Lipid biosynthesis in sebaceous glands: regulation of the synthesis of n- and branched fatty acids by malonyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase.

Crude cell-free extracts isolated from the uropygial glands of goose catalyzed the carboxylation of propionyl-CoA but not acetyl-CoA. However, a partially purified preparation catalyzed the carboxylation of both substrates and the characteristics of this carboxylase were similar to those reported for chicken liver carboxylase. The Km and Vmax for the carboxylation of either acetyl-CoA or propionyl-CoA were 1.5 times 10- minus-5 M and 0.8 mumol per min per mg, respectively. In the crude extracts an inhibitor of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity was detected. The inhibitor was partially purified and identified as a protein that catalyzed the rapid decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA. This enzyme was avidin-insenitive and highly specific for malonyl-CoA with very low rates of decarboxylation for methylmalonyl-CoA and malonic acid. Vmax and Km for malonyl-CoA decarboxylation, at the pH optimum of 9.5, were 12.5 mumol per min per mg and 8 times 10- minus-4 M, respectively. The relative activities of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase and malonyl-CoA decarboxylase were about 4 mumol per min per gland and 70 mumoles per min per gland, respectively. Therefore acetyl-CoA and methylmalonyl-CoA should be the major primer and elongating agent, respectively, present in the gland. The major fatty acid formed from these precursors by the fatty acid synthetase of the gland would be 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-decanoic acid which is known to be the major fatty acid of the gland (Buckner, J. S. and Kolattukudy, P. E. (1975), Biochemistry, following paper). Therefore it is concluded that the malonyl-CoA decarboxylase controls fatty acid synthesis in this gland.