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Lu J, Yan S, Xue Z. Biosynthesis and functions of triterpenoids in cereals. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00211-X. [PMID: 38788922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.021] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triterpenoids are versatile secondary metabolites with a diverse array of physiological activities, possessing valuable pharmacological effects and influencing the growth and development of plants. As more triterpenoids in cereals are unearthed and characterized, their biological roles in plant growth and development are gaining recognition. AIM OF THE REVIEW This review provides an overview of the structures, biosynthetic pathways, and diverse biological functions of triterpenoids identified in cereals. Our goal is to establish a basis for further exploration of triterpenoids with novel structures and functional activities in cereals, and to facilitate the potential application of triterpenoids in grain breeding, thus accelerating the development of superior grain varieties. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF THE REVIEW This review consolidates information on various triterpenoid skeletons and derivatives found in cereals, and summarizes the pivotal enzyme genes involved, including oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and other triterpenoid modifying enzymes like cytochrome P450, glycosyltransferase, and acyltransferase. Triterpenoid-modifying enzymes exhibit specificity towards catalytic sites within triterpenoid skeletons, generating a diverse array of functional triterpenoid derivatives. Furthermore, triterpenoids have been shown to significantly impact the nutritional value, yield, disease resistance, and stress response of cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Lu
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Zheyong Xue
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China.
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2
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Hodgins CL, Salama EM, Kumar R, Zhao Y, Roth SA, Cheung IZ, Chen J, Arganosa GC, Warkentin TD, Bhowmik P, Ham B, Ro D. Creating saponin-free yellow pea seeds by CRISPR/Cas9-enabled mutagenesis on β-amyrin synthase. PLANT DIRECT 2024; 8:e563. [PMID: 38222934 PMCID: PMC10784647 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Dry pea (Pisum sativum) seeds are valuable sources of plant protein, dietary fiber, and starch, but their uses in food products are restricted to some extent due to several off-flavor compounds. Saponins are glycosylated triterpenoids and are a major source of bitter, astringent, and metallic off-flavors in pea products. β-amyrin synthase (BAS) is the entry point enzyme for saponin biosynthesis in pea and therefore is an ideal target for knock-out using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to produce saponin deficient pea varieties. Here, in an elite yellow pea cultivar (CDC Inca), LC/MS analysis identified embryo tissue, not seed coat, as the main location of saponin storage in pea seeds. Differential expression analysis determined that PsBAS1 was preferentially expressed in embryo tissue relative to seed coat and was selected for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. The efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of PsBAS1 was systematically optimized in pea hairy roots. From these optimization procedures, the AtU6-26 promoter was found to be superior to the CaMV35S promoter for gRNA expression, and the use of 37°C was determined to increase the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. These promoter and culture conditions were then applied to stable transformations. As a result, a bi-allelic mutation (deletion and inversion mutations) was generated in the PsBAS1 coding sequence in a T1 plant, and the segregated psbas1 plants from the T2 population showed a 99.8% reduction of saponins in their seeds. Interestingly, a small but statistically significant increase (~12%) in protein content with a slight decrease (~5%) in starch content was observed in the psbas1 mutants under phytotron growth conditions. This work demonstrated that flavor-improved traits can be readily introduced in any pea cultivar of interest using CRISPR/Cas9. Further field trials and sensory tests for improved flavor are necessary to assess the practical implications of the saponin-free pea seeds in food applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor L. Hodgins
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Eman M. Salama
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Rahul Kumar
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Yang Zhao
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Susan A. Roth
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Irene Z. Cheung
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Jieyu Chen
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Gene C. Arganosa
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Thomas D. Warkentin
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Pankaj Bhowmik
- Aquatic and Crop Resource DevelopmentNational Research Council of CanadaSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Byung‐Kook Ham
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Dae‐Kyun Ro
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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3
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Li Y, Wang J, Li L, Song W, Li M, Hua X, Wang Y, Yuan J, Xue Z. Natural products of pentacyclic triterpenoids: from discovery to heterologous biosynthesis. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1303-1353. [PMID: 36454108 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00063f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2022Pentacyclic triterpenoids are important natural bioactive substances that are widely present in plants and fungi. They have significant medicinal efficacy, play an important role in reducing blood glucose and protecting the liver, and have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-fatigue, anti-viral, and anti-cancer activities. Pentacyclic triterpenoids are derived from the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, which generates common precursors of triterpenes and steroids, followed by cyclization with oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) and decoration via cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP450s) and glycosyltransferases (GTs). Many biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoid saponins have been elucidated by studying their metabolic regulation network through the use of multiomics and identifying their functional genes. Unfortunately, natural resources of pentacyclic triterpenoids are limited due to their low content in plant tissues and the long growth cycle of plants. Based on the understanding of their biosynthetic pathway and transcriptional regulation, plant bioreactors and microbial cell factories are emerging as alternative means for the synthesis of desired triterpenoid saponins. The rapid development of synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and fermentation technology has broadened channels for the accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins. In this review, we summarize the classification, distribution, structural characteristics, and bioactivity of pentacyclic triterpenoids. We further discuss the biosynthetic pathways of pentacyclic triterpenoids and involved transcriptional regulation. Moreover, the recent progress and characteristics of heterologous biosynthesis in plants and microbial cell factories are discussed comparatively. Finally, we propose potential strategies to improve the accumulation of triterpenoid saponins, thereby providing a guide for their future biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Linyong Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Wenhui Song
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Min Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xin Hua
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Yu Wang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
| | - Jifeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Fujian, PR China.
| | - Zheyong Xue
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
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4
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Singh G, Agrawal H, Bednarek P. Specialized metabolites as versatile tools in shaping plant-microbe associations. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:122-144. [PMID: 36503863 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants are rich repository of a large number of chemical compounds collectively referred to as specialized metabolites. These compounds are of importance for adaptive processes including responses against changing abiotic conditions and interactions with various co-existing organisms. One of the strikingly affirmed functions of these specialized metabolites is their involvement in plants' life-long interactions with complex multi-kingdom microbiomes including both beneficial and harmful microorganisms. Recent developments in genomic and molecular biology tools not only help to generate well-curated information about regulatory and structural components of biosynthetic pathways of plant specialized metabolites but also to create and screen mutant lines defective in their synthesis. In this review, we have comprehensively surveyed the function of these specialized metabolites and discussed recent research findings demonstrating the responses of various microbes on tested mutant lines having defective biosynthesis of particular metabolites. In addition, we attempt to provide key clues about the impact of these metabolites on the assembly of the plant microbiome by summarizing the major findings of recent comparative metagenomic analyses of available mutant lines under customized and natural microbial niches. Subsequently, we delineate benchmark initiatives that aim to engineer or manipulate the biosynthetic pathways to produce specialized metabolites in heterologous systems but also to diversify their immune function. While denoting the function of these metabolites, we also discuss the critical bottlenecks associated with understanding and exploiting their function in improving plant adaptation to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Singh
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Himani Agrawal
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Bednarek
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland.
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5
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Singh KS, van der Hooft JJJ, van Wees SCM, Medema MH. Integrative omics approaches for biosynthetic pathway discovery in plants. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1876-1896. [PMID: 35997060 PMCID: PMC9491492 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00032f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2022With the emergence of large amounts of omics data, computational approaches for the identification of plant natural product biosynthetic pathways and their genetic regulation have become increasingly important. While genomes provide clues regarding functional associations between genes based on gene clustering, metabolome mining provides a foundational technology to chart natural product structural diversity in plants, and transcriptomics has been successfully used to identify new members of their biosynthetic pathways based on coexpression. Thus far, most approaches utilizing transcriptomics and metabolomics have been targeted towards specific pathways and use one type of omics data at a time. Recent technological advances now provide new opportunities for integration of multiple omics types and untargeted pathway discovery. Here, we review advances in plant biosynthetic pathway discovery using genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, as well as recent efforts towards omics integration. We highlight how transcriptomics and metabolomics provide complementary information to link genes to metabolites, by associating temporal and spatial gene expression levels with metabolite abundance levels across samples, and by matching mass-spectral features to enzyme families. Furthermore, we suggest that elucidation of gene regulatory networks using time-series data may prove useful for efforts to unwire the complexities of biosynthetic pathway components based on regulatory interactions and events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Saurabh Singh
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
| | - Justin J J van der Hooft
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Saskia C M van Wees
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
| | - Marnix H Medema
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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6
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Fan Z, Wang Y, Yang C, Zhou Z, Wang P, Yan X. Identification of a novel multifunctional oxidosqualene cyclase from Zea mays sheds light on the biosynthetic pathway of three pentacyclic triterpenoids. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 7:1167-1172. [PMID: 36158585 PMCID: PMC9467860 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Zea mays (maize) is an important agricultural crop that produces a variety of valuable terpenoids, including several triterpenoids. However, no oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) enzymes, which catalyze the first step in triterpenoid biosynthesis, have been identified in maize. Here, we identified a novel OSC (ZmOSC1) in maize using a combination of genomic mining and phylogenetic analyses. To functionally characterize the candidate OSC, we constructed a yeast strain that produced high levels of 2,3-oxidosqualene. When ZmOSC1 was expressed in this strain, three compounds were detected and identified as hop-17(21)-en-3-ol, hopenol B and simiarenol, respectively. For their biosynthesis, we proposed a potential cyclization mechanism catalyzed by ZmOSC1 via the generation of a dammarenyl cation, followed by sequential cationic ring expansion, cyclization, cationic migration and further proton elimination. This study discovered and characterized an OSC from maize for the first time, and laid a foundation to produce three bioactive pentacyclic triterpenes, hop-17(21)-en-3-ol, hopenol B and simiarenol, using synthetic biology approaches.
