1
|
Juteršek M, Gerasymenko IM, Petek M, Haumann E, Vacas S, Kallam K, Gianoglio S, Navarro-Llopis V, Heethoff M, Fuertes IN, Patron N, Orzáez D, Gruden K, Warzecha H, Baebler Š. Transcriptome-informed identification and characterization of Planococcus citri cis- and trans-isoprenyl diphosphate synthase genes. iScience 2024; 27:109441. [PMID: 38523795 PMCID: PMC10960109 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Insect physiology and reproduction depend on several terpenoid compounds, whose biosynthesis is mainly unknown. One enigmatic group of insect monoterpenoids are mealybug sex pheromones, presumably resulting from the irregular coupling activity of unidentified isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDSs). Here, we performed a comprehensive search for IDS coding sequences of the pest mealybug Planococcus citri. We queried the available genomic and newly generated short- and long-read P. citri transcriptomic data and identified 18 putative IDS genes, whose phylogenetic analysis indicates several gene family expansion events. In vitro testing confirmed regular short-chain coupling activity with five gene products. With the candidate with highest IDS activity, we also detected low amounts of irregular coupling products, and determined amino acid residues important for chain-length preference and irregular coupling activity. This work therefore provides an important foundation for deciphering terpenoid biosynthesis in mealybugs, including the sex pheromone biosynthesis in P. citri.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mojca Juteršek
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Iryna M. Gerasymenko
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marko Petek
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Elisabeth Haumann
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sandra Vacas
- Instituto Agroforestal del Mediterráneo-CEQA, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, Spain
| | - Kalyani Kallam
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Vicente Navarro-Llopis
- Instituto Agroforestal del Mediterráneo-CEQA, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, Spain
| | - Michael Heethoff
- Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Nicola Patron
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Kristina Gruden
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Heribert Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Špela Baebler
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sator C, Lico C, Pannucci E, Marchetti L, Baschieri S, Warzecha H, Santi L. Plant-Produced Viral Nanoparticles as a Functionalized Catalytic Support for Metabolic Engineering. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:503. [PMID: 38498408 PMCID: PMC10893517 DOI: 10.3390/plants13040503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Substrate channeling could be very useful for plant metabolic engineering; hence, we propose that functionalized supramolecular self-assembly scaffolds can act as enzymatic hubs able to perform reactions in close contiguity. Virus nanoparticles (VNPs) offer an opportunity in this context, and we present a functionalization strategy to display different enzymes on the outer surface of three different VNPs produced in plants. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and Potato virus X (PVX) plant viruses were functionalized by the genetic fusion of the E-coil peptide coding sequence to their respective coat proteins genes, while the enzyme lichenase was tagged with the K-coil peptide. Immobilized E-coil VNPs were able to interact in vitro with the plant-produced functionalized lichenase, and catalysis was demonstrated by employing a lichenase assay. To prove this concept in planta, the Hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) were similarly functionalized by genetic fusion with the E-coil sequence, while acyl-activating enzyme 1, olivetolic acid synthase, and olivetolic acid cyclase enzymes were tagged with the K-coil. The transient co-expression of the K-coil-enzymes together with E-coil-VLPs allowed the establishment of the heterologous cannabinoid precursor biosynthetic pathway. Noteworthy, a significantly higher yield of olivetolic acid glucoside was achieved when the scaffold E-coil-VLPs were employed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sator
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Elisa Pannucci
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Heribert Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zahmanova G, Aljabali AAA, Takova K, Minkov G, Tambuwala MM, Minkov I, Lomonossoff GP. Green Biologics: Harnessing the Power of Plants to Produce Pharmaceuticals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17575. [PMID: 38139405 PMCID: PMC10743837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are increasingly used for the production of high-quality biological molecules for use as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in industry. Plants have proved that they can produce life-saving therapeutic proteins (Elelyso™-Gaucher's disease treatment, ZMapp™-anti-Ebola monoclonal antibodies, seasonal flu vaccine, Covifenz™-SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine); however, some of these therapeutic proteins are difficult to bring to market, which leads to serious difficulties for the manufacturing companies. The closure of one of the leading companies in the sector (the Canadian biotech company Medicago Inc., producer of Covifenz) as a result of the withdrawal of investments from the parent company has led to the serious question: What is hindering the exploitation of plant-made biologics to improve health outcomes? Exploring the vast potential of plants as biological factories, this review provides an updated perspective on plant-derived biologics (PDB). A key focus is placed on the advancements in plant-based expression systems and highlighting cutting-edge technologies that streamline the production of complex protein-based biologics. The versatility of plant-derived biologics across diverse fields, such as human and animal health, industry, and agriculture, is emphasized. This review also meticulously examines regulatory considerations specific to plant-derived biologics, shedding light on the disparities faced compared to biologics produced in other systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Alaa A. A. Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan;
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - George Minkov
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK;
| | - Ivan Minkov
