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Guo Q, Yang YX, Li DX, Ji XJ, Wu N, Wang YT, Ye C, Shi TQ. Advances in multi-enzyme co-localization strategies for the construction of microbial cell factory. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 77:108453. [PMID: 39278372 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Biomanufacturing, driven by technologies such as synthetic biology, offers significant potential to advance the bioeconomy and promote sustainable development. It is anticipated to transform traditional manufacturing and become a key industry in future strategies. Cell factories are the core of biomanufacturing. The advancement of synthetic biology and growing market demand have led to the production of a greater variety of natural products and increasingly complex metabolic pathways. However, this progress also presents challenges, notably the conflict between natural product production and chassis cell growth. This conflict results in low productivity and yield, adverse side effects, metabolic imbalances, and growth retardation. Enzyme co-localization strategies have emerged as a promising solution. This article reviews recent progress and applications of these strategies in constructing cell factories for efficient natural product production. It comprehensively describes the applications of enzyme-based compartmentalization, metabolic pathway-based compartmentalization, and synthetic organelle-based compartmentalization in improving product titers. The article also explores future research directions and the prospects of combining multiple strategies with advanced technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Guo
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Xin Yang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong-Xun Li
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Jun Ji
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Wu
- College of Marine and Bioengineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, China
| | - Yue-Tong Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chao Ye
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tian-Qiong Shi
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Doron L, Kerfeld CA. Bacterial microcompartments as a next-generation metabolic engineering tool: utilizing nature's solution for confining challenging catabolic pathways. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:997-1010. [PMID: 38813858 PMCID: PMC11346464 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the incorporation of heterologous metabolic pathways into various bacterial chassis, leading to the synthesis of targeted bioproducts. However, total output from heterologous production pathways can suffer from low flux, enzyme promiscuity, formation of toxic intermediates, or intermediate loss to competing reactions, which ultimately hinder their full potential. The self-assembling, easy-to-modify, protein-based bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) offer a sophisticated way to overcome these obstacles by acting as an autonomous catalytic module decoupled from the cell's regulatory and metabolic networks. More than a decade of fundamental research on various types of BMCs, particularly structural studies of shells and their self-assembly, the recruitment of enzymes to BMC shell scaffolds, and the involvement of ancillary proteins such as transporters, regulators, and activating enzymes in the integration of BMCs into the cell's metabolism, has significantly moved the field forward. These advances have enabled bioengineers to design synthetic multi-enzyme BMCs to promote ethanol or hydrogen production, increase cellular polyphosphate levels, and convert glycerol to propanediol or formate to pyruvate. These pioneering efforts demonstrate the enormous potential of synthetic BMCs to encapsulate non-native multi-enzyme biochemical pathways for the synthesis of high-value products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lior Doron
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Cheryl A. Kerfeld
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology and Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging Divisions, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
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3
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Holtz M, Acevedo-Rocha CG, Jensen MK. Combining enzyme and metabolic engineering for microbial supply of therapeutic phytochemicals. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 87:103110. [PMID: 38503222 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The history of pharmacology is deeply intertwined with plant-derived compounds, which continue to be crucial in drug development. However, their complex structures and limited availability in plants challenge drug discovery, optimization, development, and industrial production via chemical synthesis or natural extraction. This review delves into the integration of metabolic and enzyme engineering to leverage micro-organisms as platforms for the sustainable and reliable production of therapeutic phytochemicals. We argue that engineered microbes can serve a triple role in this paradigm: facilitating pathway discovery, acting as cell factories for scalable manufacturing, and functioning as platforms for chemical derivatization. Analyzing recent progress and outlining future directions, the review highlights microbial biotechnology's transformative potential in expanding plant-derived human therapeutics' discovery and supply chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Holtz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Carlos G Acevedo-Rocha
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michael K Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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4
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Chen Y, Huang JP, Wang YJ, Tu ML, Li J, Xu B, Peng G, Yang J, Huang SX. Identification and characterization of camptothecin tailoring enzymes in Nothapodytes tomentosa. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 66:1158-1169. [PMID: 38517054 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Camptothecin is a complex monoterpenoid indole alkaloid with remarkable antitumor activity. Given that two C-10 modified camptothecin derivatives, topotecan and irinotecan, have been approved as potent anticancer agents, there is a critical need for methods to access other aromatic ring-functionalized congeners (e.g., C-9, C-10, etc.). However, contemporary methods for chemical oxidation are generally harsh and low-yielding when applied to the camptothecin scaffold, thereby limiting the development of modified derivatives. Reported herein, we have identified four tailoring enzymes responsible for C-9 modifications of camptothecin from Nothapodytes tomentosa, via metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. These consist of a cytochrome P450 (NtCPT9H) which catalyzes the regioselective oxidation of camptothecin to 9-hydroxycamptothecin, as well as two methyltransferases (NtOMT1/2, converting 9-hydroxycamptothecin to 9-methoxycamptothecin), and a uridine diphosphate-glycosyltransferase (NtUGT5, decorating 9-hydroxycamptothecin to 9-β-D-glucosyloxycamptothecin). Importantly, the critical residues that contribute to the specific catalytic activity of NtCPT9H have been elucidated through molecular docking and mutagenesis experiments. This work provides a genetic basis for producing camptothecin derivatives through metabolic engineering. This will hasten the discovery of novel C-9 modified camptothecin derivatives, with profound implications for pharmaceutical manufacture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jian-Ping Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Yong-Jiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Meng-Ling Tu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Junheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Bingyan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guoqing Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Jing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Sheng-Xiong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
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5
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Ren X, Lin C, Huang Y, Su T, Guo J, Yang L. Miltiradiene Production by Cytoplasmic Metabolic Engineering in Nicotiana benthamiana. Metabolites 2023; 13:1188. [PMID: 38132870 PMCID: PMC10745046 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13121188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant natural products are important sources of innovative drugs, but the extraction and isolation of medicinal natural products from plants is challenging as these compounds have complex structures that are difficult to synthesize chemically. Therefore, utilizing heterologous expression systems to produce medicinal natural products in plants is a novel, environmentally friendly, and sustainable method. In this study, Nicotiana benthamiana was used as the plant platform to successfully produce miltiradiene, the key intermediate of tanshinones, which are the bioactive constituents of the Chinese medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza. The yield of miltiradiene was increased through cytoplasmic engineering strategies combined with the enhancement of isoprenoid precursors. Additionally, we discovered that overexpressing SmHMGR alone accelerated apoptosis in tobacco leaves. Due to the richer membrane systems and cofactors in tobacco compared to yeast, tobacco is more conducive to the expression of plant enzymes. Therefore, this study lays the foundation for dissecting the tanshinone biosynthetic pathway in tobacco, which is essential for subsequent research. Additionally, it highlights the potential of N. benthamiana as an alternative platform for the production of natural products in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangxiang Ren
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.R.); (T.S.)
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (C.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Chuhang Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (C.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yanbo Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (C.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Tao Su
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.R.); (T.S.)
| | - Juan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-Di Herbs, Beijing 100700, China;
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (C.L.); (Y.H.)
