Branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis in a branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase mutant of Staphylococcus carnosus

Fatty acid biosynthesis by a mutant strain of Staphylococcus carnosus deficient in branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase (IlvE) activity was analysed. This mutant was unable to produce the appropriate branched-chain α-ketoacid precursors for branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis from the amino acids valine, isoleucine, and leucine, and required the short branched chain acids 2-methylbutanoic acid or 2-methylpropanoic acid for growth in a defined medium. The isoleucine related metabolites, α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid and 2-methylbutanal also served as growth factors. Growth in rich medium and growth in defined medium supplemented with 2-methylpropanoic acid lead to extensive alteration of the fatty acid composition in the cell membrane. In rich medium, a change from 51.7% to 17.1% anteiso-C15:0, and from 3.6% to 33.9% iso-C14:0 fatty acids as compared to the wild-type strain was observed. Despite the deficiency in IlvE activity, the mutant strain was still able to produce the short chain carboxylic acids, 3-methylbutanoic acid and 2-methylpropanoic acid when cultivated in rich medium. Supplementation experiments employing deuterated glucose induced the valine biosynthetic pathway for 2-methylpropanoic acid production, revealing that the IlvE protein plays an important, but not essential role in the biosynthesis of branched-chain fatty acids and secondary metabolites in S. carnosus.