Enzyme Specificity as a Factor in Regulation of Fatty Acid Chain Length in Escherichia coli

Abstract
Various acyl-acyl carrier protein intermediates in saturated and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were tested as substrates for β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase. With both classes of substrates the condensing enzyme in fatty biosynthesis demonstrates specificities which indicate that it might be an important factor in determining fatty acid chain length in Escherichia coli .