Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae Malate synthase 1, glyoxysomal (MLS1), partial

Malate synthase which takes part in the glyoxylate cycle. MLS1 activity is essential for cells to grow on oleic acid as a sole carbon source. Two steps of the glyoxylate cycle take place in the cytosol, the splitting of isocitrate into succinate and glyoxylate, and the dehydrogenation of malate to oxaloacetate. However, the formation of malate from glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA undertaken MLS1, occurs in the peroxisomes when cells are grown on oleic acid (Probable). The source of acetyl-CoA being either peroxisomal when breaking down fatty acids, or cytosolic when extra-cellular two-carbon substrates are used, therefore, although not strictly essential, the peroxisomal localization of MLS1 appears to be advantageous for cells growing on oleic acid, in that acetyl-CoA production and utilization are thereby intimately compartmentalized together to increase efficiency (Probable).