Acetyl-CoA

Acetyl-CoA is an important metabolic intermediate in cells. In plants, acetyl-CoA is also the precursor of many economical important agricultural products such as fats, oils, waxes, isoprenoids and bioplastics. However, our understanding of how the acetyl-CoA is generated in the plant cells remains rather limited. We are addressing this question using a variety of genetic, biochemical and genomic approaches. This is being accomplished via a collaborative effort that involves four ISU laboratories. In combination these laboratories are studying five genes, PDC (pyruvate decarboxylase), ALDH (aldehyde dehydrogenase), ACS (acetyl-CoA synthase), pPDH (plastid pyruvate dehydrogenase), and ACL (ATP-citrate lyase), that are involved in the biogenesis of acetyl-CoA. The Schnable laboratory focuses on the two pdc (Atpdc1 and Atpdc2) and four aldh (Ataldh1, Ataldh2, Ataldh3, and Ataldh4) genes of Arabidopsis. ATALDH1 and ATALDH3 are predicted mitochondrial proteins, ATALDH2 is a predicted cytosolic protein, and ATALDH4 is a predicted fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase.

View a diagram of some processes in which Acetyl-CoA is involved.