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7
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A conserved mechanism affecting hydride shifting and deprotonation in the synthesis of hopane triterpenes as compositions of wax in oat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2118709119. [PMID: 35290128 PMCID: PMC8944845 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118709119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Hopanoids are a group of biologically important triterpene scaffolds found in nature, but the discovery of hopane-type triterpene synthases in plants has not been reported. We discovered two types of triterpene synthases synthesizing hopanoid skeletons from monocot and dicot plants and elucidated a mechanism involving the deprotonation at different sites by site-directed mutagenesis experiments and the quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics calculation. Our results provide a genetic element for synthesizing biologically active hopane-type triterpenoids and serve as a foundation for studying the molecular mechanisms of methyl and hydride transfer in the triterpene cyclization mechanism. Triterpenoids are biologically active metabolites synthesized from a common linear precursor catalyzed by 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) to form diverse triterpenoid skeletons. OSCs corresponding to many discovered triterpene alcohols in nature have not been functionally and mechanistically characterized due to the diversity of chemical structures and complexity of the cyclization mechanism. We carried out a genome-wide investigation of OSCs from Avena strigosa and discovered two triterpene synthases, namely, AsHS1 and AsHS2, using a Nicotiana benthamiana expression system. These synthases produce hopenol B and hop-17(21)-en-3β-ol, which are components of surface wax in oat panicles and sheathes, respectively. We demonstrated that substitutions of two to three amino acid residues in AsHS1 with corresponding residues from AsHS2 allowed it to be completely converted into a hop-17(21)-en-3β-ol synthase. AsHS2 mutants with a substitution at site 410 could synthesize hopenol B alone or mixed with a side product isomotiol. The combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics calculation demonstrated that the side chain size of the residue at site 410 regulated the relative orientations between the hopyl C22 cation and Phe257, leading to a difference in deprotonation positions through providing or not providing cation–π interaction between the aromatic ring of F257 and the carbocation intermediate. A similar mechanism could be applied to a hopenol B synthase from a dicotyledonous plant Aquilegia. This study provided mechanistic insight into triterpenoid synthesis and discovered key amino acid residues acting on hydride transfer and a deprotonation site to differentiate between hopane-type scaffolds in diverse plant species.
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8
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Günther J, Erthmann PØ, Khakimov B, Bak S. Reciprocal mutations of two multifunctional β-amyrin synthases from Barbarea vulgaris shift α/β-amyrin ratios. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1483-1495. [PMID: 34865155 PMCID: PMC8896598 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In the wild cruciferous wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris), β-amyrin-derived saponins are involved in resistance against insect herbivores like the major agricultural pest diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella). Enzymes belonging to the 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase family have been identified and characterized in B. vulgaris G-type and P-type plants that differ in their natural habitat, insect resistance and saponin content. Both G-type and P-type plants possess highly similar 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase enzymes that mainly produce β-amyrin (Barbarea vulgaris Lupeol synthase 5 G-Type; BvLUP5-G) or α-amyrin (Barbarea vulgaris Lupeol synthase 5 P-Type; BvLUP5-P), respectively. Despite the difference in product formation, the two BvLUP5 enzymes are 98% identical at the amino acid level. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate determinants of product formation, using the B. vulgaris 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase enzymes as a model for studying amino acid residues that determine differences in product formation. In this study, we identified two amino acid residues at position 121 and 735 that are responsible for the dominant changes in generated product ratios of β-amyrin and α-amyrin in both BvLUP5 enzymes. These amino acid residues have not previously been highlighted as directly involved in 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase product specificity. Our results highlight the functional diversity and promiscuity of 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase enzymes. These enzymes serve as important mediators of metabolic plasticity throughout plant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Günther
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Copenhagen Plant Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pernille Østerbye Erthmann
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Copenhagen Plant Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bekzod Khakimov
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Copenhagen Plant Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Copenhagen Plant Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Author for communication:
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9
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Chuang L, Franke J. Rapid Combinatorial Coexpression of Biosynthetic Genes by Transient Expression in the Plant Host Nicotiana benthamiana. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2489:395-420. [PMID: 35524061 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2273-5_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering of heterologous hosts requires coexpression of multiple genes, often more than ten for a single pathway. Traditional approaches to create genetic constructs for this purpose are highly inflexible and suffer from very low throughput. In this book chapter, we describe a powerful method to overcome this bottleneck, namely, combinatorial co-expression in the Australian tobacco plant Nicotiana benthamiana. This system is based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient gene expression, often called agroinfiltration. Herein, instead of creating complex multigenic constructs, coexpression is achieved by simply mixing different plasmid-bearing Agrobacterium strains without the need for different selection markers. We present a practical guide for coexpressing multiple biosynthetic genes followed by GC-MS analysis, using production of the plant triterpene β-amyrin as an example. Our chapter provides a guideline to harness the potential of this versatile expression system in the natural product community for studying and engineering metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chuang
- Institute of Botany, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jakob Franke
- Institute of Botany, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
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10
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Sangster JJ, Marshall JR, Turner NJ, Mangas-Sanchez J. New Trends and Future Opportunities in the Enzymatic Formation of C-C, C-N, and C-O bonds. Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100464. [PMID: 34726813 PMCID: PMC9401909 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Organic chemistry provides society with fundamental products we use daily. Concerns about the impact that the chemical industry has over the environment is propelling major changes in the way we manufacture chemicals. Biocatalysis offers an alternative to other synthetic approaches as it employs enzymes, Nature's catalysts, to carry out chemical transformations. Enzymes are biodegradable, come from renewable sources, operate under mild reaction conditions, and display high selectivities in the processes they catalyse. As a highly multidisciplinary field, biocatalysis benefits from advances in different areas, and developments in the fields of molecular biology, bioinformatics, and chemical engineering have accelerated the extension of the range of available transformations (E. L. Bell et al., Nat. Rev. Meth. Prim. 2021, 1, 1-21). Recently, we surveyed advances in the expansion of the scope of biocatalysis via enzyme discovery and protein engineering (J. R. Marshall et al., Tetrahedron 2021, 82, 131926). Herein, we focus on novel enzymes currently available to the broad synthetic community for the construction of new C-C, C-N and C-O bonds, with the purpose of providing the non-specialist with new and alternative tools for chiral and sustainable chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack J Sangster
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - James R Marshall
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Nicholas J Turner
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Juan Mangas-Sanchez
- Institute of Chemical Synthesis and Homogeneous Catalysis, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain.,ARAID Foundation, Zaragoza, Spain
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11
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Wang J, Guo Y, Yin X, Wang X, Qi X, Xue Z. Diverse triterpene skeletons are derived from the expansion and divergent evolution of 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclases in plants. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 57:113-132. [PMID: 34601979 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2021.1979458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids are one of the largest groups of secondary metabolites and exhibit diverse structures, which are derived from C30 skeletons that are biosynthesized via the isoprenoid pathway by cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene. Triterpenoids have a wide range of biological activities, and are used in functional foods, drugs, and as industrial materials. Due to the low content levels in their native plants and limited feasibility and efficiency of chemical synthesis, heterologous biosynthesis of triterpenoids is the most promising strategy. Herein, we classified 121 triterpene alcohols/ketones according to their conformation and ring numbers, among which 51 skeletons have been experimentally characterized as the products of oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs). Interestingly, 24 skeletons that have not been reported from nature source were generated by OSCs in heterologous expression. Comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the identified 152 OSCs from 75 species in 25 plant orders show that several pentacyclic triterpene synthases repeatedly originated in multiple plant lineages. Comparative analysis of OSC catalytic reaction revealed that stabilization of intermediate cations, steric hindrance, and conformation of active center amino acid residues are primary factors affecting triterpene formation. Optimization of OSC could be achieved by changing of side-chain orientations of key residues. Recently, methods, such as rationally design of pathways, regulation of metabolic flow, compartmentalization engineering, etc., were introduced in improving chassis for the biosynthesis of triterpenoids. We expect that extensive study of natural variation of large number of OSCs and catalytical mechanism will provide basis for production of high level of triterpenoids by application of synthetic biology strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.,Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yanhong Guo
