Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38172109›Full record

ArticleNature communications2024

The polyketide to fatty acid transition in the evolution of animal lipid metabolism.

Zhenjian Lin, Feng Li, Patrick J Krug, Eric W Schmidt

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
4.7field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Jaspamide/Jasplakinolide Is Synthesized byJournal of natural products · 2025
    Article
  2. An endosymbiotic origin of the crimson pigment from the lac insect.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Phylogenetic systematics of the genusZoological journal of the Linnean Society · 2025
    Article
  5. The structure of full-length AFPK supports the ACP linker in a role that regulates iterative polyketide and fatty acid assembly.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Short macrocyclic peptides in sponge genomes.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Zhenjian Lin *Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
Feng Li *Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
Patrick J KrugDepartment of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA.
Eric W SchmidtDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA. ews1@utah.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-5839-694X
University of Utah · USCalifornia State University Los Angeles · US

Funding

National Science Foundation (NSF) 2127110National Science Foundation (NSF) IOS2127111
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Animals synthesize simple lipids using a distinct fatty acid synthase (FAS) related to the type I polyketide synthase (PKS) enzymes that produce complex specialized metabolites. The evolutionary origin of the animal FAS and its relationship to the diversity of PKSs remain unclear despite the critical role of lipid synthesis in cellular metabolism. Recently, an animal FAS-like PKS (AFPK) was identified in sacoglossan molluscs. Here, we explore the phylogenetic distribution of AFPKs and other PKS and FAS enzymes across the tree of life. We found AFPKs widely distributed in arthropods and molluscs (>6300 newly described AFPK sequences). The AFPKs form a clade with the animal FAS, providing an evolutionary link bridging the type I PKSs and the animal FAS. We found molluscan AFPK diversification correlated with shell loss, suggesting AFPKs provide a chemical defense. Arthropods have few or no PKSs, but our results indicate AFPKs contributed to their ecological and evolutionary success by facilitating branched hydrocarbon and pheromone biosynthesis. Although animal metabolism is well studied, surprising new metabolic enzyme classes such as AFPKs await discovery.

Indexed as

PolyketidesAnimalsFatty AcidsFatty Acid SynthasesLipid MetabolismPhylogenyPolyketide SynthasesFatty AcidsFatty Acid SynthasesPolyketidesPolyketide Synthases

Identifiers

PMID38172109
PMCPMC10764717
OpenAlexW4390533861

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.