochondrial ß-oxidation of saturated short-chain fatty acids. SCAD deficiency results in mitochondrial dysfunction, which is one underlying biological mechanism of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. In this case-control study, we aimed to examine the effects of Acads gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility to COPD. A total of 16 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Acads gene region was identified and genotyped in 646 unrelated ethnic Chinese Han individuals including 279 patients with COPD and 367 healthy controls, their allelic and genotypic associations with COPD were determined by different genetic models. Furthermore, we estimated the linkage disequilibrium and haplotypes from these tested variants and determined the effects of haplotypes on the risk of COPD. The allelic and genotypic frequencies of SNPs rs2239686 and rs487915 in Acads gene were significantly different between COPD patients and controls, no statistically significant results were observed for other SNPs. Minor alleles A of rs2239686 and T of rs487915 were associated with a decreased pulmonary function and an increased COPD risk in a dominant manner. Functional analysis indicated that the risk allele A of rs2239686 could increase Acads expressions and the intracellular reactive oxygen species content. Haplotype analysis revealed that the haplotypes CTCCT in block 2 (rs3794216-rs3794215-rs34491494-rs558314-rs7312316) as well as GC in block 3 (rs2239686-rs487915) were protective against COPD, while haplotypes CTCGC in block 2 and AT in block 3 exhibited significant associations with the increased susceptibility to COPD. Our results suggest that Acads gene could potentially be a risk factor of COPD and thus its genetic variants might be as genetic biomarkers to predict the COPD susceptibility.

Role of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases from Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10 in docosahexaenoic acid conversion.

The biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in bacteria has been extensively studied. In contrast, studies of PUFA metabolism remain limited. Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10 is a psychrotrophic bacterium producing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a long-chain ω-3 PUFA. This bacterium has the ability to convert exogenous docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into EPA and incorporate both DHA and EPA into membrane phospholipids. Our previous studies revealed the importance of 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase in the conversion, suggesting that DHA is metabolized through a general ß-oxidation pathway. Herein, to gain further insight into the conversion mechanism, we analyzed the role of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (FadE), the first committed enzyme of the ß-oxidation pathway, in DHA conversion. S. livingstonensis Ac10 has two putative FadE proteins (FadE1 and FadE2) that are highly homologous to Escherichia coli FadE. We found that FadE1 expression was induced by addition of DHA to the medium and fadE1 deletion reduced DHA conversion into EPA. Consistently, purified FadE1 exhibited dehydrogenase activity towards DHA-CoA. Moreover, its activity towards DHA- and EPA-CoAs was higher than that towards palmitoleoyl- and palmitoyl-CoAs. In contrast, fadE2 deletion did not impair DHA conversion, and purified FadE2 had higher activity towards palmitoleoyl- and palmitoyl-CoAs than towards DHA- and EPA-CoAs. These results suggest that FadE1 is the first enzyme of the ß-oxidation pathway that catalyzes DHA conversion.

High Levels of Physical Activity in Later Life Are Associated With Enhanced Markers of Mitochondrial Metabolism.

The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p < .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p < .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p < .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p < .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life.

Enhancement of FK520 production in Streptomyces hygroscopicus by combining traditional mutagenesis with metabolic engineering.

FK520 (ascomycin), a 23-membered macrolide with immunosuppressive activity, is produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus. The problem of low yield and high impurities (mainly FK523) limits the industrialized production of FK520. In this study, the FK520 yield was significantly improved by strain mutagenesis and genetic engineering. First, a FK520 high-producing strain SFK-6-33 (2432.2 mg/L) was obtained from SFK-36 (1588.4 mg/L) through ultraviolet radiation mutation coupled with streptomycin resistance screening. The endogenous crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase (FkbS) was found to play an important role in FK520 biosynthesis, identified with CRISPR/dCas9 inhibition system. FkbS was overexpressed in SFK-6-33 to obtain the engineered strain SFK-OfkbS, which produced 2817.0 mg/L of FK520 resulting from an increase in intracellular ethylmalonyl-CoA levels. In addition, the FK520 levels could be further increased with supplementation of crotonic acid in SFK-OfkbS. Overexpression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase), used for the synthesis of malonyl-CoA, was also investigated in SFK-6-33, which improved the FK520 yield to 3320.1 mg/L but showed no significant inhibition in FK523 production. To further enhance FK520 production, FkbS and ACCase combinatorial overexpression strain SFK-OASN was constructed; the FK520 production increased by 44.4% to 3511.4 mg/L, and the FK523/FK520 ratio was reduced from 9.6 to 5.6% compared with that in SFK-6-33. Finally, a fed-batch culture was carried out in a 5-L fermenter, and the FK520 yield reached 3913.9 mg/L at 168 h by feeding glycerol, representing the highest FK520 yield reported thus far. These results demonstrated that traditional mutagenesis combined with metabolic engineering was an effective strategy to improve FK520 production.