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xue Yin
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xiaoning Wang
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Xiaoquan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zheyong Xue
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
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12
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Hua J, Liu YC, Luo SH, Liu Y, Xiao CJ, Li XN, Li SH. Immunostimulatory 6/6/6/6 Tetracyclic Triterpenoid Saponins with the Methyl-30 Incorporated Cyclization from the Root of Colquhounia elegans. Org Lett 2021; 23:7462-7466. [PMID: 34505790 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.1c02673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Two novel triterpenoid saponins, colqueleganoids A (1) and B (2), with the first methyl-30 incorporated 6/6/6/6-cyclized carbon skeleton (named colquelegane), were isolated from the root of Colquhounia elegans. Their structures including absolute configuration were determined by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallographic analyses. Interestingly, both compounds significantly enhanced TNF-α production and 1 also increased the IL-6 production in RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), suggesting their potential application as immunostimulants in immunotherapy and vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, P.R. China.,College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Chun Liu
- 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, P.R. China
| | - Shi-Hong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, P.R. China.,College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, P.R. China.,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, P.R. China
| | - Chao-Jiang Xiao
- 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, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Nian 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, P.R. China
| | - Sheng-Hong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, P.R. China.,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, P.R. China
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13
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Vernoud V, Lebeigle L, Munier J, Marais J, Sanchez M, Pertuit D, Rossin N, Darchy B, Aubert G, Le Signor C, Berdeaux O, Lacaille-Dubois MA, Thompson R. β-Amyrin Synthase1 Controls the Accumulation of the Major Saponins Present in Pea (Pisum sativum). PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 62:784-797. [PMID: 33826728 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The use of pulses as ingredients for the production of food products rich in plant proteins is increasing. However, protein fractions prepared from pea or other pulses contain significant amounts of saponins, glycosylated triterpenes that can impart an undesirable bitter taste when used as an ingredient in foodstuffs. In this article, we describe the identification and characterization of a gene involved in saponin biosynthesis during pea seed development, by screening mutants obtained from two Pisum sativum TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) populations in two different genetic backgrounds. The mutations studied are located in a gene designated PsBAS1 (β-amyrin synthase1), which is highly expressed in maturing pea seeds and which encodes a protein previously shown to correspond to an active β-amyrin synthase. The first allele is a nonsense mutation, while the second mutation is located in a splice site and gives rise to a mis-spliced transcript encoding a truncated, nonfunctional protein. The homozygous mutant seeds accumulated virtually no saponin without affecting the seed nutritional or physiological quality. Interestingly, BAS1 appears to control saponin accumulation in all other tissues of the plant examined. These lines represent a first step in the development of pea varieties lacking bitterness off-flavors in their seeds. Our work also shows that TILLING populations in different genetic backgrounds represent valuable genetic resources for both crop improvement and functional genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Vernoud
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Ludivine Lebeigle
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
- University of Lausanne, Center for Integrative GenomicsLausanne 1015,Switzerland
| | - Jocelyn Munier
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Julie Marais
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Myriam Sanchez
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - David Pertuit
- Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie EA 4267, Dijon 21079, France
| | - Nadia Rossin
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Brigitte Darchy
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Grégoire Aubert
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Christine Le Signor
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Olivier Berdeaux
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
| | | | - Richard Thompson
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon 21000, France
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14
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Bharadwaj R, Kumar SR, Sharma A, Sathishkumar R. Plant Metabolic Gene Clusters: Evolution, Organization, and Their Applications in Synthetic Biology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:697318. [PMID: 34490002 PMCID: PMC8418127 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.697318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants are a remarkable source of high-value specialized metabolites having significant physiological and ecological functions. Genes responsible for synthesizing specialized metabolites are often clustered together for a coordinated expression, which is commonly observed in bacteria and filamentous fungi. Similar to prokaryotic gene clustering, plants do have gene clusters encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites. More than 20 gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of diverse metabolites have been identified across the plant kingdom. Recent studies demonstrate that gene clusters are evolved through gene duplications and neofunctionalization of primary metabolic pathway genes. Often, these clusters are tightly regulated at nucleosome level. The prevalence of gene clusters related to specialized metabolites offers an attractive possibility of an untapped source of highly useful biomolecules. Accordingly, the identification and functional characterization of novel biosynthetic pathways in plants need to be worked out. In this review, we summarize insights into the evolution of gene clusters and discuss the organization and importance of specific gene clusters in the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites. Regulatory mechanisms which operate in some of the important gene clusters have also been briefly described. Finally, we highlight the importance of gene clusters to develop future metabolic engineering or synthetic biology strategies for the heterologous production of novel metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Revuru Bharadwaj
- Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
| | - Sarma R. Kumar
- Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
| | - Ashutosh Sharma
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Centre of Bioengineering, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Ramalingam Sathishkumar
- Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
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15
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Li Y, Leveau A, Zhao Q, Feng Q, Lu H, Miao J, Xue Z, Martin AC, Wegel E, Wang J, Orme A, Rey MD, Karafiátová M, Vrána J, Steuernagel B, Joynson R, Owen C, Reed J, Louveau T, Stephenson MJ, Zhang L, Huang X, Huang T, Fan D, Zhou C, Tian Q, Li W, Lu Y, Chen J, Zhao Y, Lu Y, Zhu C, Liu Z, Polturak G, Casson R, Hill L, Moore G, Melton R, Hall N, Wulff BBH, Doležel J, Langdon T, Han B, Osbourn A. Subtelomeric assembly of a multi-gene pathway for antimicrobial defense compounds in cereals. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2563. [PMID: 33963185 PMCID: PMC8105312 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22920-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-random gene organization in eukaryotes plays a significant role in genome evolution. Here, we investigate the origin of a biosynthetic gene cluster for production of defence compounds in oat-the avenacin cluster. We elucidate the structure and organisation of this 12-gene cluster, characterise the last two missing pathway steps, and reconstitute the entire pathway in tobacco by transient expression. We show that the cluster has formed de novo since the divergence of oats in a subtelomeric region of the genome that lacks homology with other grasses, and that gene order is approximately colinear with the biosynthetic pathway. We speculate that the positioning of the late pathway genes furthest away from the telomere may mitigate against a 'self-poisoning' scenario in which toxic intermediates accumulate as a result of telomeric gene deletions. Our investigations reveal a striking example of adaptive evolution underpinned by remarkable genome plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | | | - Qiang Zhao
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Feng
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Hengyun Lu
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Jiashun Miao
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Zheyong Xue
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Eva Wegel
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Jing Wang
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | | | - Miroslava Karafiátová
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Vrána
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ryan Joynson
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - James Reed
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | | | - Lei Zhang
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Xuehui Huang
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Huang
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Danling Fan
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Congcong Zhou
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Qilin Tian
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjun Li
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqi Lu
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaying Chen
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Lu
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanrang Zhu
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenhua Liu
- Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guy Polturak
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Lionel Hill
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Graham Moore
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Rachel Melton
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Neil Hall
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Jaroslav Doležel
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Tim Langdon
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Bin Han
- National Centre for Gene Research, CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Centre of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China.
