IN-VIVO EVIDENCE THAT ACYL-COENZYME A REGULATES DNA-BINDING BY THE ESCHERICHIA-COLI FADR GLOBAL TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR

In vitro experiments point to fatty acyl coenzymes A (acyl-CoAs) rathe r than unesterified fatty acids as the small-molecule ligands regulati ng DNA binding by the FadR protein of Escherichia coli. To provide an in vivo test of this specificity, unesterified fatty acids were genera ted within the cellular cytosol. These fatty acids were found to be ef ficient modulators of FadR action only when the acids could be convert ed to acyl-CoAs.