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6
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Stern A, Fokra M, Sarvin B, Alrahem AA, Lee WD, Aizenshtein E, Sarvin N, Shlomi T. Inferring mitochondrial and cytosolic metabolism by coupling isotope tracing and deconvolution. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7525. [PMID: 37980339 PMCID: PMC10657349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42824-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The inability to inspect metabolic activities within distinct subcellular compartments has been a major barrier to our understanding of eukaryotic cell metabolism. Previous work addressed this challenge by analyzing metabolism in isolated organelles, which grossly bias metabolic activity. Here, we describe a method for inferring physiological metabolic fluxes and metabolite concentrations in mitochondria and cytosol based on isotope tracing experiments performed with intact cells. This is made possible by computational deconvolution of metabolite isotopic labeling patterns and concentrations into cytosolic and mitochondrial counterparts, coupled with metabolic and thermodynamic modelling. Our approach lowers the uncertainty regarding compartmentalized fluxes and concentrations by one and three orders of magnitude compared to existing modelling approaches, respectively. We derive a quantitative view of mitochondrial and cytosolic metabolic activities in central carbon metabolism across cultured cell lines without performing cell fractionation, finding major variability in compartmentalized malate-aspartate shuttle fluxes. We expect our approach for inferring metabolism at a subcellular resolution to be instrumental for a variety of studies of metabolic dysfunction in human disease and for bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Stern
- Department of Computer Science, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Mariam Fokra
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Boris Sarvin
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ahmad Abed Alrahem
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Won Dong Lee
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Elina Aizenshtein
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nikita Sarvin
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tomer Shlomi
- Department of Computer Science, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
- Lokey Center for Life Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
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7
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Selma S, Ntelkis N, Nguyen TH, Goossens A. Engineering the plant metabolic system by exploiting metabolic regulation. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:1149-1163. [PMID: 36799285 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Plants are the most sophisticated biofactories and sources of food and biofuels present in nature. By engineering plant metabolism, the production of desired compounds can be increased and the nutritional or commercial value of the plant species can be improved. However, this can be challenging because of the complexity of the regulation of multiple genes and the involvement of different protein interactions. To improve metabolic engineering (ME) capabilities, different tools and strategies for rerouting the metabolic pathways have been developed, including genome editing and transcriptional regulation approaches. In addition, cutting-edge technologies have provided new methods for understanding uncharacterized biosynthetic pathways, protein degradation mechanisms, protein-protein interactions, or allosteric feedback, enabling the design of novel ME approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Selma
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nikolaos Ntelkis
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Trang Hieu Nguyen
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
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8
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Garner RM, Molines AT, Theriot JA, Chang F. Vast heterogeneity in cytoplasmic diffusion rates revealed by nanorheology and Doppelgänger simulations. Biophys J 2023; 122:767-783. [PMID: 36739478 PMCID: PMC10027447 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The cytoplasm is a complex, crowded, actively driven environment whose biophysical characteristics modulate critical cellular processes such as cytoskeletal dynamics, phase separation, and stem cell fate. Little is known about the variance in these cytoplasmic properties. Here, we employed particle-tracking nanorheology on genetically encoded multimeric 40 nm nanoparticles (GEMs) to measure diffusion within the cytoplasm of individual fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) cellscells. We found that the apparent diffusion coefficients of individual GEM particles varied over a 400-fold range, while the differences in average particle diffusivity among individual cells spanned a 10-fold range. To determine the origin of this heterogeneity, we developed a Doppelgänger simulation approach that uses stochastic simulations of GEM diffusion that replicate the experimental statistics on a particle-by-particle basis, such that each experimental track and cell had a one-to-one correspondence with their simulated counterpart. These simulations showed that the large intra- and inter-cellular variations in diffusivity could not be explained by experimental variability but could only be reproduced with stochastic models that assume a wide intra- and inter-cellular variation in cytoplasmic viscosity. The simulation combining intra- and inter-cellular variation in viscosity also predicted weak nonergodicity in GEM diffusion, consistent with the experimental data. To probe the origin of this variation, we found that the variance in GEM diffusivity was largely independent of factors such as temperature, the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, cell-cyle stage, and spatial locations, but was magnified by hyperosmotic shocks. Taken together, our results provide a striking demonstration that the cytoplasm is not "well-mixed" but represents a highly heterogeneous environment in which subcellular components at the 40 nm size scale experience dramatically different effective viscosities within an individual cell, as well as in different cells in a genetically identical population. These findings carry significant implications for the origins and regulation of biological noise at cellular and subcellular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki M Garner
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
| | - Arthur T Molines
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
| | - Julie A Theriot
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Fred Chang
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
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9
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Mellor SB, Behrendorff JBYH, Ipsen JØ, Crocoll C, Laursen T, Gillam EMJ, Pribil M. Exploiting photosynthesis-driven P450 activity to produce indican in tobacco chloroplasts. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1049177. [PMID: 36743583 PMCID: PMC9890960 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1049177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic organelles offer attractive features for engineering small molecule bioproduction by their ability to convert solar energy into chemical energy required for metabolism. The possibility to couple biochemical production directly to photosynthetic assimilation as a source of energy and substrates has intrigued metabolic engineers. Specifically, the chemical diversity found in plants often relies on cytochrome P450-mediated hydroxylations that depend on reductant supply for catalysis and which often lead to metabolic bottlenecks for heterologous production of complex molecules. By directing P450 enzymes to plant chloroplasts one can elegantly deal with such redox prerequisites. In this study, we explore the capacity of the plant photosynthetic machinery to drive P450-dependent formation of the indigo precursor indoxyl-β-D-glucoside (indican) by targeting an engineered indican biosynthetic pathway to tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) chloroplasts. We show that both native and engineered variants belonging to the human CYP2 family are catalytically active in chloroplasts when driven by photosynthetic reducing power and optimize construct designs to improve productivity. However, while increasing supply of tryptophan leads to an increase in indole accumulation, it does not improve indican productivity, suggesting that P450 activity limits overall productivity. Co-expression of different redox partners also does not improve productivity, indicating that supply of reducing power is not a bottleneck. Finally, in vitro kinetic measurements showed that the different redox partners were efficiently reduced by photosystem I but plant ferredoxin provided the highest light-dependent P450 activity. This study demonstrates the inherent ability of photosynthesis to support P450-dependent metabolic pathways. Plants and photosynthetic microbes are therefore uniquely suited for engineering P450-dependent metabolic pathways regardless of enzyme origin. Our findings have implications for metabolic engineering in photosynthetic hosts for production of high-value chemicals or drug metabolites for pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas B. Mellor
- Section for Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - James B. Y. H. Behrendorff
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Johan Ø. Ipsen
- Section for Forest, Nature and Biomass, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Christoph Crocoll
- DynaMo Center, Section for Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Tomas Laursen
- Section for Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth M. J. Gillam
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mathias Pribil
- Section for Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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10
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Schwenkert S, Fernie AR, Geigenberger P, Leister D, Möhlmann T, Naranjo B, Neuhaus HE. Chloroplasts are key players to cope with light and temperature stress. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 27:577-587. [PMID: 35012879 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Under natural environmental conditions, changes in light intensity and temperature are closely interwoven, and of all organelles, only chloroplasts react strongly upon alterations of these two parameters. We review increasing evidence indicating that changes in chloroplast metabolism are critical for the comprehensive cellular answer in a challenging environment. This cellular answer starts with rapid modifications of thylakoid-located processes, followed by modifications in the stroma and transport activities across the chloroplast envelope. We propose that the 'modulators' involved contribute to plant stress tolerance and that deciphering of their characteristics is essential to understand 'acclimation'. Especially in times of climatic changes, we must gain knowledge on physiological reactions that might become instrumental for directed breeding strategies aiming to develop stress-tolerant crop plants.