| | - Anne Osbourn
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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A co-opted steroid synthesis gene, maintained in sorghum but not maize, is associated with a divergence in leaf wax chemistry. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022982118. [PMID: 33723068 PMCID: PMC8000359 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022982118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtually all above-ground plant surfaces, such as leaf and stem exteriors, are covered in a cuticle: a wax-infused polyester. This waxy biocomposite is the largest interface between Earth’s biosphere and atmosphere. Its chemical composition is not only highly tuned to mediate nonstomatal water loss, but it also self-assembles to produce superhydrophobic surfaces, protects against UV radiation, and contains bioactive compounds that help resist microbial attack. Developing fundamental knowledge of waxy biocomposites, particularly those on crop species, is a prerequisite for an understanding of their structure–function relationships. Here, we uncover a likely genetic basis for the presence and absence, respectively, of triterpenoids in the leaf waxes of sorghum and maize—compounds previously associated with creating heat-tolerant cuticular water barriers. Virtually all land plants are coated in a cuticle, a waxy polyester that prevents nonstomatal water loss and is important for heat and drought tolerance. Here, we describe a likely genetic basis for a divergence in cuticular wax chemistry between Sorghum bicolor, a drought tolerant crop widely cultivated in hot climates, and its close relative Zea mays (maize). Combining chemical analyses, heterologous expression, and comparative genomics, we reveal that: 1) sorghum and maize leaf waxes are similar at the juvenile stage but, after the juvenile-to-adult transition, sorghum leaf waxes are rich in triterpenoids that are absent from maize; 2) biosynthesis of the majority of sorghum leaf triterpenoids is mediated by a gene that maize and sorghum both inherited from a common ancestor but that is only functionally maintained in sorghum; and 3) sorghum leaf triterpenoids accumulate in a spatial pattern that was previously shown to strengthen the cuticle and decrease water loss at high temperatures. These findings uncover the possibility for resurrection of a cuticular triterpenoid-synthesizing gene in maize that could create a more heat-tolerant water barrier on the plant’s leaf surfaces. They also provide a fundamental understanding of sorghum leaf waxes that will inform efforts to divert surface carbon to intracellular storage for bioenergy and bioproduct innovations.
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17
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Li D, Wu Y, Wei P, Gao X, Li M, Zhang C, Zhou Z, Lu W. Metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica for heterologous oleanolic acid production. Chem Eng Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2020.115529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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18
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A noncanonical vacuolar sugar transferase required for biosynthesis of antimicrobial defense compounds in oat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:27105-27114. [PMID: 31806756 PMCID: PMC6936528 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1914652116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants produce an array of natural products with important ecological functions. These compounds are often decorated with oligosaccharide groups that influence bioactivity, but the biosynthesis of such sugar chains is not well understood. Triterpene glycosides (saponins) are a large family of plant natural products that determine important agronomic traits, as exemplified by avenacins, antimicrobial defense compounds produced by oats. Avenacins have a branched trisaccharide moiety consisting of l-arabinose linked to 2 d-glucose molecules that is critical for antifungal activity. Plant natural product glycosylation is usually performed by uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs). We previously characterized the arabinosyltransferase that initiates the avenacin sugar chain; however, the enzymes that add the 2 remaining d-glucose molecules have remained elusive. Here we characterize the enzymes that catalyze these last 2 glucosylation steps. AsUGT91G16 is a classical cytosolic UGT that adds a 1,2-linked d-glucose molecule to l-arabinose. Unexpectedly, the enzyme that adds the final 1,4-linked d-glucose (AsTG1) is not a UGT, but rather a sugar transferase belonging to Glycosyl Hydrolase family 1 (GH1). Unlike classical UGTs, AsTG1 is vacuolar. Analysis of oat mutants reveals that AsTG1 corresponds to Sad3, a previously uncharacterized locus shown by mutation to be required for avenacin biosynthesis. AsTG1 and AsUGT91G16 form part of the avenacin biosynthetic gene cluster. Our demonstration that a vacuolar transglucosidase family member plays a critical role in triterpene biosynthesis highlights the importance of considering other classes of carbohydrate-active enzymes in addition to UGTs as candidates when elucidating pathways for the biosynthesis of glycosylated natural products in plants.
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Ladhari A, Chappell J. Unravelling triterpene biosynthesis through functional characterization of an oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) from Cleome arabica L. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 144:73-84. [PMID: 31561200 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cleome arabica is a medicinal plant contains diverse bioactive compounds and terpenoids are the major components. However, the isolation and purification of the active triterpenes from this plant involve long and complicated procedures. The present work investigates the triterpenes profiles of different tissues, besides that, describes the isolation, heterologous expression and functional characterization of C. arabica gene coding for triterpenes synthases. The phytochemical investigation through GC-MS revealed significant accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenes in leaves and siliques at mature stage compared to the stems and roots of C. arabica. Among the pentacyclic triterpenes, the lupeol reached the highest level of 320 μg/g DW in leaves at maturity stage compared to the other tissues. The biosynthesis of a pentacyclic triterpene was investigated through isolation and cloning of a full-length oxidosqualene cyclase cDNA (CaOSC) from mature leaves of C. arabica. The bioinformatic analyses revealed that CaOSC was highly homologous with the characterized lupeol synthases and shared 79.3% identity to camelliol C synthase from A. thaliana. Heterologous expression of CaOSC gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae synthesized lupeol as a single product. The lupeol biosynthesis was exponentially increased after induction through the fermentation process reaching the maximum of 2.33 μg/ml for 240 h. Furthermore, organ-specific expression of lupeol gene was exactly matched the accumulation pattern in different tissues of C. arabica during phenological cycle. Thus, the identified CaOSC will be useful in enhancing triterpene yield for industrial purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afef Ladhari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
| | - Joseph Chappell
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
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20
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Huang AC, Osbourn A. Plant terpenes that mediate below-ground interactions: prospects for bioengineering terpenoids for plant protection. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:2368-2377. [PMID: 30884099 PMCID: PMC6690754 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants are sessile organisms that have evolved various mechanisms to adapt to complex and changing environments. One important feature of plant adaption is the production of specialised metabolites. Terpenes are the largest class of specialised metabolites, with over 80 000 structures reported so far, and they have important ecological functions in plant adaptation. Here, we review the current knowledge on plant terpenes that mediate below-ground interactions between plants and other organisms, including microbes, herbivores and other plants. The discovery, functions and biosynthesis of these terpenes are discussed, and prospects for bioengineering terpenoids for plant protection are considered. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ancheng C Huang
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
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21
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Wei G, Yang F, Wei F, Zhang L, Gao Y, Qian J, Chen Z, Jia Z, Wang Y, Su H, Dong L, Xu J, Chen S. Metabolomes and transcriptomes revealed the saponin distribution in root tissues of Panax quinquefolius and Panax notoginseng. J Ginseng Res 2019; 44:757-769. [PMID: 33192118 PMCID: PMC7655499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Panax quinquefolius and Panax notoginseng are widely used and well known for their pharmacological effects. As main pharmacological components, saponins have different distribution patterns in the root tissues of Panax plants. Methods In this study, the representative ginsenosides were detected and quantified by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis to demonstrate saponin distribution in the root tissues of P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng, and saponin metabolite profiles were analyzed by metabolomes to obtain the biomarkers of different root tissues. Finally, the transcriptome analysis was performed to demonstrate the molecular mechanisms of saponin distribution by gene profiles. Results There was saponin distribution in the root tissues differed between P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng. Eight-eight and 24 potential biomarkers were detected by metabolome analysis, and a total of 340 and 122 transcripts involved in saponin synthesis that were positively correlated with the saponin contents (R > 0.6, P < 0.05) in the root tissues of P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng, respectively. Among them, GDPS1, CYP51, CYP64, and UGT11 were significantly correlated with the contents of Rg1, Re, Rc, Rb2, and Rd in P. quinquefolius. UGT255 was markedly related to the content of R1; CYP74, CYP89, CYP100, CYP103, CYP109, and UGT190 were markedly correlated with the Rd content in P. notoginseng. Conclusions These results provided the visual and quantitative profiles of and confirmed the pivotal transcripts of CYPs and UGTs regulating the saponin distribution in the root tissues of P. quinquefolius and P. notoginseng.