Induction of LEF1 by MYC activates the WNT pathway and maintains cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: While regulated WNT activity is required for normal development and stem cell maintenance, mutations that lead to constitutive activation of the WNT pathway cause cellular transformation and drive colorectal cancer. Activation of the WNT pathway ultimately leads to the nuclear translocation of ß-catenin which, in complex with TCF/LEF factors, promotes the transcription of genes necessary for growth. The proto-oncogene MYC is one of the most critical genes activated downstream the WNT pathway in colon cancer. Here, we investigate the converse regulation of the WNT pathway by MYC. METHODS: We performed RNA-seq analyses to identify genes regulated in cells expressing MYC. We validated the regulation of genes in the WNT pathway including LEF1 by MYC using RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and ChIP-seq. We investigated the importance of LEF1 for the viability of MYC-expressing cells in in fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and colon cells. Bioinformatic analyses were utilized to define the expression of MYC-regulated genes in human colon cancer and metabolomics analyses were used to identify pathways regulated by LEF1 in MYC expressing cells. RESULTS: MYC regulates the levels of numerous WNT-related genes, including the ß-catenin co-transcription factor LEF1. MYC activates the transcription of LEF1 and is required for LEF1 expression in colon cancer cells and in primary colonic cells transformed by APC loss of function, a common mutation in colon cancer patients. LEF1 caused the retention of ß-catenin in the nucleus, leading to the activation of the WNT pathway in MYC-expressing cells. Consequently, MYC-expressing cells were sensitive to LEF1 inhibition. Moreover, we describe two examples of genes induced in MYC-expressing cells that require LEF1 activity: the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor delta (PPARδ) and the Acyl CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD9). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that MYC is a transcriptional regulator of LEF1 in colonic cells. Our work proposes a novel pathway by which MYC regulates proliferation through activating LEF1 expression which in turn activates the WNT pathway.

An acyl-CoA dehydrogenase microplate activity assay using recombinant porcine electron transfer flavoprotein.

Acyl-CoA dehydrogenases (ACADs) play key roles in the mitochondrial catabolism of fatty acids and branched-chain amino acids. All nine characterized ACAD enzymes use electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) as their redox partner. The gold standard for measuring ACAD activity is the anaerobic ETF fluorescence reduction assay, which follows the decrease of pig ETF fluorescence as it accepts electrons from an ACAD in vitro. Although first described 35 years ago, the assay has not been widely used due to the need to maintain an anaerobic assay environment and to purify ETF from pig liver mitochondria. Here, we present a method for expressing recombinant pig ETF in E coli and purifying it to homogeneity. The recombinant protein is virtually pure after one chromatography step, bears higher intrinsic fluorescence than the native enzyme, and provides enhanced activity in the ETF fluorescence reduction assay. Finally, we present a simplified protocol for removing molecular oxygen that allows adaption of the assay to a 96-well plate format. The availability of recombinant pig ETF and the microplate version of the ACAD activity assay will allow wide application of the assay for both basic research and clinical diagnostics.

Transcriptome analysis of Rhodobacter capsulatus grown on different nitrogen sources.

This study investigated the effect of different nitrogen sources, namely, ammonium chloride and glutamate, on photoheterotrophic metabolism of Rhodobacter capsulatus grown on acetate as the carbon source. Genes that were significantly differentially expressed according to Affymetrix microarray data were categorized into Clusters of Orthologous Groups functional categories and those in acetate assimilation, hydrogen production, and photosynthetic electron transport pathways were analyzed in detail. Genes related to hydrogen production metabolism were significantly downregulated in cultures grown on ammonium chloride when compared to those grown on glutamate. In contrast, photosynthetic electron transport and acetate assimilation pathway genes were upregulated. In detail, aceA encoding isocitrate lyase, a unique enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle and ccrA encoding the rate limiting crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase enzyme of ethylmalonyl-coA pathway were significantly upregulated. Our findings indicate for the first time that R. capsulatus can operate both glyoxylate and ethylmalonyl-coA cycles for acetate assimilation.

Clinical, biochemical and genetic analysis of Chinese patients with isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (IBDHD) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder related to valine catabolism and results from variants in ACAD8. Here, we present the clinical, biochemical, and genotypes of seven patients with IBDHD in China for the first time. Five patients remained asymptomatic during follow-up, whereas one juvenile had speech delay and one newborn exhibited clinical symptoms. All patients showed remarkably increased concentrations of C4-aclycarnitine with elevated C4/C2 and C4/C3 ratios. In urine organic acid tests, only one patient presented with an increased concentration of isobutyrylglycine excretion. Genetic testing was performed to detect the causative variants. Five previously unreported variants, c.235C > G, c.286G > A, c.444G > T c.1092 + 1G > A, and c.1176G > T, and one known variant, c.1000C > T, in ACAD8 were identified. These previously unreported variants in ACAD8 were predicted to be disease-causing and the c.1092 + 1G > A variant was confirmed to cause skipping of exon 9 by reverse transcription PCR. The most common variant was c.286G > A, which showed an allelic frequency of 50% (7/14), and thus may be a prevalent variant among Chinese patients. Our results broaden the mutational spectrum of ACAD8 and improve the understanding of the clinical phenotype of IBDHD.