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11
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Gupta S, Schillaci M, Roessner U. Metabolomics as an emerging tool to study plant-microbe interactions. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:175-183. [PMID: 35191478 PMCID: PMC9023012 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
In natural environments, interaction between plant roots and microorganisms are common. These interactions between microbial species and plants inhabited by them are being studied using various techniques. Metabolomics research based on mass spectrometric techniques is one of the crucial approaches that underpins system biology and relies on precision instrument analysis. In the last decade, this emerging field has received extensive attention. It provides a qualitative and quantitative approach for determining the mechanisms of symbiosis of bacteria and fungi with plants and also helps to elucidate the tolerance mechanisms of host plants against various abiotic stresses. However, this -omics application and its tools in plant-microbe interaction studies is still underutilized compared with genomic and transcriptomic methods. Therefore, it is crucial to bring this field forward to bear on the study of plant resistance and susceptibility. This review describes the current status of methods and progress in metabolomics applications for plant-microbe interaction studies discussing current challenges and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Gupta
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Martino Schillaci
- Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche-Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile Delle Piante, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Ute Roessner
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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12
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Lynch JH. Revisiting the dual pathway hypothesis of Chorismate production in plants. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhac052. [PMID: 35350169 PMCID: PMC8945279 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The shikimate pathway, the seven enzymatic steps that synthesize chorismate from phosphoenolpyruvate and erythrose 4-phosphate, produces the last common precursor of the three aromatic amino acids. It is firmly established that all seven enzymes are present in plastids, and it is generally accepted that this organelle is likely the sole location for production of chorismate in plants. However, recently a growing body of evidence has provided support for a previous proposal that at least portions of the pathway are duplicated in the cytosol, referred to as the Dual Pathway Hypothesis. Here I revisit this obscure hypothesis by reviewing the findings that provided the original basis for its formulation as well as more recent results that provide fresh support for a possible extra-plastidial shikimate pathway duplication. Similarities between this possible intercompartmental metabolic redundancy and that of terpenoid metabolism are used to discuss potential advantages of pathway duplication, and the translational implications of the Dual Pathway Hypothesis for metabolic engineering are noted.
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13
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Mondal R, Kumar A, Chattopadhyay SK. Structural property, molecular regulation, and functional diversity of glutamine synthetase in higher plants: a data-mining bioinformatics approach. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:1565-1584. [PMID: 34628690 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS; E.C.6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme in higher plants with two isozymes, cytosolic GS1 and plastidic GS2, and involves in the assimilation and recycling of NH4+ ions and maintenance of complex traits such as crop nitrogen-use efficiency and yield. Our present understanding of crop nitrogen-use efficiency and its correlation with the functional role of the GS family genes is inadequate, which delays harnessing the benefit of this key enzyme in crop improvement. In this report, we performed a comprehensive investigation on the phylogenetic relationship, structural properties, complex multilevel gene regulation, and expression patterns of the GS genes to enrich present understanding about the enzyme. Our Gene Ontology and protein-protein interactions analysis revealed the functional aspects of GS isozymes in stress mitigation, aging, nucleotide biosynthesis/transport, DNA repair and response to metals. The insight gained here contributes to the future research strategies in developing climate-smart crops for global sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Mondal
- Mulberry Tissue Culture Lab, Central Sericultural Germplasm Resources Centre (CSGRC), Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India, Hosur, 635109, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Host Plant Section, Central Muga Eri Research & Training Institute, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India, Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, Assam, 785700, India
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14
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Sustained enzymatic activity and flow in crowded protein droplets. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6293. [PMID: 34725341 PMCID: PMC8560906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26532-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Living cells harvest energy from their environments to drive the chemical processes that enable life. We introduce a minimal system that operates at similar protein concentrations, metabolic densities, and length scales as living cells. This approach takes advantage of the tendency of phase-separated protein droplets to strongly partition enzymes, while presenting minimal barriers to transport of small molecules across their interface. By dispersing these microreactors in a reservoir of substrate-loaded buffer, we achieve steady states at metabolic densities that match those of the hungriest microorganisms. We further demonstrate the formation of steady pH gradients, capable of driving microscopic flows. Our approach enables the investigation of the function of diverse enzymes in environments that mimic cytoplasm, and provides a flexible platform for studying the collective behavior of matter driven far from equilibrium.
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15
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Li CQ, Lei HM, Hu QY, Li GH, Zhao PJ. Recent Advances in the Synthetic Biology of Natural Drugs. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:691152. [PMID: 34395399 PMCID: PMC8358299 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.691152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural drugs have been transformed and optimized during the long process of evolution. These compounds play a very important role in the protection of human health and treatment of human diseases. Sustainable approaches to the generation of raw materials for pharmaceutical products have been extensively investigated in drug research and development because chemical synthesis is costly and generates pollution. The present review provides an overview of the recent advances in the synthetic biology of natural drugs. Particular attention is paid to the investigations of drugs that may be mass-produced by the pharmaceutical industry after optimization of the corresponding synthetic systems. The present review describes the reconstruction and optimization of biosynthetic pathways for nine drugs, including seven drugs from plant sources and two drugs from microbial sources, suggesting a new strategy for the large-scale preparation of some rare natural plant metabolites and highly bioactive microbial compounds. Some of the suggested synthetic methods remain in a preliminary exploration stage; however, a number of these methods demonstrated considerable application potential. The authors also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the application of synthetic biology and various expression systems for heterologous expression of natural drugs. Thus, the present review provides a useful perspective for researchers attempting to use synthetic biology to produce natural drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pei-Ji Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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16
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Höhner R, Day PM, Zimmermann SE, Lopez LS, Krämer M, Giavalisco P, Correa Galvis V, Armbruster U, Schöttler MA, Jahns P, Krueger S, Kunz HH. Stromal NADH supplied by PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE3 is crucial for photosynthetic performance. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 186:142-167. [PMID: 33779763 PMCID: PMC8154072 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
During photosynthesis, electrons travel from light-excited chlorophyll molecules along the electron transport chain to the final electron acceptor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to form NADPH, which fuels the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (CBBC). To allow photosynthetic reactions to occur flawlessly, a constant resupply of the acceptor NADP is mandatory. Several known stromal mechanisms aid in balancing the redox poise, but none of them utilizes the structurally highly similar coenzyme NAD(H). Using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a C3-model, we describe a pathway that employs the stromal enzyme PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE 3 (PGDH3). We showed that PGDH3 exerts high NAD(H)-specificity and is active in photosynthesizing chloroplasts. PGDH3 withdrew its substrate 3-PGA directly from the CBBC. As a result, electrons become diverted from NADPH via the CBBC into the separate NADH redox pool. pgdh3 loss-of-function mutants revealed an overreduced NADP(H) redox pool but a more oxidized plastid NAD(H) pool compared to wild-type plants. As a result, photosystem I acceptor side limitation increased in pgdh3. Furthermore, pgdh3 plants displayed delayed CBBC activation, changes in nonphotochemical quenching, and altered proton motive force partitioning. Our fluctuating light-stress phenotyping data showed progressing photosystem II damage in pgdh3 mutants, emphasizing the significance of PGDH3 for plant performance under natural light environments. In summary, this study reveals an NAD(H)-specific mechanism in the stroma that aids in balancing the chloroplast redox poise. Consequently, the stromal NAD(H) pool may provide a promising target to manipulate plant photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda Höhner
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Philip M Day
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Sandra E Zimmermann
- Biocenter University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Science, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Laura S Lopez
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Moritz Krämer
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | | | - Viviana Correa Galvis
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Ute Armbruster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Mark Aurel Schöttler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Peter Jahns
- Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Stephan Krueger
- Biocenter University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Science, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Hans-Henning Kunz
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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Ahmed MS, Lauersen KJ, Ikram S, Li C. Efflux Transporters' Engineering and Their Application in Microbial Production of Heterologous Metabolites. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:646-669. [PMID: 33751883 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering of microbial hosts for the production of heterologous metabolites and biochemicals is an enabling technology to generate meaningful quantities of desired products that may be otherwise difficult to produce by traditional means. Heterologous metabolite production can be restricted by the accumulation of toxic products within the cell. Efflux transport proteins (transporters) provide a potential solution to facilitate the export of these products, mitigate toxic effects, and enhance production. Recent investigations using knockout lines, heterologous expression, and expression profiling of transporters have revealed candidates that can enhance the export of heterologous metabolites from microbial cell systems. Transporter engineering efforts have revealed that some exhibit flexible substrate specificity and may have broader application potentials. In this Review, the major superfamilies of efflux transporters, their mechanistic modes of action, selection of appropriate efflux transporters for desired compounds, and potential transporter engineering strategies are described for potential applications in enhancing engineered microbial metabolite production. Future studies in substrate recognition, heterologous expression, and combinatorial engineering of efflux transporters will assist efforts to enhance heterologous metabolite production in microbial hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saad Ahmed
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Beijing 100081, P. R. China
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Abid Majeed Road, The Mall, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Kyle J. Lauersen
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sana Ikram
- Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center for Food Additives and Ingredients, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Chun Li
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Beijing 100081, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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18
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Engineering insect resistance using plant specialized metabolites. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 70:115-121. [PMID: 33866214 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Plants in nature are protected against insect herbivory by a wide variety of specialized metabolites. Although insect herbivores generally tolerate the defensive metabolites of their preferred host plants, the presence of additional chemical defenses in otherwise closely related plant species can nevertheless provide resistance. This chemical resistance to insect herbivory can be enhanced by genetic engineering to increase the production of endogenous defensive metabolites, modify existing biochemical pathways, or move the biosynthesis of entirely new classes of specialized metabolites into recipient plants. However, current plant genetic engineering strategies are limited by insufficient knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways of plant specialized metabolism, unintended side-effects that result from redirecting plant metabolism, inadequate transgene construction and delivery methods, and requirements for tissue-specific production of defensive metabolites to enhance herbivore resistance.