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Key Words
- AACT, Acetoacetyl-CoA acyltransferase
- DS, Dammarenediol-II synthase
- DXPR, 1-deoxy-o-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase
- DXPS, 1-deoxy-o-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase
- FDR, False discovery rate
- FPP, Farnesyl diphosphate
- FPS, Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase
- GDPS, Gerenyl diphosphatesynthase
- GO, Gene Ontology
- HDS, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphatesynthase
- HMGR, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase
- HMGS, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase
- HPLC-UV, High-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection
- IPP, Isoprenyl diphosphate
- IPPI, Isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase
- ISPD, 2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphatecytidyl transferase
- ISPE, 4-(cytidine-5′-diphospho)-2-C-methylerythritol kinase
- ISPH, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase
- MALDI-MS, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–mass spectrometry
- MECPS, 2-C-methylerythritol-2,4-cyclophosphate synthase
- MEP, 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate
- MVA, Mevalonate acid
- MVD, Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase
- MVK, Mevalonate kinase
- Metabolome
- NCBI Nr, NCBI Non-redundant protein
- OPLS-DA, Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis
- ORF, Open read frame
- P450, P450-monooxygenase
- PMK, Phosphomevalonate kinase
- Panax plants
- Root tissues
- SE, Squalene epoxidase
- SS, Squalene synthase
- Saponin distribution
- Transcriptome
- UGTs, UDP-glycosyltransferases
- UPLC-MS, Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry
- WGCNA, Weighted gene coexpression network analysis
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangfei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fugang Wei
- Wenshan Miaoxiang Notoginseng Technology, Co., Ltd., Wenshan, China
| | - Lianjuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Qian
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjian Chen
- Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Wenshan, China
| | - Zhengwei Jia
- Waters Corporation Shanghai Science & Technology Co Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Wenshan, China
| | - He Su
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shilin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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22
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Sun W, Qin L, Xue H, Yu Y, Ma Y, Wang Y, Li C. Novel trends for producing plant triterpenoids in yeast. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2019; 39:618-632. [DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2019.1608503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Qin
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Haijie Xue
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yihua Ma
- The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Chun Li
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Institute for Synthetic Biosystem, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
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23
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Leveau A, Reed J, Qiao X, Stephenson MJ, Mugford ST, Melton RE, Rant JC, Vickerstaff R, Langdon T, Osbourn A. Towards take-all control: a C-21β oxidase required for acylation of triterpene defence compounds in oat. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 221:1544-1555. [PMID: 30294977 PMCID: PMC6446040 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Oats produce avenacins, antifungal triterpenes that are synthesized in the roots and provide protection against take-all and other soilborne diseases. Avenacins are acylated at the carbon-21 position of the triterpene scaffold, a modification critical for antifungal activity. We have previously characterized several steps in the avenacin pathway, including those required for acylation. However, transfer of the acyl group to the scaffold requires the C-21β position to be oxidized first, by an as yet uncharacterized enzyme. We mined oat transcriptome data to identify candidate cytochrome P450 enzymes that may catalyse C-21β oxidation. Candidates were screened for activity by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. We identified a cytochrome P450 enzyme AsCYP72A475 as a triterpene C-21β hydroxylase, and showed that expression of this enzyme together with early pathway steps yields C-21β oxidized avenacin intermediates. We further demonstrate that AsCYP72A475 is synonymous with Sad6, a previously uncharacterized locus required for avenacin biosynthesis. sad6 mutants are compromised in avenacin acylation and have enhanced disease susceptibility. The discovery of AsCYP72A475 represents an important advance in the understanding of triterpene biosynthesis and paves the way for engineering the avenacin pathway into wheat and other cereals for control of take-all and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymeric Leveau
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - James Reed
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Xue Qiao
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Michael J. Stephenson
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Sam T. Mugford
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Rachel E. Melton
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Jenni C. Rant
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Robert Vickerstaff
- Department of Genetics and Crop Improvement, East Malling Research, New Rd, East Malling, ME19 6BJ, UK
| | - Tim Langdon
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FL, UK
| | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
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24
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Louveau T, Orme A, Pfalzgraf H, Stephenson MJ, Melton R, Saalbach G, Hemmings AM, Leveau A, Rejzek M, Vickerstaff RJ, Langdon T, Field RA, Osbourn A. Analysis of Two New Arabinosyltransferases Belonging to the Carbohydrate-Active Enzyme (CAZY) Glycosyl Transferase Family1 Provides Insights into Disease Resistance and Sugar Donor Specificity. THE PLANT CELL 2018; 30:3038-3057. [PMID: 30429223 PMCID: PMC6354260 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation of small molecules is critical for numerous biological processes in plants, including hormone homeostasis, neutralization of xenobiotics, and synthesis and storage of specialized metabolites. Glycosylation of plant natural products is usually performed by uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Triterpene glycosides (saponins) are a large family of plant natural products that determine important agronomic traits such as disease resistance and flavor and have numerous pharmaceutical applications. Most characterized plant natural product UGTs are glucosyltransferases, and little is known about enzymes that add other sugars. Here we report the discovery and characterization of AsAAT1 (UGT99D1), which is required for biosynthesis of the antifungal saponin avenacin A-1 in oat (Avena strigosa). This enzyme adds l-Ara to the triterpene scaffold at the C-3 position, a modification critical for disease resistance. The only previously reported plant natural product arabinosyltransferase is a flavonoid arabinosyltransferase from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We show that AsAAT1 has high specificity for UDP-β-l-arabinopyranose, identify two amino acids required for sugar donor specificity, and through targeted mutagenesis convert AsAAT1 into a glucosyltransferase. We further identify a second arabinosyltransferase potentially implicated in the biosynthesis of saponins that determine bitterness in soybean (Glycine max). Our investigations suggest independent evolution of UDP-Ara sugar donor specificity in arabinosyltransferases in monocots and eudicots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Louveau
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anastasia Orme
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Hans Pfalzgraf
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | | | - Rachel Melton
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Gerhard Saalbach
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Andrew M Hemmings
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Aymeric Leveau
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Martin Rejzek
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Robert J Vickerstaff
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FL, UK
| | - Tim Langdon
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FL, UK
| | - Robert A Field
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
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25
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Shirazi Z, Aalami A, Tohidfar M, Sohani MM. Metabolic Engineering of Glycyrrhizin Pathway by Over-Expression of Beta-amyrin 11-Oxidase in Transgenic Roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Mol Biotechnol 2018; 60:412-419. [PMID: 29687371 PMCID: PMC7090481 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-018-0082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Glycyrrhiza glabra is one of the most important and well-known medicinal plants which produces various triterpene saponins such as glycyrrhizin. Beta-amyrin 11-oxidase (CYP88D6) plays a key role in engineering pathway of glycyrrhizin production and converts an intermediated beta-amyrin compound to glycyrrhizin. In this study, pBI121GUS-9:CYP88D6 construct was transferred to G. glabra using Agrobacterium rhizogene ATCC 15834. The quantitation of transgene was measured in putative transgenic hairy roots using qRT-PCR. The amount of glycyrrhizin production was measured by HPLC in transgenic hairy root lines. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that CYP88D6 was over-expressed only in one of transgenic hairy root lines and was reduced in two others. Beta-amyrin 24-hydroxylase (CYP93E6) was significantly expressed in one of the control hairy root lines. The amount of glycyrrhizin metabolite in over-expressed line was more than or similar to that of control hairy root lines. According to the obtained results, it would be recommended that multi-genes of glycyrrhizin biosynthetic pathway be transferred simultaneously to the hairy root in order to increase glycyrrhizin content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Shirazi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Khalij Fars Highway (5th Kilometer of Ghazvin Road), Rasht, 4199613776, Iran
| | - Ali Aalami
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Khalij Fars Highway (5th Kilometer of Ghazvin Road), Rasht, 4199613776, Iran.
