Tracking acetate through a journey of living world: Evolution as alternative cellular fuel with potential for application in cancer therapeutics

Publication date: Available online 5 November 2018Source: Life SciencesAuthor(s): Shrish Kumar Pandey, Saveg Yadav, Mithlesh Kumar Temre, Sukh Mahendra SinghAbstractAcetate is a short chain fatty acid, comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (C2H3O2−) has emerged as a key alternative fuel for cellular metabolism. Beginning this voyage from the abiotic atmosphere, acetate has contributed to the physiology of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The main role of acetate includes its contribution to the global carbon cycle, bioenergetic and biosynthetic metabolic processes. Based on the ability to produce and consume organisms are categorized as acetogenic, acetate consumers or both depending on their genetic make-up of the metabolizing enzyme repertoire. The key molecules implicated in utilization and production of acetate include, but not limited to, monocarboxylate transporters, enzymes regulating acetate utilization like AMP-forming Acetyl CoA synthetase (ACS-AMP), Acyl-CoA short chain synthetase 1, 2 (ACSS1, 2), and production like Acetate kinase (ACK)/Phosphotransacetylase (PTA), ADP-forming acetyl CoA synthetase (ACS-ADP), Pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, histone deacetylase and acetyl CoA hydrolase. These enzymes are utilized by acetate homeostasis machinery in a variable manner. As malignant cells also display highly upregulated metabolic processes for rapid energy generation, they display an immense need for alternative carbon sources to fuel their metabolism. Tumor ce...
Source: Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research