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19
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Eljounaidi K, Lichman BR. Nature's Chemists: The Discovery and Engineering of Phytochemical Biosynthesis. Front Chem 2020; 8:596479. [PMID: 33240856 PMCID: PMC7680914 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.596479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants produce a diverse array of natural products, many of which have high pharmaceutical value or therapeutic potential. However, these compounds often occur at low concentrations in uncultivated species. Producing phytochemicals in heterologous systems has the potential to address the bioavailability issues related to obtaining these molecules from their natural source. Plants are suitable heterologous systems for the production of valuable phytochemicals as they are autotrophic, derive energy and carbon from photosynthesis, and have similar cellular context to native producer plants. In this review we highlight the methods that are used to elucidate natural product biosynthetic pathways, including the approaches leading to proposing the sequence of enzymatic steps, selecting enzyme candidates and characterizing gene function. We will also discuss the advantages of using plant chasses as production platforms for high value phytochemicals. In addition, through this report we will assess the emerging metabolic engineering strategies that have been developed to enhance and optimize the production of natural and novel bioactive phytochemicals in heterologous plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaouthar Eljounaidi
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin R Lichman
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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20
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Sabzehzari M, Zeinali M, Naghavi MR. CRISPR-based metabolic editing: Next-generation metabolic engineering in plants. Gene 2020; 759:144993. [PMID: 32717311 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Plants generate many secondary metabolites, so called phyto-metabolites, which can be used as toxins, dyes, drugs, and insecticides in bio-warfare plus bio-terrorism, industry, medicine, and agriculture, respectively. To 2013, the first generation metabolic engineering approaches like miRNA-based manipulation were widely adopted by researchers in biosciences. However, the discovery of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) genome editing system revolutionized metabolic engineering due to its unique features so that scientists could manipulate the biosynthetic pathways of phyto-metabolites through approaches like miRNA-mediated CRISPR-Cas9. According to the increasing importance of the genome editing in plant sciences, we discussed the current findings on CRISPR-based manipulation of phyto-metabolites in plants, especially medicinal ones, and suggested the ideas to phyto-metabolic editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sabzehzari
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran.
| | - Masoumeh Zeinali
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Naghavi
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran.
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21
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Gene Pyramiding for Sustainable Crop Improvement against Biotic and Abiotic Stresses. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy10091255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable agricultural production is endangered by several ecological factors, such as drought, extreme temperatures, excessive salts, parasitic ailments, and insect pest infestation. These challenging environmental factors may have adverse effects on future agriculture production in many countries. In modern agriculture, conventional crop-breeding techniques alone are inadequate for achieving the increasing population’s food demand on a sustainable basis. The advancement of molecular genetics and related technologies are promising tools for the selection of new crop species. Gene pyramiding through marker-assisted selection (MAS) and other techniques have accelerated the development of durable resistant/tolerant lines with high accuracy in the shortest period of time for agricultural sustainability. Gene stacking has not been fully utilized for biotic stress resistance development and quality improvement in most of the major cultivated crops. This review emphasizes on gene pyramiding techniques that are being successfully deployed in modern agriculture for improving crop tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses for sustainable crop improvement.
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22
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Dasgupta A, Chowdhury N, De RK. Metabolic pathway engineering: Perspectives and applications. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 192:105436. [PMID: 32199314 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic engineering aims at contriving microbes as biocatalysts for enhanced and cost-effective production of countless secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites can be treated as the resources of industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and fuels. Plants are also crucial targets for metabolic engineers to produce necessary secondary metabolites. Metabolic engineering of both microorganism and plants also contributes towards drug discovery. In order to implement advanced metabolic engineering techniques efficiently, metabolic engineers should have detailed knowledge about cell physiology and metabolism. Principle behind methodologies: Genome-scale mathematical models of integrated metabolic, signal transduction, gene regulatory and protein-protein interaction networks along with experimental validation can provide such knowledge in this context. Incorporation of omics data into these models is crucial in the case of drug discovery. Inverse metabolic engineering and metabolic control analysis (MCA) can help in developing such models. Artificial intelligence methodology can also be applied for efficient and accurate metabolic engineering. CONCLUSION In this review, we discuss, at the beginning, the perspectives of metabolic engineering and its application on microorganism and plant leading to drug discovery. At the end, we elaborate why inverse metabolic engineering and MCA are closely related to modern metabolic engineering. In addition, some crucial steps ensuring efficient and optimal metabolic engineering strategies have been discussed. Moreover, we explore the use of genomics data for the activation of silent metabolic clusters and how it can be integrated with metabolic engineering. Finally, we exhibit a few applications of artificial intelligence to metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Dasgupta
- Department of Data Science, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Nirmalya Chowdhury
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Rajat K De
- Machine Intelligence Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Kolkata 700108, India.
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23
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Lynch JH, Dudareva N. Aromatic Amino Acids: A Complex Network Ripe for Future Exploration. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 25:670-681. [PMID: 32526172 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In plants, high carbon flux is committed to the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, owing to their roles not only in the production of proteins, but also as precursors to thousands of primary and specialized metabolites. The core plastidial pathways that supply the majority of aromatic amino acids (AAAs) have previously been described in detail. More recently, the discovery of cytosolic enzymes contributing to overall AAA biosynthesis, as well as the identification of intracellular transporters and the continuing elucidation of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, have revealed the complexity of this intercompartmental metabolic network. Here, we review the latest breakthroughs in AAA production and use the newest findings to highlight both longstanding and newly developed questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Lynch
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA
| | - Natalia Dudareva
- Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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Smit SJ, Vivier MA, Young PR. Comparative (Within Species) Genomics of the Vitis vinifera L. Terpene Synthase Family to Explore the Impact of Genotypic Variation Using Phased Diploid Genomes. Front Genet 2020; 11:421. [PMID: 32431727 PMCID: PMC7216305 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Vitis vinifera L. terpene synthase (VviTPS) family was comprehensively annotated on the phased diploid genomes of three closely related cultivars: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère and Chardonnay. VviTPS gene regions were grouped to chromosomes, with the haplotig assemblies used to identify allelic variants. Functional predictions of the VviTPS subfamilies were performed using enzyme active site phylogenies resulting in the putative identification of the initial substrate and cyclization mechanism of VviTPS enzymes. Subsequent groupings into conserved catalytic mechanisms was coupled with an analysis of cultivar-specific gene duplications, resulting in the identification of conserved and unique VviTPS clusters. These findings are presented as a collection of interactive networks where any VviTPS of interest can be queried through BLAST, allowing for a rapid identification of VviTPS-subfamily, enzyme mechanism and degree of connectivity (i.e., extent of duplication). The comparative genomic analyses presented expands our understanding of the VviTPS family and provides numerous new gene models from three diploid genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Philip Richard Young
- South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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25
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Jin X, Baysal C, Gao L, Medina V, Drapal M, Ni X, Sheng Y, Shi L, Capell T, Fraser PD, Christou P, Zhu C. The subcellular localization of two isopentenyl diphosphate isomerases in rice suggests a role for the endoplasmic reticulum in isoprenoid biosynthesis. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2020; 39:119-133. [PMID: 31679061 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-019-02479-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Both OsIPPI1 and OsIPPI2 enzymes are found in the endoplasmic reticulum, providing novel important insights into the role of this compartment in the synthesis of MVA pathway isoprenoids. Isoprenoids are synthesized from the precursor's isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphosphate (DMAPP), which are interconverted by the enzyme isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPPI). Many plants express multiple isoforms of IPPI, the only enzyme shared by the mevalonate (MVA) and non-mevalonate (MEP) pathways, but little is known about their specific roles. Rice (Oryza sativa) has two IPPI isoforms (OsIPPI1 and OsIPPI2). We, therefore, carried out a comprehensive comparison of IPPI gene expression, protein localization, and isoprenoid biosynthesis in this species. We found that OsIPPI1 mRNA was more abundant than OsIPPI2 mRNA in all tissues, and its expression in de-etiolated leaves mirrored the accumulation of phytosterols, suggesting a key role in the synthesis of MVA pathway isoprenoids. We investigated the subcellular localization of both isoforms by constitutively expressing them as fusions with synthetic green fluorescent protein. Both proteins localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as well as peroxisomes and mitochondria, whereas only OsIPPI2 was detected in plastids, due to an N-terminal transit peptide which is not present in OsIPPI1. Despite the plastidial location of OsIPPI2, the expression of OsIPPI2 mRNA did not mirror the accumulation of chlorophylls or carotenoids, indicating that OsIPPI2 may be a redundant component of the MEP pathway. The detection of both OsIPPI isoforms in the ER indicates that DMAPP can be synthesized de novo in this compartment. Our work shows that the ER plays an as yet unknown role in the synthesis of MVA-derived isoprenoids, with important implications for the metabolic engineering of isoprenoid biosynthesis in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jin
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Can Baysal
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Lihong Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China
| | - Vicente Medina
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Margit Drapal
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Xiuzhen Ni
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China
| | - Yanmin Sheng
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China
| | - Lianxuan Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Paul D Fraser
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
- ICREA, Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China.