| | - Masoud Tohidfar
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Sohani
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Khalij Fars Highway (5th Kilometer of Ghazvin Road), Rasht, 4199613776, Iran
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26
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Wei G, Wei F, Yuan C, Chen Z, Wang Y, Xu J, Zhang Y, Dong L, Chen S. Integrated Chemical and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Distribution of Protopanaxadiol- and Protopanaxatriol-Type Saponins in Panax notoginseng. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23071773. [PMID: 30029488 PMCID: PMC6099965 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23071773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Panax notoginseng is famous for its important therapeutic effects and commonly used worldwide. The active ingredients saponins have distinct contents in different tissues of P. notoginseng, and they may be related to the expression of key genes in the synthesis pathway. In our study, high-performance liquid chromatography results indicated that the contents of protopanaxadiol-(Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd) and protopanaxatriol-type (R1, Rg1, and Re) saponins in below ground tissues were higher than those in above ground tissues. Clustering dendrogram and PCA analysis suggested that the below and above ground tissues were clustered into two separate groups. A total of 482 and 882 unigenes were shared in the below and above ground tissues, respectively. A total of 75 distinct expressions of CYPs transcripts (RPKM ≥ 10) were detected. Of these transcripts, 38 and 37 were highly expressed in the below ground and above ground tissues, respectively. RT-qPCR analysis showed that CYP716A47 gene was abundantly expressed in the above ground tissues, especially in the flower, whose expression was 31.5-fold higher than that in the root. CYP716A53v2 gene was predominantly expressed in the below ground tissues, especially in the rhizome, whose expression was 20.1-fold higher than that in the flower. Pearson's analysis revealed that the CYP716A47 expression was significantly correlated with the contents of ginsenoside Rc and Rb2. The CYP716A53v2 expression was associated with the saponin contents of protopanaxadiol-type (Rb1 and Rd) and protopanaxatriol-type (R1, Rg1, and Re). Results indicated that the expression patterns of CYP716A47 and CYP716A53v2 were correlated with the distribution of protopanaxadiol-type and protopanaxatriol-type saponins in P. notoginseng. This study identified the pivotal genes regulating saponin distribution and provided valuable information for further research on the mechanisms of saponin synthesis, transportation, and accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangfei Wei
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Fugang Wei
- Wenshan Miaoxiang Notoginseng Technology Co., Ltd., Wenshan 663000, China.
| | - Can Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Zhongjian Chen
- Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Wenshan 663000, China.
| | - Yong Wang
- Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Wenshan 663000, China.
| | - Jiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Yongqing Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
| | - Linlin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Shilin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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27
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Silva MS, Arraes FBM, Campos MDA, Grossi-de-Sa M, Fernandez D, Cândido EDS, Cardoso MH, Franco OL, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Review: Potential biotechnological assets related to plant immunity modulation applicable in engineering disease-resistant crops. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 270:72-84. [PMID: 29576088 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
This review emphasizes the biotechnological potential of molecules implicated in the different layers of plant immunity, including, pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI), effector-triggered susceptibility (ETS), and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) that can be applied in the development of disease-resistant genetically modified (GM) plants. These biomolecules are produced by pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes) or plants during their mutual interactions. Biomolecules involved in the first layers of plant immunity, PTI and ETS, include inhibitors of pathogen cell-wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and susceptibility (S) proteins, while the ETI-related biomolecules include plant resistance (R) proteins. The biomolecules involved in plant defense PTI/ETI responses described herein also include antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and ribosome-inhibiting proteins (RIPs), as well as enzymes involved in plant defensive secondary metabolite biosynthesis (phytoanticipins and phytoalexins). Moreover, the regulation of immunity by RNA interference (RNAi) in GM disease-resistant plants is also considered. Therefore, the present review does not cover all the classes of biomolecules involved in plant innate immunity that may be applied in the development of disease-resistant GM crops but instead highlights the most common strategies in the literature, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Santos Silva
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia (Embrapa Cenargen), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
| | - Fabrício Barbosa Monteiro Arraes
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia (Embrapa Cenargen), Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Post-Graduation Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | - Elizabete de Souza Cândido
- Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Post-Graduation Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB), Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Marlon Henrique Cardoso
- Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Post-Graduation Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB), Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasilia, DF, Brazil
| | - Octávio Luiz Franco
- Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Post-Graduation Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB), Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasilia, DF, Brazil
| | - Maria Fátima Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia (Embrapa Cenargen), Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Post-Graduation Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Post-Graduation Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
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28
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Alves TB, Souza-Moreira TM, Valentini SR, Zanelli CF, Furlan M. Friedelin in Maytenus ilicifolia Is Produced by Friedelin Synthase Isoforms. Molecules 2018; 23:E700. [PMID: 29558378 PMCID: PMC6017009 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23030700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Triterpenes are interesting compounds because they play an important role in cell homeostasis and a wide variety exhibiting defense functions is produced by plant secondary metabolism. Those same plant secondary metabolites also exhibit biological properties with promising therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory and antitumor agents. Friedelin is a triterpene ketone with anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective activities and it is a precursor of relevant antitumor quinonemethides. Although many triterpene synthases have been described, only two friedelin synthases were characterized and there is no information about their genomic features and alleles. In the present work, we aimed to identify the gene and new isoforms of friedelin synthase in Maytenus ilicifolia leaves to be functionally characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The gene sequence analysis elucidated the exon/intron structure and confirmed the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms with four non-synonymous mutations outside the active site of the enzyme. Therefore, two new isoforms were observed and the heterologous production of the enzymes in yeast showed similar production of friedelin. This first description of different alleles of the gene of friedelin synthase in M. ilicifolia can guide their validation as markers for friedelin-producer specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís B Alves
- Instituto de Química, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rua Prof. Francisco Degni, 55, Quitandinha, Araraquara, SP 14800-060, Brazil.
| | - Tatiana M Souza-Moreira
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rod. Araraquara-Jaú km 1, Araraquara, SP 14801-903, Brazil.
| | - Sandro R Valentini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rod. Araraquara-Jaú km 1, Araraquara, SP 14801-903, Brazil.
| | - Cleslei F Zanelli
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rod. Araraquara-Jaú km 1, Araraquara, SP 14801-903, Brazil.
| | - Maysa Furlan
- Instituto de Química, Univ. Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rua Prof. Francisco Degni, 55, Quitandinha, Araraquara, SP 14800-060, Brazil.
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29
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Zhang X, Liu Y, Fang Z, Li Z, Yang L, Zhuang M, Zhang Y, Lv H. Comparative Transcriptome Analysis between Broccoli ( Brassica oleracea var. italica) and Wild Cabbage ( Brassica macrocarpa Guss.) in Response to Plasmodiophora brassicae during Different Infection Stages. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1929. [PMID: 28066482 PMCID: PMC5179516 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Clubroot, one of the most devastating diseases to the Brassicaceae family, is caused by the obligate biotrophic pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae. However, studies of the molecular basis of disease resistance are still poor especially in quantitative resistance. In the present paper, two previously identified genotypes, a clubroot-resistant genotype (wild cabbage, B2013) and a clubroot-susceptible genotype (broccoli, 90196) were inoculated by P. brassicae for 0 (T0), 7 (T7), and 14 (T14) day after inoculation (DAI). Gene expression pattern analysis suggested that response changes in transcript level of two genotypes under P. brassicae infection were mainly activated at the primary stage (T7). Based on the results of DEGs functional enrichments from two infection stages, genes associated with cell wall biosynthesis, glucosinolate biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction showed down-regulated at T14 compared to T7, indicating that defense responses to P. brassicae were induced earlier, and related pathways were repressed at T14. In addition, the genes related to NBS-LRR proteins, SA signal transduction, cell wall and phytoalexins biosynthesis, chitinase, Ca2+ signals and RBOH proteins were mainly up-regulated in B2013 by comparing those of 90196, indicating the pathways of response defense to clubroot were activated in the resistant genotype. This is the first report about comparative transcriptome analysis for broccoli and its wild relative during the different stages of P. brassicae infection and the results should be useful for molecular assisted screening and breeding of clubroot-resistant genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yumei Liu
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers – Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing, China
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30
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Zhang X, Liu Y, Fang Z, Li Z, Yang L, Zhuang M, Zhang Y, Lv H. Comparative Transcriptome Analysis between Broccoli ( Brassica oleracea var. italica) and Wild Cabbage ( Brassica macrocarpa Guss.) in Response to Plasmodiophora brassicae during Different Infection Stages. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1929. [PMID: 28066482 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-019-04196-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Clubroot, one of the most devastating diseases to the Brassicaceae family, is caused by the obligate biotrophic pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae. However, studies of the molecular basis of disease resistance are still poor especially in quantitative resistance. In the present paper, two previously identified genotypes, a clubroot-resistant genotype (wild cabbage, B2013) and a clubroot-susceptible genotype (broccoli, 90196) were inoculated by P. brassicae for 0 (T0), 7 (T7), and 14 (T14) day after inoculation (DAI). Gene expression pattern analysis suggested that response changes in transcript level of two genotypes under P. brassicae infection were mainly activated at the primary stage (T7). Based on the results of DEGs functional enrichments from two infection stages, genes associated with cell wall biosynthesis, glucosinolate biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction showed down-regulated at T14 compared to T7, indicating that defense responses to P. brassicae were induced earlier, and related pathways were repressed at T14. In addition, the genes related to NBS-LRR proteins, SA signal transduction, cell wall and phytoalexins biosynthesis, chitinase, Ca2+ signals and RBOH proteins were mainly up-regulated in B2013 by comparing those of 90196, indicating the pathways of response defense to clubroot were activated in the resistant genotype. This is the first report about comparative transcriptome analysis for broccoli and its wild relative during the different stages of P. brassicae infection and the results should be useful for molecular assisted screening and breeding of clubroot-resistant genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Yumei Liu
