Toward the characterisation of the protein-protein interactions of the type II fatty acid synthase of Brassica napus.

The availability of cDNA and antibodies for the proteins of type IT fatty acid synthase (FAS) of Brassica napus allowed an investigation into the protein-protein interactions of the putative type 11 FAS complex. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, four components were assayed for interactions: acyl carrier protein (ACP), enoyl- ACP reductase (ENR), oleoyl-ACP thioesterase (TE), and stearoyl-ACP desaturase (DES). Direct interactions were detected between DES and ENR. A possible, very weak, interaction may have been detected between TE and ENR. The relative affinity of DES for ENR was greater than that of TE for ENR. Both were much weaker than ENR homo-tetrameric interactions. No interaction was found between ACP and any other FAS enzyme tested by this technique.