Mycolic Acid Biosynthesis Enzyme Complex (None)

The mycolic acid biosynthesis enzyme complex refers to a group of enzymes and associated proteins responsible for the production of mycolic acids—very long-chain α-alkyl, β-hydroxy fatty acids that are essential components of the cell wall in mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This complex is critical for bacterial viability and virulence, making its biosynthetic machinery a prime target for anti-tuberculosis drug development. Key components include FAS-I, FAS-II (KasA/KasB, MabA, InhA, HadAB/HadBC), FadD32, Pks13, and CmrA, as well as various modifying enzymes. These enzymes form dynamic multi-enzyme complexes on ACP scaffolds to facilitate efficient substrate channeling and coordinated modification events during synthesis. The pathway is transcriptionally regulated, and disrupting any part can lead to loss of cell wall integrity or death in Mtb strains.

Other names

FAS-IFatty Acid Synthase IFAS-IIFatty Acid Synthase IIKasAKasBMabAInhAHadABHadBCFadD32Pks13CmrAArabinogalactan-mycolate synthetasesTrehalose dimycolate synthetasesAntigen 85 transferases

Inhibition of mycolic acid biosynthesis