Fig. 1

A schematic diagram of fatty acid synthesis in E. coli. a FFA production is improved up to a certain protein level of a wild type thioesterase; however, it does not improve further even at its highest level because of stoichiometric protein–protein interactions involved in fatty acid synthesis. b FFA production is improved when a catalytic active thioesterase is devised. AccABCD acetyl-CoA carboxylase, MAT malonyl-CoA:ACP transacylase, DH hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase, ER enoyl-ACP reductase, KR ketoacyl-ACP reductase, KS III ketoacyl-ACP synthase III, KS ketoacyl-ACP synthase I and II, TE thioesterase, ACP acyl carrier protein