Taxonomic distribution of proteins containing G3P_acyltransf domains

The tree below includes only several representative species and genera. The complete taxonomic breakdown of all proteins containing G3P_acyltransf domains can be accessed here. Click the counts or percentage values to display the corresponding proteins.

Acyl-phosphates initiate membrane phospholipid synthesis in Gram-positivepathogens.

Lu YJ, Zhang YM, Grimes KD, Qi J, Lee RE, Rock CO
Mol Cell. 2006; 23: 765-72

It is not known how Gram-positive bacterial pathogens carry outglycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) acylation, which is the first step in the formation ofphosphatidic acid, the key intermediate in membrane phospholipid synthesis. InEscherichia coli, acylation of the 1-position of G3P is carried out by PlsB;however, the majority of bacteria lack a plsB gene and in others it is notessential. We describe a two-step pathway that utilizes a new fatty acidintermediate for the initiation of phospholipid formation. First, PlsX produces aunique activated fatty acid by catalyzing the synthesis of fatty acyl-phosphatefrom acyl-acyl carrier protein, and then PlsY transfers the fatty acid fromacyl-phosphate to the 1-position of G3P. The PlsX/Y pathway defines the mostwidely distributed pathway for the initiation of phospholipid formation inbacteria and represents a new target for the development of antibacterialtherapeutics.