Elucidation of transient protein-protein interactions within carrier protein-dependent biosynthesis

Abstract Fatty acid biosynthesis (FAB) is an essential and highly conserved metabolic pathway. In bacteria, this process is mediated by an elaborate network of protein•protein interactions (PPIs) involving a small, dynamic acyl carrier protein that interacts with dozens of other partner proteins (PPs). These PPIs have remained poorly characterized due to their dynamic and transient nature. Using a combination of solution-phase NMR spectroscopy and protein-protein docking simulations, we report a comprehensive residue-by-residue comparison of the PPIs formed during FAB in Escherichia coli. This work reveals the molecular basis of six discrete binding events responsible for E. coli FAB and offers insights into a method to characterize these events and those in related carrier protein-dependent pathways. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Through a combination of structural and computational analysis, a comparative evaluation of protein-protein interactions in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis in E. coli is performed.