Fatty acyl-CoA synthetases similar to LC-FACS from Thermus thermophiles
This family includes fatty acyl-CoA synthetases that can activate medium-chain to long-chain fatty acids. They catalyze the ATP-dependent acylation of fatty acids in a two-step reaction. The carboxylate substrate first reacts with ATP to form an acyl-adenylate intermediate, which then reacts with CoA to produce an acyl-CoA ester. The fatty acyl-CoA synthetases are responsible for fatty acid degradation as well as physiological regulation of cellular functions via the production of fatty acyl-CoA esters. The fatty acyl-CoA synthetase from Thermus thermophiles in this family catalyzes the long-chain fatty acid, myristoyl acid, while another member in this family, the AlkK protein identified from Pseudomonas oleovorans, targets medium chain fatty acids. This family also includes uncharacterized FACS proteins.