Evaluation of mitochondrial bioenergetics, dynamics, endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria crosstalk, and reactive oxygen species in fibroblasts from patients with complex I deficiency.

Mitochondrial complex I (CI) deficiency is the most frequent cause of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) disorders in humans. In order to benchmark the effects of CI deficiency on mitochondrial bioenergetics and dynamics, respiratory chain (RC) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria communication, and superoxide production, fibroblasts from patients with mutations in the ND6, NDUFV1 or ACAD9 genes were analyzed. Fatty acid metabolism, basal and maximal respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP levels were decreased. Changes in proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics were detected in various combinations in each cell line, while variable changes in RC components were observed. ACAD9 deficient cells exhibited an increase in RC complex subunits and DDIT3, an ER stress marker. The level of proteins involved in ER-mitochondria communication was decreased in ND6 and ACAD9 deficient cells. |ΔΨ| and cell viability were further decreased in all cell lines. These findings suggest that disruption of mitochondrial bioenergetics and dynamics, ER-mitochondria crosstalk, and increased superoxide contribute to the pathophysiology in patients with ACAD9 deficiency. Furthermore, treatment of ACAD9 deficient cells with JP4-039, a novel mitochondria-targeted reactive oxygen species, electron and radical scavenger, decreased superoxide level and increased basal and maximal respiratory rate, identifying a potential therapeutic intervention opportunity in CI deficiency.

Replacing the Ethylmalonyl-CoA Pathway with the Glyoxylate Shunt Provides Metabolic Flexibility in the Central Carbon Metabolism of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1.

The ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway (EMCP) is an anaplerotic reaction sequence in the central carbon metabolism of numerous Proteo- and Actinobacteria. The pathway features several CoA-bound mono- and dicarboxylic acids that are of interest as platform chemicals for the chemical industry. The EMCP, however, is essential for growth on C1 and C2 carbon substrates and therefore cannot be simply interrupted to drain these intermediates. In this study, we aimed at reengineering central carbon metabolism of the Alphaproteobacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 for the specific production of EMCP derivatives in the supernatant. Establishing a heterologous glyoxylate shunt in M. extorquens AM1 restored wild type-like growth in several EMCP knockout strains on defined minimal medium with acetate as carbon source. We further engineered one of these strains that carried a deletion of the gene encoding crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase to demonstrate in a proof-of-concept the specific production of crotonic acid in the supernatant on a defined minimal medium. Our experiments demonstrate that it is in principle possible to further exploit the EMCP by establishing an alternative central carbon metabolic pathway in M. extorquens AM1, opening many possibilities for the biotechnological production of EMCP-derived compounds in future.

Assembly defects of multiple respiratory chain complexes in a child with cardiac hypertrophy associated with a novel ACAD9 mutation.

Patients carrying Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD9) mutations reported to date mainly present with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and isolated complex I (CI) dysfunction. Here we report a novel ACAD9 mutation in a young girl presenting with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, isolated CI deficiency and interestingly multiple respiratory chain complexes assembly defects. We show that ACAD9 analysis has to be performed in first intention in patients presenting with cardiac hypertrophy even in the presence of multiple assembly defects.

Lifetime exercise intolerance with lactic acidosis as key manifestation of novel compound heterozygous ACAD9 mutations causing complex I deficiency.

We report a 36-year-old female having lifetime exercise intolerance and lactic acidosis with nausea associated with novel compound heterozygous Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9 gene (ACAD9) mutations (p.Ala390Thr and p.Arg518Cys). ACAD9 is an assembly factor for the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I. ACAD9 mutations are recognized as frequent causes of complex I deficiency. Our patient presented with exercise intolerance, rapid fatigue, and nausea since early childhood. Mild physical workload provoked the occurrence of nausea and vomiting repeatedly. Her neurological examination, laboratory findings and muscle biopsy demonstrated no abnormalities. A bicycle spiroergometry provoked significant lactic acidosis during and following exercise pointing towards a mitochondrial disorder. Subsequently, the analysis of respiratory chain enzyme activities in muscle revealed severe isolated complex I deficiency. Candidate gene sequencing revealed two novel heterozygous ACAD9 mutations. This patient report expands the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of diseases associated with mutations in ACAD9.

Identification of the Catalytic Residue of Rat Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase 9 by Site-Directed Mutagenesis.

Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD 9) is the ninth member of ACADs involved in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and possibly complex I assembly. Sequence alignment suggested that Glu389 of rat ACAD 9 was highly conserved and located near the active center and might act as an important base for the dehydrogenation reaction. The role of Glu389 in the catalytic reaction was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Both wild-type and mutant ACAD 9 proteins were purified and their catalytic characterization was studied. When Glu389 was replaced by other residues, the enzyme activity could be lost to a large extent. Those results suggested that Glu389 could function as the catalytic base that abstracted the α-proton of the acyl-CoA substrate in a proposed catalytic mechanism.