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26
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Koley S, Raorane ML, Junker BH. Shoot tip culture: a step towards 13C metabolite flux analysis of sink leaf metabolism. PLANT METHODS 2019; 15:48. [PMID: 31139238 PMCID: PMC6526604 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-019-0434-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Better understanding of the physiological and metabolic status of plants can only be obtained when metabolic fluxes are accurately assessed in a growing plant. Steady state 13C-MFA has been established as a routine method for analysis of fluxes in plant primary metabolism. However, the experimental system needs to be improved for continuous carbon enrichment from labelled sugars into metabolites for longer periods until complex secondary metabolism reaches steady state. RESULTS We developed an in vitro plant culture strategy by using peppermint as a model plant with minimizing unlabelled carbon fixation where growing shoot tip was strongly dependent on labelled glucose for their carbon necessity. We optimized the light condition and detected the satisfactory phenotypical growth under the lower light intensity. Total volatile terpenes were also highest at the same light. Analysis of label incorporation into pulegone monoterpene after continuous U-13C6 glucose feeding revealed nearly 100% 13C, even at 15 days after first leaf visibility (DALV). Label enrichment was gradually scrambled with increasing light intensity and leaf age. This study was validated by showing similar levels of label enrichment in proteinogenic amino acids. The efficiency of this method was also verified in oregano. CONCLUSIONS Our shoot tip culture depicted a method in achieving long term, stable and a high percentage of label accumulation in secondary metabolites within a fully functional growing plant system. It recommends the potential application for the investigations of various facets of plant metabolism by steady state 13C-MFA. The system also provides a greater potential to study sink leaf metabolism. Overall, we propose a system to accurately describe complex metabolic phenotypes in a growing plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somnath Koley
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University, Hoher Weg 8, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Manish L. Raorane
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University, Hoher Weg 8, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Björn H. Junker
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University, Hoher Weg 8, Halle (Saale), Germany
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Lee WD, Mukha D, Aizenshtein E, Shlomi T. Spatial-fluxomics provides a subcellular-compartmentalized view of reductive glutamine metabolism in cancer cells. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1351. [PMID: 30903027 PMCID: PMC6430770 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The inability to inspect metabolic activities within subcellular compartments has been a major barrier to our understanding of eukaryotic cell metabolism. Here, we describe a spatial-fluxomics approach for inferring metabolic fluxes in mitochondria and cytosol under physiological conditions, combining isotope tracing, rapid subcellular fractionation, LC-MS-based metabolomics, computational deconvolution, and metabolic network modeling. Applied to study reductive glutamine metabolism in cancer cells, shown to mediate fatty acid biosynthesis under hypoxia and defective mitochondria, we find a previously unappreciated role of reductive IDH1 as the sole net contributor of carbons to fatty acid biosynthesis under standard normoxic conditions in HeLa cells. In murine cells with defective SDH, we find that reductive biosynthesis of citrate in mitochondria is followed by a reversed CS activity, suggesting a new route for supporting pyrimidine biosynthesis. We expect this spatial-fluxomics approach to be a highly useful tool for elucidating the role of metabolic dysfunction in human disease. Measuring metabolic fluxes in cellular compartments is a challenge. Here, the authors introduce an approach to infer fluxes in mitochondria and cytosol, and find that IDH1 is the major producer of cytosolic citrate in HeLa cells and that in SDH- deficient cells citrate synthase functions in reverse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Dong Lee
- Faculty of Biology, Technion, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Elina Aizenshtein
- Lokey Center for Life Science and Engineering, Technion, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tomer Shlomi
- Faculty of Biology, Technion, 32000, Haifa, Israel. .,Lokey Center for Life Science and Engineering, Technion, 32000, Haifa, Israel. .,Faculty of Computer Science, Technion, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
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28
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Beshir WF, Tohge T, Watanabe M, Hertog MLATM, Hoefgen R, Fernie AR, Nicolaï BM. Non-aqueous fractionation revealed changing subcellular metabolite distribution during apple fruit development. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2019; 6:98. [PMID: 31666959 PMCID: PMC6804870 DOI: 10.1038/s41438-019-0178-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In developing apple fruit, metabolic compartmentation is poorly understood due to the lack of experimental data. Distinguishing subcellular compartments in fruit using non-aqueous fractionation has been technically difficult due to the excess amount of sugars present in the different subcellular compartments limiting the resolution of the technique. The work described in this study represents the first attempt to apply non-aqueous fractionation to developing apple fruit, covering the major events occurring during fruit development (cell division, cell expansion, and maturation). Here we describe the non-aqueous fractionation method to study the subcellular compartmentation of metabolites during apple fruit development considering three main cellular compartments (cytosol, plastids, and vacuole). Evidence is presented that most of the sugars and organic acids were predominantly located in the vacuole, whereas some of the amino acids were distributed between the cytosol and the vacuole. The results showed a shift in the plastid marker from the lightest fractions in the early growth stage to the dense fractions in the later fruit growth stages. This implies that the accumulation of starch content with progressing fruit development substantially influenced the distribution of plastidial fragments within the non-aqueous density gradient applied. Results from this study provide substantial baseline information on assessing the subcellular compartmentation of metabolites in apple fruit in general and during fruit growth in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasiye F. Beshir
- Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS), Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Takayuki Tohge
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Mutsumi Watanabe
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Maarten L. A. T. M. Hertog
- Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS), Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rainer Hoefgen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Alisdair R. Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Bart M. Nicolaï
- Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS), Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Flanders Centre of Postharvest Technology (VCBT), Leuven, Belgium
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29
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Dynamic modeling of subcellular phenylpropanoid metabolism in Arabidopsis lignifying cells. Metab Eng 2018; 49:36-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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30
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Matsuura HN, Malik S, de Costa F, Yousefzadi M, Mirjalili MH, Arroo R, Bhambra AS, Strnad M, Bonfill M, Fett-Neto AG. Specialized Plant Metabolism Characteristics and Impact on Target Molecule Biotechnological Production. Mol Biotechnol 2018; 60:169-183. [PMID: 29290031 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-017-0056-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolism evolved in the context of highly organized and differentiated cells and tissues, featuring massive chemical complexity operating under tight environmental, developmental and genetic control. Biotechnological demand for natural products has been continuously increasing because of their significant value and new applications, mainly as pharmaceuticals. Aseptic production systems of plant secondary metabolites have improved considerably, constituting an attractive tool for increased, stable and large-scale supply of valuable molecules. Surprisingly, to date, only a few examples including taxol, shikonin, berberine and artemisinin have emerged as success cases of commercial production using this strategy. The present review focuses on the main characteristics of plant specialized metabolism and their implications for current strategies used to produce secondary compounds in axenic cultivation systems. The search for consonance between plant secondary metabolism unique features and various in vitro culture systems, including cell, tissue, organ, and engineered cultures, as well as heterologous expression in microbial platforms, is discussed. Data to date strongly suggest that attaining full potential of these biotechnology production strategies requires being able to take advantage of plant specialized metabolism singularities for improved target molecule yields and for bypassing inherent difficulties in its rational manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélio Nitta Matsuura
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Center for Biotechnology and Department of Botany, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Sonia Malik
- Health Sciences Graduate Program, Biological and Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, 65.080-805, Brazil
| | - Fernanda de Costa
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Center for Biotechnology and Department of Botany, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Morteza Yousefzadi
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology, Hormozgan University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Mirjalili
- Department of Agriculture, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Randolph Arroo
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK
| | - Avninder S Bhambra
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK
| | - Miroslav Strnad
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 11, 783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Mercedes Bonfill
