Volatile fatty acid-sensing system involving coenzyme-A transferase
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Quantification of Coenzyme A in Cells and Tissues
Published on: September 27, 2019
Eranna Rajashekhara1, Akihumi Hosoda, Koji Sode
1Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Marine Biotechnology Institute, Heita, Kamaishi, Iwate 026-0001, Japan.
Abstract:
On-site monitoring of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), such as propionate, is industrially and medically important. The present study developed a VFA biosensing system comprised of two recombinant enzymes, propionate coenzyme A (CoA) transferase (PCT) from Clostridium propionicum and acyl-CoA oxidase from Arabidopsis thaliana. This system produced hydrogen peroxide in the presence of acetyl-CoA, oxygen, and VFA substrates, which could be quantified by colorimetric methods using peroxidase and dye reagents (e.g., p-aminobenzoic acid plus 4-aminoantipyrine or Amplex Red). The use of PCT and acetyl-CoA, rather than acyl-CoA synthetases (ACS) and CoA-SH, obviated a background reaction of dye reagents with CoA-SH and enabled very sensitive detection of VFAs (down to 1 microM propionate, more than 100-fold more sensitive compared to previously developed ACS biosensors). We demonstrated its utility by measuring propionate concentrations in serum and fermentation samples. Results suggest that our biosensing system is applicable to the detection of propionate in medical and fermentation samples.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
Lipid Catabolism
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Microbial Fermentation
Amino Acid Catabolism
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂

