A phosphopantetheinyl transferase gene restricted to Porphyromonas

The phosphopantetheinyl transferases (PPTases) catalyze the post-translational modification of carrier proteins (CPs) from fatty acid synthases (FASs) in primary metabolism and from polyketide synthases (PKSs) and non-ribosomal polypeptide synthases (NRPSs) in secondary metabolism. Based on the conserved sequence motifs and substrate specificities, two types (AcpS-type and Sfp-type) of PPTases have been identified in prokaryotes. We present here that Porphyromonas gingivalis, the keystone pathogen in chronic periodontitis, harbors merely one PPTase, namely PptP. Complementation and gene deletion experiments clearly show that PptP can replace the function of Escherichia coli AcpS and is essential for the growth of P. gingivalis. Purified PptP transfers the 4-phosphopantetheine moiety of CoA to inactive apo-acyl carrier protein (ACP) to form holo-ACP, which functions as an active carrier of the acyl intermediates of fatty acid synthesis. Moreover, PptP exhibits broad substrate specificity, modifying all ACP substrates tested and catalyzing the transfer of coenzyme A (CoA) derivatives. The lack of sequence alignment with known PPTases together with phylogenetic analyses revealed PptP as a new class of PPTases. Identification of the new PPTase gene pptP exclusive in Porphyromonas species reveals a potential target for treating P. gingivalis infections.