Acyl Carrier Protein from Escherichia coli. Structural Characterization of Short-Chain Acylated Acyl Carrier Proteins by NMR

Acylated acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) with acyl chain lengths of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 carbons were investigated by NMR and nuclear Overhauser methods at 500 MHz. Chemical shift changes of downfield aromatic and upfield, ring-current-shifted, isoleucine proton resonances monotonically vary as a function of acyl chain length with the most prominent shifts occurring with chain lengths between four and six carbons. Chemical shifts are largest for one of the two phenylalanines; however, substantial shifts do exist for Tyr-71, His-75, and two isoleucines. Since these residues are distributed throughout the molecule, their associated resonance chemical shifts are most probably explained by an induced conformational change. Comparative NOE measurements on reduced ACP (ACP-SH) and ACP-S-C8 suggest, however, that these induced conformational changes are small except for around one of the phenylalanines. A tertiary structural model for acyl-ACP consistent with our previous model for ACP-SH [Mayo, K. H., Tyrell, P. M., & Prestegard, J. H. (1983) Biochemistry 22, 4485-4493] is presented.