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arthur Germano Fett-Neto
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Center for Biotechnology and Department of Botany, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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31
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Tugizimana F, Mhlongo MI, Piater LA, Dubery IA. Metabolomics in Plant Priming Research: The Way Forward? Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061759. [PMID: 29899301 PMCID: PMC6032392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A new era of plant biochemistry at the systems level is emerging, providing detailed descriptions of biochemical phenomena at the cellular and organismal level. This new era is marked by the advent of metabolomics—the qualitative and quantitative investigation of the entire metabolome (in a dynamic equilibrium) of a biological system. This field has developed as an indispensable methodological approach to study cellular biochemistry at a global level. For protection and survival in a constantly-changing environment, plants rely on a complex and multi-layered innate immune system. This involves surveillance of ‘self’ and ‘non-self,’ molecule-based systemic signalling and metabolic adaptations involving primary and secondary metabolites as well as epigenetic modulation mechanisms. Establishment of a pre-conditioned or primed state can sensitise or enhance aspects of innate immunity for faster and stronger responses. Comprehensive elucidation of the molecular and biochemical processes associated with the phenotypic defence state is vital for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that define the metabolism of plant–pathogen interactions. Such insights are essential for translational research and applications. Thus, this review highlights the prospects of metabolomics and addresses current challenges that hinder the realisation of the full potential of the field. Such limitations include partial coverage of the metabolome and maximising the value of metabolomics data (extraction of information and interpretation). Furthermore, the review points out key features that characterise both the plant innate immune system and enhancement of the latter, thus underlining insights from metabolomic studies in plant priming. Future perspectives in this inspiring area are included, with the aim of stimulating further studies leading to a better understanding of plant immunity at the metabolome level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fidele Tugizimana
- Department of Biochemistry, Research Centre for Plant Metabolomics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
| | - Msizi I Mhlongo
- Department of Biochemistry, Research Centre for Plant Metabolomics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
| | - Lizelle A Piater
- Department of Biochemistry, Research Centre for Plant Metabolomics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
| | - Ian A Dubery
- Department of Biochemistry, Research Centre for Plant Metabolomics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
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32
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Kotopka BJ, Li Y, Smolke CD. Synthetic biology strategies toward heterologous phytochemical production. Nat Prod Rep 2018; 35:902-920. [DOI: 10.1039/c8np00028j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent progress in heterologous phytochemical biosynthetic pathway reconstitution in plant, bacteria, and yeast, with a focus on the synthetic biology strategies applied in these engineering efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yanran Li
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
- Riverside
- USA
| | - Christina D. Smolke
- Department of Bioengineering
- Stanford University
- Stanford
- USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
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33
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El-Seedi HR, Taher EA, Sheikh BY, Anjum S, Saeed A, AlAjmi MF, Moustafa MS, Al-Mousawi SM, Farag MA, Hegazy MEF, Khalifa SA, Göransson U. Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Natural Sources, Biosynthesis, Possible Biological Activities, and Roles in Islamic Medicine. STUDIES IN NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY 2018:269-292. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64068-0.00008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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34
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Rai A, Saito K, Yamazaki M. Integrated omics analysis of specialized metabolism in medicinal plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:764-787. [PMID: 28109168 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Medicinal plants are a rich source of highly diverse specialized metabolites with important pharmacological properties. Until recently, plant biologists were limited in their ability to explore the biosynthetic pathways of these metabolites, mainly due to the scarcity of plant genomics resources. However, recent advances in high-throughput large-scale analytical methods have enabled plant biologists to discover biosynthetic pathways for important plant-based medicinal metabolites. The reduced cost of generating omics datasets and the development of computational tools for their analysis and integration have led to the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways of several bioactive metabolites of plant origin. These discoveries have inspired synthetic biology approaches to develop microbial systems to produce bioactive metabolites originating from plants, an alternative sustainable source of medicinally important chemicals. Since the demand for medicinal compounds are increasing with the world's population, understanding the complete biosynthesis of specialized metabolites becomes important to identify or develop reliable sources in the future. Here, we review the contributions of major omics approaches and their integration to our understanding of the biosynthetic pathways of bioactive metabolites. We briefly discuss different approaches for integrating omics datasets to extract biologically relevant knowledge and the application of omics datasets in the construction and reconstruction of metabolic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Rai
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
| | - Kazuki Saito
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mami Yamazaki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
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35
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Peukert M, Lim WL, Seiffert U, Matros A. Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Metabolites in Barley Grain Tissues. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 1:574-591. [DOI: 10.1002/cppb.20037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Peukert
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne; Cologne Germany
| | - Wai Li Lim
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls (ARC CoE), University of Adelaide; Urrbrae Australia
| | - Udo Seiffert
- Biosystems Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF; Magdeburg Germany
| | - Andrea Matros
- Leibniz-Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Applied Biochemistry Group; Gatersleben Germany
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36
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Griffiths CA, Paul MJ, Foyer CH. Metabolite transport and associated sugar signalling systems underpinning source/sink interactions. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1857:1715-25. [PMID: 27487250 PMCID: PMC5001786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Metabolite transport between organelles, cells and source and sink tissues not only enables pathway co-ordination but it also facilitates whole plant communication, particularly in the transmission of information concerning resource availability. Carbon assimilation is co-ordinated with nitrogen assimilation to ensure that the building blocks of biomass production, amino acids and carbon skeletons, are available at the required amounts and stoichiometry, with associated transport processes making certain that these essential resources are transported from their sites of synthesis to those of utilisation. Of the many possible posttranslational mechanisms that might participate in efficient co-ordination of metabolism and transport only reversible thiol-disulphide exchange mechanisms have been described in detail. Sucrose and trehalose metabolism are intertwined in the signalling hub that ensures appropriate resource allocation to drive growth and development under optimal and stress conditions, with trehalose-6-phosphate acting as an important signal for sucrose availability. The formidable suite of plant metabolite transporters provides enormous flexibility and adaptability in inter-pathway coordination and source-sink interactions. Focussing on the carbon metabolism network, we highlight the functions of different transporter families, and the important of thioredoxins in the metabolic dialogue between source and sink tissues. In addition, we address how these systems can be tailored for crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara A Griffiths
- Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Matthew J Paul
- Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Christine H Foyer
- Centre for Plant Sciences, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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37
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Biosynthesis of therapeutic natural products using synthetic biology. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2016; 105:96-106. [PMID: 27094795 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural products are a group of bioactive structurally diverse chemicals produced by microorganisms and plants. These molecules and their derivatives have contributed to over a third of the therapeutic drugs produced in the last century. However, over the last few decades traditional drug discovery pipelines from natural products have become far less productive and far more expensive. One recent development with promise to combat this trend is the application of synthetic biology to therapeutic natural product biosynthesis. Synthetic biology is a young discipline with roots in systems biology, genetic engineering, and metabolic engineering. In this review, we discuss the use of synthetic biology to engineer improved yields of existing therapeutic natural products. We further describe the use of synthetic biology to combine and express natural product biosynthetic genes in unprecedented ways, and how this holds promise for opening up completely new avenues for drug discovery and production.
