Skip to main content

Table 1 Physiological benefits of compartmentalization of β-lactam biosynthetic enzymes

From: Transport systems, intracellular traffic of intermediates and secretion of β-lactam antibiotics in fungi

Physiological mechanisms.

Examples of benefitial effects

Sequestration of toxic intermediates or final products

Detoxification of phenylacetic or phenoxyacetic acid by transport into peroxisomes

Channeling of precursors or substrates for β-lactams biosynthesis away from primary metabolism

Storage of α-aminoadipic acid in vacuoles, away from the lysine biosynthetic pathway

Sequestration of intermediates for the temporal sequential formation of intermediates to final products

Temporal conversion of isopenicillin N into benzylpenicillin

Metabolic coupling of biosynthetic reactions and transfer of intermediates between co-localized enzymes

Putative coupling of ACVS and IPNS in the cytosol. Coupling of Phenylacetyl-CoA ligase and IPN acyl transferase

Coupling of fatty acids catabolic and modifying enzymes

Localization in organelles having optimal pH or physiological conditions for the biosynthetic enzymes

IAT optimal activity at the pH values at peroxisomes

Preservation of the thiol (-SH group) of the tripeptide under reduced redox conditions at the cytosol

Co-localization of enzymes in the membrane, or near the membrane of organelles for joint inclusion in transport vesicles for secretion

Protein assembly that includes VP16 and other proteins of the recognition/teethering membrane complex

Accumulation in vacuoles of proteins and intermediates to be degraded and recycled for biosynthesis of other metabolites

Colocalization of proteases and hydrolases in the vacuoles for recycling cellular materials

Formation of protein secretion complexes

Complexes facilitating secretion of secondary metabolites