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Fang
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Zhansheng Li
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Limei Yang
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Mu Zhuang
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Yangyong Zhang
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Honghao Lv
- Group of Cabbage and Broccoli Breeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers - Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China
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Nützmann HW, Huang A, Osbourn A. Plant metabolic clusters - from genetics to genomics. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 211:771-89. [PMID: 27112429 PMCID: PMC5449196 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Contents 771 I. 771 II. 772 III. 780 IV. 781 V. 786 786 References 786 SUMMARY: Plant natural products are of great value for agriculture, medicine and a wide range of other industrial applications. The discovery of new plant natural product pathways is currently being revolutionized by two key developments. First, breakthroughs in sequencing technology and reduced cost of sequencing are accelerating the ability to find enzymes and pathways for the biosynthesis of new natural products by identifying the underlying genes. Second, there are now multiple examples in which the genes encoding certain natural product pathways have been found to be grouped together in biosynthetic gene clusters within plant genomes. These advances are now making it possible to develop strategies for systematically mining multiple plant genomes for the discovery of new enzymes, pathways and chemistries. Increased knowledge of the features of plant metabolic gene clusters - architecture, regulation and assembly - will be instrumental in expediting natural product discovery. This review summarizes progress in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Wilhelm Nützmann
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Ancheng Huang
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
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A conserved amino acid residue critical for product and substrate specificity in plant triterpene synthases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E4407-14. [PMID: 27412861 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605509113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Triterpenes are structurally complex plant natural products with numerous medicinal applications. They are synthesized through an origami-like process that involves cyclization of the linear 30 carbon precursor 2,3-oxidosqualene into different triterpene scaffolds. Here, through a forward genetic screen in planta, we identify a conserved amino acid residue that determines product specificity in triterpene synthases from diverse plant species. Mutation of this residue results in a major change in triterpene cyclization, with production of tetracyclic rather than pentacyclic products. The mutated enzymes also use the more highly oxygenated substrate dioxidosqualene in preference to 2,3-oxidosqualene when expressed in yeast. Our discoveries provide new insights into triterpene cyclization, revealing hidden functional diversity within triterpene synthases. They further open up opportunities to engineer novel oxygenated triterpene scaffolds by manipulating the precursor supply.
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Huang Z, Lin J, Cheng Z, Xu M, Huang X, Yang Z, Zheng J. Production of dammarane-type sapogenins in rice by expressing the dammarenediol-II synthase gene from Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 239:106-14. [PMID: 26398795 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2015.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Ginsenosides are the main active ingredients in Chinese medicinal ginseng; 2,3-oxidosqualene is a precursor metabolite to ginsenosides that is present in rice. Because rice lacks a key rate-limiting enzyme (dammarenediol-II synthase, DS), rice cannot synthesize dammarane-type ginsenosides. In this study, the ginseng (Panax ginseng CA Mey.) DS gene (GenBank: AB265170.1) was transformed into rice using agrobacterium, and 64 rice transgenic plants were produced. The Transfer-DNA (T-DNA) insertion sites in homozygous lines of the T2 generation were determined by using high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR) and differed in all tested lines. One to two copies of the T-DNA were present in each transformant, and real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that the transformed DS gene could be transcribed and highly expressed. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that the dammarane-type sapogenin 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) content was 0.35-0.59 mg/g dw and the dammarane-type sapogenin 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) content was 0.23-0.43 mg/g dw in the transgenic rice. LC/MS analysis confirmed production of PPD and PPT. These results indicate that a new "ginseng rice" germplasm containing dammarane-type sapogenins has been successfully developed by transforming the ginseng DS gene into rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Huang
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China; Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Juncheng Lin
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Zuxin Cheng
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Ming Xu
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Xinying Huang
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Zhijian Yang
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Jingui Zheng
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
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Zhao C, Xu T, Liang Y, Zhao S, Ren L, Wang Q, Dou B. Functional analysis of β-amyrin synthase gene in ginsenoside biosynthesis by RNA interference. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2015; 34:1307-15. [PMID: 25899218 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-015-1788-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Down-regulation of β-amyrin synthase gene expression by RNA interference led to reduced levels of β-amyrin and oleanane-type ginsenoside as well as up-regulation of dammarane-type ginsenoside level. In the biosynthetic pathway of ginsenosides, β-amyrin synthase catalyzes the reaction from oxidosqualene to β-amyrin, the proposed aglycone of oleanane-type saponins. Here, RNAi was employed to evaluate the role of this gene in ginsenoside biosynthesis of Panax ginseng hairy roots. The results showed that RNAi-mediated down-regulation of this gene led to reduced levels of β-amyrin and oleanane-type ginsenoside Ro as well as increased level of total ginsenosides, indicating an important role of this gene in biosynthesis of ginsenoside. Expression of key genes involved in dammarane-type ginsenoside including genes of dammarenediol synthase and protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol synthases were up-regulated in RNAi lines. While expression of squalene synthase genes was not significantly changed, β-amyrin oxidase gene was down-regulated. This work will be helpful for further understanding ginsenoside biosynthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che Zhao
- College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
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Huang Z, Lin J, Cheng Z, Xu M, Guo M, Huang X, Yang Z, Zheng J. Production of oleanane-type sapogenin in transgenic rice via expression of β-amyrin synthase gene from Panax japonicus C. A. Mey. BMC Biotechnol 2015; 15:45. [PMID: 26033328 PMCID: PMC4450844 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-015-0166-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Panax japonicus C. A. Mey. is a rare traditional Chinese herbal medicine that uses ginsenosides as its main active ingredient. Rice does not produce ginsenosides because it lacks a key rate-limiting enzyme (β-amyrin synthase, βAS); however, it produces a secondary metabolite, 2,3-oxidosqualene, which is a precursor for ginsenoside biosynthesis. RESULTS In the present study, the P. japonicus βAS gene was transformed into the rice cultivar 'Taijing 9' using an Agrobacterium-mediated approach, resulting in 68 rice transgenic plants of the T0 generation. Transfer-DNA (T-DNA) insertion sites in homozygous lines of the T2 generation were determined by using high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR) and were found to vary among the tested lines. Approximately 1-2 copies of the βAS gene were detected in transgenic rice plants. Real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses showed that the transformed βAS gene could be overexpressed and β-amyrin synthase could be expressed in rice. HPLC analysis showed that the concentration of oleanane-type sapogenin oleanolic acid in transgenic rice was 8.3-11.5 mg/100 g dw. CONCLUSIONS The current study is the first report on the transformation of P. japonicus βAS gene into rice. We have successfully produced a new rice germplasm, "ginseng rice", which produces oleanane-type sapogenin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Huang
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China. .,Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Juncheng Lin
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Zuxin Cheng
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Ming Xu
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Mingshu Guo
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Xinying Huang
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Zhijian Yang
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Jingui Zheng
- Agricultural Product Quality Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 15 Shangxiadian Road, CangShan District, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
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Piasecka A, Jedrzejczak-Rey N, Bednarek P. Secondary metabolites in plant innate immunity: conserved function of divergent chemicals. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 206:948-964. [PMID: 25659829 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolites carry out numerous functions in interactions between plants and a broad range of other organisms. Experimental evidence strongly supports the indispensable contribution of many constitutive and pathogen-inducible phytochemicals to plant innate immunity. Extensive studies on model plant species, particularly Arabidopsis thaliana, have brought significant advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning pathogen-triggered biosynthesis and activation of defensive secondary metabolites. However, despite the proven significance of secondary metabolites in plant response to pathogenic microorganisms, little is known about the precise mechanisms underlying their contribution to plant immunity. This insufficiency concerns information on the dynamics of cellular and subcellular localization of defensive phytochemicals during the encounters with microbial pathogens and precise knowledge on their mode of action. As many secondary metabolites are characterized by their in vitro antimicrobial activity, these compounds were commonly considered to function in plant defense as in planta antibiotics. Strikingly, recent experimental evidence suggests that at least some of these compounds alternatively may be involved in controlling several immune responses that are evolutionarily conserved in the plant kingdom, including callose deposition and programmed cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Piasecka
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszyńska 34, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
| | - Nicolas Jedrzejczak-Rey
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Bednarek
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznań, Poland
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Singh B, Sharma RA. Plant terpenes: defense responses, phylogenetic analysis, regulation and clinical applications. 3 Biotech 2015; 5:129-151. [PMID: 28324581 PMCID: PMC4362742 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-014-0220-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The terpenoids constitute the largest class of natural products and many interesting products are extensively applied in the industrial sector as flavors, fragrances, spices and are also used in perfumery and cosmetics. Many terpenoids have biological activities and also used for medical purposes. In higher plants, the conventional acetate-mevalonic acid pathway operates mainly in the cytosol and mitochondria and synthesizes sterols, sesquiterpenes and ubiquinones mainly. In the plastid, the non-mevalonic acid pathway takes place and synthesizes hemi-, mono-, sesqui-, and diterpenes along with carotenoids and phytol tail of chlorophyll. In this review paper, recent developments in the biosynthesis of terpenoids, indepth description of terpene synthases and their phylogenetic analysis, regulation of terpene biosynthesis as well as updates of terpenes which have entered in the clinical studies are reviewed thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Singh
- AIB, Amity University Rajasthan, NH-11C, Kant Kalwar, Jaipur, 303 002, India.