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38
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Crocoll C, Mirza N, Reichelt M, Gershenzon J, Halkier BA. Optimization of Engineered Production of the Glucoraphanin Precursor Dihomomethionine in Nicotiana benthamiana. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2016; 4:14. [PMID: 26909347 PMCID: PMC4754535 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2016.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucosinolates are natural products characteristic of the Brassicales order, which include vegetables such as cabbages and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Glucoraphanin is the major glucosinolate in broccoli and associated with the health-promoting effects of broccoli consumption. Toward our goal of creating a rich source of glucoraphanin for dietary supplements, we have previously reported the feasibility of engineering glucoraphanin in Nicotiana benthamiana through transient expression of glucoraphanin biosynthetic genes from A. thaliana (Mikkelsen et al., 2010). As side-products, we obtained fivefold to eightfold higher levels of chain-elongated leucine-derived glucosinolates, not found in the native plant. Here, we investigated two different strategies to improve engineering of the methionine chain elongation part of the glucoraphanin pathway in N. benthamiana: (1) coexpression of the large subunit (LSU1) of the heterodimeric isopropylmalate isomerase and (2) coexpression of BAT5 transporter for efficient transfer of intermediates across the chloroplast membrane. We succeeded in raising dihomomethionine (DHM) levels to a maximum of 432 nmol g−1 fresh weight that is equivalent to a ninefold increase compared to the highest production of this intermediate, as previously reported (Mikkelsen et al., 2010). The increased DHM production without increasing leucine-derived side-product levels provides new metabolic engineering strategies for improved glucoraphanin production in a heterologous host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Crocoll
- DNRF Center DynaMo, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Nadia Mirza
- DNRF Center DynaMo, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Michael Reichelt
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Jena , Germany
| | - Jonathan Gershenzon
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Jena , Germany
| | - Barbara Ann Halkier
- DNRF Center DynaMo, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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Abstract
Synthetic biology (SB) is an emerging discipline, which is slowly reorienting the field of drug discovery. For thousands of years, living organisms such as plants were the major source of human medicines. The difficulty in resynthesizing natural products, however, often turned pharmaceutical industries away from this rich source for human medicine. More recently, progress on transformation through genetic manipulation of biosynthetic units in microorganisms has opened the possibility of in-depth exploration of the large chemical space of natural products derivatives. Success of SB in drug synthesis culminated with the bioproduction of artemisinin by microorganisms, a tour de force in protein and metabolic engineering. Today, synthetic cells are not only used as biofactories but also used as cell-based screening platforms for both target-based and phenotypic-based approaches. Engineered genetic circuits in synthetic cells are also used to decipher disease mechanisms or drug mechanism of actions and to study cell-cell communication within bacteria consortia. This review presents latest developments of SB in the field of drug discovery, including some challenging issues such as drug resistance and drug toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pablo Carbonell
- Faculty of Life Sciences, SYNBIOCHEM Centre, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS), Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
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40
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. O'Connor
- The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom;
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41
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Glasgow JE, Asensio MA, Jakobson CM, Francis MB, Tullman-Ercek D. Influence of Electrostatics on Small Molecule Flux through a Protein Nanoreactor. ACS Synth Biol 2015; 4:1011-9. [PMID: 25893987 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.5b00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nature uses protein compartmentalization to great effect for control over enzymatic pathways, and the strategy has great promise for synthetic biology. In particular, encapsulation in nanometer-sized containers to create nanoreactors has the potential to elicit interesting, unexplored effects resulting from deviations from well-understood bulk processes. Self-assembled protein shells for encapsulation are especially desirable for their uniform structures and ease of perturbation through genetic mutation. Here, we use the MS2 capsid, a well-defined porous 27 nm protein shell, as an enzymatic nanoreactor to explore pore-structure effects on substrate and product flux during the catalyzed reaction. Our results suggest that the shell can influence the enzymatic reaction based on charge repulsion between small molecules and point mutations around the pore structure. These findings also lend support to the hypothesis that protein compartments modulate the transport of small molecules and thus influence metabolic reactions and catalysis in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff E. Glasgow
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Bioengineering, §Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Michael A. Asensio
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Bioengineering, §Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Christopher M. Jakobson
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Bioengineering, §Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Matthew B. Francis
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Bioengineering, §Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Danielle Tullman-Ercek
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Bioengineering, §Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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42
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Identification of a plastidial phenylalanine exporter that influences flux distribution through the phenylalanine biosynthetic network. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8142. [PMID: 26356302 PMCID: PMC4647861 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to proteins, L-phenylalanine is a versatile precursor for thousands of plant metabolites. Production of phenylalanine-derived compounds is a complex multi-compartmental process using phenylalanine synthesized predominantly in plastids as precursor. The transporter(s) exporting phenylalanine from plastids, however, remains unknown. Here, a gene encoding a Petunia hybrida plastidial cationic amino-acid transporter (PhpCAT) functioning in plastidial phenylalanine export is identified based on homology to an Escherichia coli phenylalanine transporter and co-expression with phenylalanine metabolic genes. Radiolabel transport assays show that PhpCAT exports all three aromatic amino acids. PhpCAT downregulation and overexpression result in decreased and increased levels, respectively, of phenylalanine-derived volatiles, as well as phenylalanine, tyrosine and their biosynthetic intermediates. Metabolic flux analysis reveals that flux through the plastidial phenylalanine biosynthetic pathway is reduced in PhpCAT RNAi lines, suggesting that the rate of phenylalanine export from plastids contributes to regulating flux through the aromatic amino-acid network.
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43
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Majer E, Navarro JA, Daròs JA. A potyvirus vector efficiently targets recombinant proteins to chloroplasts, mitochondria and nuclei in plant cells when expressed at the amino terminus of the polyprotein. Biotechnol J 2015; 10:1792-802. [PMID: 26147811 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201500042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Plant virus-based expression systems allow quick and efficient production of recombinant proteins in plant biofactories. Among them, a system derived from tobacco etch virus (TEV; genus potyvirus) permits coexpression of equimolar amounts of several recombinant proteins. This work analyzed how to target recombinant proteins to different subcellular localizations in the plant cell using this system. We constructed TEV clones in which green fluorescent protein (GFP), with a chloroplast transit peptide (cTP), a nuclear localization signal (NLS) or a mitochondrial targeting peptide (mTP) was expressed either as the most amino-terminal product or embedded in the viral polyprotein. Results showed that cTP and mTP mediated efficient translocation of GFP to the corresponding organelle only when present at the amino terminus of the viral polyprotein. In contrast, the NLS worked efficiently at both positions. Viruses expressing GFP in the amino terminus of the viral polyprotein produced milder symptoms. Untagged GFPs and cTP and NLS tagged amino-terminal GFPs accumulated to higher amounts in infected tissues. Finally, viral progeny from clones with internal GFPs maintained the extra gene better. These observations will help in the design of potyvirus-based vectors able to coexpress several proteins while targeting different subcellular localizations, as required in plant metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Majer
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Navarro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain.
