Daily Newsletter February 14, 2012
Administrative Note: CPR Calibrations
Make sure you start your calibrations today. Do not wait until the last day to do all of calibrations and reviews. Give yourself time to do them. Pace yourself by doing one task each day until the close of the assignment. I have given you til Sunday to finish this task.
Today's Topic: Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids (Lipids)
Fatty acids are needed for triglycerides and phospholipids. Consider the number of phospholipids used in a cell membrane. Remember that cell membranes are dynamic, so you constantly have to replace phospholipids. Are you starting to see how often cells will need to manufacture fatty acids? A quick review of fatty acid biosynthesis.
The following image is of the Fatty Acid Synthesis II (FASII) pathway found in Escherichia coli. With knowledge of metabolic pathways, can you follow it? (FYI: ACP stands for acyl-carrier-protein)
Read the following article about fatty acid synthesis:
Bhatt, A., Molle, V., Besra, G. S., Jacobs, W. R. and Kremer, L. (2007), The Mycobacterium tuberculosis FAS-II condensing enzymes: their role in mycolic acid biosynthesis, acid-fastness, pathogenesis and in future drug development. Molecular Microbiology, 64: 1442–1454. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05761.x
Remember, in reading this article, look at the introduction and then conclusion. Skip the materials and methods until you understand what the authors are trying to tell you.
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Daily Challenge: Fatty Acid Biosynthesis
Your goal today is to convey an understanding of the importance of fatty acid biosynthesis and regulation, as well as to demonstrate comprehension of the metabolic reactions needed to make a fatty acid. Focus your discussion by using Mycobacterium as a model for lipid production.
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