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sheludko YV, Gerasymenko IM, Herrmann FJ, Warzecha H. Evaluation of biotransformation capacity of transplastomic plants and hairy roots of Nicotiana tabacum expressing human cytochrome P450 2D6. Transgenic Res 2022; 31:351-368. [PMID: 35416604 PMCID: PMC9135824 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-022-00305-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) are important tools for regio- and stereoselective oxidation of target molecules or engineering of metabolic pathways. Functional heterologous expression of eukaryotic CYPs is often problematic due to their dependency on the specific redox partner and the necessity of correct association with the membranes for displaying enzymatic activity. Plant hosts offer advantages of accessibility of reducing partners and a choice of membranes to insert heterologous CYPs. For the evaluation of plant systems for efficient CYP expression, we established transplastomic plants and hairy root cultures of Nicotiana tabacum carrying the gene encoding human CYP2D6 with broad substrate specificity. The levels of CYP2D6 transcript accumulation and enzymatic activity were estimated and compared with the data of CYP2D6 transient expression in N. benthamiana. The relative level of CYP2D6 transcripts in transplastomic plants was 2-3 orders of magnitude higher of that observed after constitutive or transient expression from the nucleus. CYP2D6 expressed in chloroplasts converted exogenous synthetic substrate loratadine without the need for co-expression of the cognate CYP reductase. The loratadine conversion rate in transplastomic plants was comparable to that in N. benthamiana plants transiently expressing a chloroplast targeted CYP2D6 from the nucleus, but was lower than the value reported for transiently expressed CYP2D6 with the native endoplasmic reticulum signal-anchor sequence. Hairy roots showed the lowest substrate conversion rate, but demonstrated the ability to release the product into the culture medium. The obtained results illustrate the potential of plant-based expression systems for exploiting the enzymatic activities of eukaryotic CYPs with broad substrate specificities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Y V Sheludko
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - I M Gerasymenko
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - F J Herrmann
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - H Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
Studying the stability of a protein dependent on its N-terminal residue requires a mechanism, which selectively exposes the amino acid at the N-terminus. Here, we describe the use of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease to generate a specific N-terminal amino acid in the stroma of the chloroplast. The established molecular reporter system further allows the quantification of the reporter protein half-life dependent on the identity of the N-terminal residue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lioba Inken Winckler
- Protein Metabolism Lab, Department of Plant Physiology, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany
- CellNanOs-Center of Cellular Nanoanalytics, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany
| | - Nico Dissmeyer
- Protein Metabolism Lab, Department of Plant Physiology, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany.
- CellNanOs-Center of Cellular Nanoanalytics, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany.
- Faculty of Biology, University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Maeda HA. Harnessing evolutionary diversification of primary metabolism for plant synthetic biology. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:16549-16566. [PMID: 31558606 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev119.006132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants produce numerous natural products that are essential to both plant and human physiology. Recent identification of genes and enzymes involved in their biosynthesis now provides exciting opportunities to reconstruct plant natural product pathways in heterologous systems through synthetic biology. The use of plant chassis, although still in infancy, can take advantage of plant cells' inherent capacity to synthesize and store various phytochemicals. Also, large-scale plant biomass production systems, driven by photosynthetic energy production and carbon fixation, could be harnessed for industrial-scale production of natural products. However, little is known about which plants could serve as ideal hosts and how to optimize plant primary metabolism to efficiently provide precursors for the synthesis of desirable downstream natural products or specialized (secondary) metabolites. Although primary metabolism is generally assumed to be conserved, unlike the highly-diversified specialized metabolism, primary metabolic pathways and enzymes can differ between microbes and plants and also among different plants, especially at the interface between primary and specialized metabolisms. This review highlights examples of the diversity in plant primary metabolism and discusses how we can utilize these variations in plant synthetic biology. I propose that understanding the evolutionary, biochemical, genetic, and molecular bases of primary metabolic diversity could provide rational strategies for identifying suitable plant hosts and for further optimizing primary metabolism for sizable production of natural and bio-based products in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi A Maeda
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pavlenko OS, Gra OA, Mustafaev ON, Kabarbaeva KV, Sadovskaya NS, Tyurin AA, Fadeev VS, Goldenkova-Pavlova IV. Thermostable Lichenase from Clostridium thermocellum as a Host Protein in the Domain Insertion Approach. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2019; 84:931-940. [PMID: 31522675 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297919080091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium thermocellum lichenase (endo-β-1,3;1,4-glucan-D-glycosyl hydrolase, EC 3.2.1.73 (P29716)) has been tested for the insertion of two model fluorescent proteins (EGFP and TagRFP) into two regions of this enzyme. Functional folding of the resulting proteins was confirmed by retention of lichenase activity and EGFP and TagRFP fluorescence. These results convincingly demonstrate that (i) the two experimentally selected lichenase loop regions may serve as the areas for domain insertion without disturbing enzyme folding in vivo; (ii) lichenase permits not only single but also tandem insertions of large protein domains. High specific activity, outstanding thermostability, and efficient in vitro refolding of thermostable lichenase make it an attractive new host protein for the insertional fusion of domains in the engineering of multifunctional proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O S Pavlenko
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia.
| | - O A Gra
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - O N Mustafaev
- Baku State University, Department of Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Baku, AZ1106, Azerbaijan.
| | - K V Kabarbaeva
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - N S Sadovskaya
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - A A Tyurin
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - V S Fadeev
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - I V Goldenkova-Pavlova
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|