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Fettke J, Fernie AR. Intracellular and cell-to-apoplast compartmentation of carbohydrate metabolism. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 20:490-497. [PMID: 26008154 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In most plants, carbohydrates represent the major energy store as well as providing the building blocks for essential structural polymers. Although the major pathways for carbohydrate biosynthesis, degradation, and transport are well characterized, several key steps have only recently been discovered. In addition, several novel minor metabolic routes have been uncovered in the past few years. Here we review current studies of plant carbohydrate metabolism detailing the expanding compendium of functionally characterized transport proteins as well as our deeper comprehension of more minor and conditionally activated metabolic pathways. We additionally explore the pertinent questions that will allow us to enhance our understanding of the response of both major and minor carbohydrate fluxes to changing cellular circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joerg Fettke
- Biopolymer Analytics, University of Potsdam, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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45
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Allen DK, Bates PD, Tjellström H. Tracking the metabolic pulse of plant lipid production with isotopic labeling and flux analyses: Past, present and future. Prog Lipid Res 2015; 58:97-120. [PMID: 25773881 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Metabolism is comprised of networks of chemical transformations, organized into integrated biochemical pathways that are the basis of cellular operation, and function to sustain life. Metabolism, and thus life, is not static. The rate of metabolites transitioning through biochemical pathways (i.e., flux) determines cellular phenotypes, and is constantly changing in response to genetic or environmental perturbations. Each change evokes a response in metabolic pathway flow, and the quantification of fluxes under varied conditions helps to elucidate major and minor routes, and regulatory aspects of metabolism. To measure fluxes requires experimental methods that assess the movements and transformations of metabolites without creating artifacts. Isotopic labeling fills this role and is a long-standing experimental approach to identify pathways and quantify their metabolic relevance in different tissues or under different conditions. The application of labeling techniques to plant science is however far from reaching it potential. In light of advances in genetics and molecular biology that provide a means to alter metabolism, and given recent improvements in instrumentation, computational tools and available isotopes, the use of isotopic labeling to probe metabolism is becoming more and more powerful. We review the principal analytical methods for isotopic labeling with a focus on seminal studies of pathways and fluxes in lipid metabolism and carbon partitioning through central metabolism. Central carbon metabolic steps are directly linked to lipid production by serving to generate the precursors for fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid assembly. Additionally some of the ideas for labeling techniques that may be most applicable for lipid metabolism in the future were originally developed to investigate other aspects of central metabolism. We conclude by describing recent advances that will play an important future role in quantifying flux and metabolic operation in plant tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug K Allen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, United States; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, United States.
| | - Philip D Bates
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, United States
| | - Henrik Tjellström
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
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46
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Li S, Liu L, Chen J. Compartmentalizing metabolic pathway in Candida glabrata for acetoin production. Metab Eng 2015; 28:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Revised: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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47
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Widhalm JR, Dudareva N. A familiar ring to it: biosynthesis of plant benzoic acids. MOLECULAR PLANT 2015; 8:83-97. [PMID: 25578274 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Plant benzoic acids (BAs) are building blocks or important structural elements for numerous primary and specialized metabolites, including plant hormones, cofactors, defense compounds, and attractants for pollinators and seed dispersers. Many natural products derived from plant BAs or containing benzoyl/benzyl moieties are also of medicinal or nutritional value to humans. Biosynthesis of BAs in plants is a network involving parallel and intersecting pathways spread across multiple subcellular compartments. In this review, a current overview on the metabolism of plant BAs is presented with a focus on the recent progress made on isolation and functional characterization of genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes and intracellular transporters. In addition, approaches for deciphering the complex interactions between pathways of the BAs network are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua R Widhalm
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA
| | - Natalia Dudareva
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA.
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48
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Metabolic engineering of higher plants and algae for isoprenoid production. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 148:161-99. [PMID: 25636485 DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Isoprenoids are a class of compounds derived from the five carbon precursors, dimethylallyl diphosphate, and isopentenyl diphosphate. These molecules present incredible natural chemical diversity, which can be valuable for humans in many aspects such as cosmetics, agriculture, and medicine. However, many terpenoids are only produced in small quantities by their natural hosts and can be difficult to generate synthetically. Therefore, much interest and effort has been directed toward capturing the genetic blueprint for their biochemistry and engineering it into alternative hosts such as plants and algae. These autotrophic organisms are attractive when compared to traditional microbial platforms because of their ability to utilize atmospheric CO2 as a carbon substrate instead of supplied carbon sources like glucose. This chapter will summarize important techniques and strategies for engineering the accumulation of isoprenoid metabolites into higher plants and algae by choosing the correct host, avoiding endogenous regulatory mechanisms, and optimizing potential flux into the target compound. Future endeavors will build on these efforts by fine-tuning product accumulation levels via the vast amount of available "-omic" data and devising metabolic engineering schemes that integrate this into a whole-organism approach. With the development of high-throughput transformation protocols and synthetic biology molecular tools, we have only begun to harness the power and utility of plant and algae metabolic engineering.
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49
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Rennenberg H, Herschbach C. A detailed view on sulphur metabolism at the cellular and whole-plant level illustrates challenges in metabolite flux analyses. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2014; 65:5711-24. [PMID: 25124317 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eru315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of physiological process in the systems biology era requires approaches at the genome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome levels. In this context, metabolite flux experiments have been used in mapping metabolite pathways and analysing metabolic control. In the present review, sulphur metabolism was taken to illustrate current challenges of metabolic flux analyses. At the cellular level, restrictions in metabolite flux analyses originate from incomplete knowledge of the compartmentation network of metabolic pathways. Transport of metabolites through membranes is usually not considered in flux experiments but may be involved in controlling the whole pathway. Hence, steady-state and snapshot readings need to be expanded to time-course studies in combination with compartment-specific metabolite analyses. Because of species-specific differences, differences between tissues, and stress-related responses, the quantitative significance of different sulphur sinks has to be elucidated; this requires the development of methods for whole-sulphur metabolome approaches. Different cell types can contribute to metabolite fluxes to different extents at the tissue and organ level. Cell type-specific analyses are needed to characterize these contributions. Based on such approaches, metabolite flux analyses can be expanded to the whole-plant level by considering long-distance transport and, thus, the interaction of roots and the shoot in metabolite fluxes. However, whole-plant studies need detailed empirical and mathematical modelling that have to be validated by experimental analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Rennenberg
- Institute of Forest Sciences, Chair of Tree Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 53, 79110 Freiburg, Germany Centre for Biosystems Analysis (ZBSA), University of Freiburg, Habsburgerstrasse 49, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Herschbach
- Institute of Forest Sciences, Chair of Tree Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 53, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
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50
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Vickers CE, Bongers M, Liu Q, Delatte T, Bouwmeester H. Metabolic engineering of volatile isoprenoids in plants and microbes. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2014; 37:1753-75. [PMID: 24588680 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The chemical properties and diversity of volatile isoprenoids lends them to a broad variety of biological roles. It also lends them to a host of biotechnological applications, both by taking advantage of their natural functions and by using them as industrial chemicals/chemical feedstocks. Natural functions include roles as insect attractants and repellents, abiotic stress protectants in pathogen defense, etc. Industrial applications include use as pharmaceuticals, flavours, fragrances, fuels, fuel additives, etc. Here we will examine the ways in which researchers have so far found to exploit volatile isoprenoids using biotechnology. Production and/or modification of volatiles using metabolic engineering in both plants and microorganisms are reviewed, including engineering through both mevalonate and methylerythritol diphosphate pathways. Recent advances are illustrated using several case studies (herbivores and bodyguards, isoprene, and monoterpene production in microbes). Systems and synthetic biology tools with particular utility for metabolic engineering are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the practical realities of various applications in modern biotechnology, explore possible future applications, and examine the challenges of moving these technologies forward so that they can deliver tangible benefits. While this review focuses on volatile isoprenoids, many of the engineering approaches described here are also applicable to non-isoprenoid volatiles and to non-volatile isoprenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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