| | - Ram A Sharma
- Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302 055, India
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Kim YJ, Zhang D, Yang DC. Biosynthesis and biotechnological production of ginsenosides. Biotechnol Adv 2015; 33:717-35. [PMID: 25747290 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Medicinal plants are essential for improving human health, and around 75% of the population in developing countries relies mainly on herb-based medicines for health care. As the king of herb plants, ginseng has been used for nearly 5,000 years in the oriental and recently in western medicines. Among the compounds studied in ginseng plants, ginsenosides have been shown to have multiple medical effects such as anti-oxidative, anti-aging, anti-cancer, adaptogenic and other health-improving activities. Ginsenosides belong to a group of triterpene saponins (also called ginseng saponins) that are found almost exclusively in Panax species and accumulated especially in the plant roots. In this review, we update the conserved and diversified pathway/enzyme biosynthesizing ginsenosides which have been presented. Particularly, we highlight recent milestone works on functional characterization of key genes dedicated to the production of ginsenosides, and their application in engineering plants and yeast cells for large-scale production of ginsenosides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Kim
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University-University of Adelaide Joint Centre for Agriculture and Health, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology and Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Youngin, 446-701, South Korea
| | - Dabing Zhang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University-University of Adelaide Joint Centre for Agriculture and Health, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, South Australia 5064, Australia.
| | - Deok-Chun Yang
- Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology and Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Youngin, 446-701, South Korea.
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39
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Moses T, Papadopoulou KK, Osbourn A. Metabolic and functional diversity of saponins, biosynthetic intermediates and semi-synthetic derivatives. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2014; 49:439-62. [PMID: 25286183 PMCID: PMC4266039 DOI: 10.3109/10409238.2014.953628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Saponins are widely distributed plant natural products with vast structural and functional diversity. They are typically composed of a hydrophobic aglycone, which is extensively decorated with functional groups prior to the addition of hydrophilic sugar moieties, to result in surface-active amphipathic compounds. The saponins are broadly classified as triterpenoids, steroids or steroidal glycoalkaloids, based on the aglycone structure from which they are derived. The saponins and their biosynthetic intermediates display a variety of biological activities of interest to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sectors. Although their relevance in industrial applications has long been recognized, their role in plants is underexplored. Recent research on modulating native pathway flux in saponin biosynthesis has demonstrated the roles of saponins and their biosynthetic intermediates in plant growth and development. Here, we review the literature on the effects of these molecules on plant physiology, which collectively implicate them in plant primary processes. The industrial uses and potential of saponins are discussed with respect to structure and activity, highlighting the undoubted value of these molecules as therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Moses
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes CentreColney Lane, NorwichUK
| | | | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes CentreColney Lane, NorwichUK
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40
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Kemen AC, Honkanen S, Melton RE, Findlay KC, Mugford ST, Hayashi K, Haralampidis K, Rosser SJ, Osbourn A. Investigation of triterpene synthesis and regulation in oats reveals a role for β-amyrin in determining root epidermal cell patterning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:8679-84. [PMID: 24912185 PMCID: PMC4060722 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1401553111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sterols have important functions in membranes and signaling. Plant sterols are synthesized via the isoprenoid pathway by cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene to cycloartenol. Plants also convert 2,3-oxidosqualene to other sterol-like cyclization products, including the simple triterpene β-amyrin. The function of β-amyrin per se is unknown, but this molecule can serve as an intermediate in the synthesis of more complex triterpene glycosides associated with plant defense. β-Amyrin is present at low levels in the roots of diploid oat (Avena strigosa). Oat roots also synthesize the β-amyrin-derived triterpene glycoside avenacin A-1, which provides protection against soil-borne diseases. The genes for the early steps in avenacin A-1 synthesis [saponin-deficient 1 and 2 (Sad1 and Sad2)] have been recruited from the sterol pathway by gene duplication and neofunctionalization. Here we show that Sad1 and Sad2 are regulated by an ancient root developmental process that is conserved across diverse species. Sad1 promoter activity is dependent on an L1 box motif, implicating sterol/lipid-binding class IV homeodomain leucine zipper transcription factors as potential regulators. The metabolism of β-amyrin is blocked in sad2 mutants, which therefore accumulate abnormally high levels of this triterpene. The accumulation of elevated levels of β-amyrin in these mutants triggers a "superhairy" root phenotype. Importantly, this effect is manifested very early in the establishment of the root epidermis, causing a greater proportion of epidermal cells to be specified as root hair cells rather than nonhair cells. Together these findings suggest that simple triterpenes may have widespread and as yet largely unrecognized functions in plant growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- Departments of Metabolic Biology andInstitute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom; and
| | | | - Kim C Findlay
- Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Susan J Rosser
- Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom; and
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Kemen AC, Honkanen S, Melton RE, Findlay KC, Mugford ST, Hayashi K, Haralampidis K, Rosser SJ, Osbourn A. Investigation of triterpene synthesis and regulation in oats reveals a role for β-amyrin in determining root epidermal cell patterning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:8679-8684. [PMID: 24912185 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1401553111s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sterols have important functions in membranes and signaling. Plant sterols are synthesized via the isoprenoid pathway by cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene to cycloartenol. Plants also convert 2,3-oxidosqualene to other sterol-like cyclization products, including the simple triterpene β-amyrin. The function of β-amyrin per se is unknown, but this molecule can serve as an intermediate in the synthesis of more complex triterpene glycosides associated with plant defense. β-Amyrin is present at low levels in the roots of diploid oat (Avena strigosa). Oat roots also synthesize the β-amyrin-derived triterpene glycoside avenacin A-1, which provides protection against soil-borne diseases. The genes for the early steps in avenacin A-1 synthesis [saponin-deficient 1 and 2 (Sad1 and Sad2)] have been recruited from the sterol pathway by gene duplication and neofunctionalization. Here we show that Sad1 and Sad2 are regulated by an ancient root developmental process that is conserved across diverse species. Sad1 promoter activity is dependent on an L1 box motif, implicating sterol/lipid-binding class IV homeodomain leucine zipper transcription factors as potential regulators. The metabolism of β-amyrin is blocked in sad2 mutants, which therefore accumulate abnormally high levels of this triterpene. The accumulation of elevated levels of β-amyrin in these mutants triggers a "superhairy" root phenotype. Importantly, this effect is manifested very early in the establishment of the root epidermis, causing a greater proportion of epidermal cells to be specified as root hair cells rather than nonhair cells. Together these findings suggest that simple triterpenes may have widespread and as yet largely unrecognized functions in plant growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- Departments of Metabolic Biology andInstitute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom; and
| | | | - Kim C Findlay
- Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Susan J Rosser
- Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom; and
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Basyuni M, Oku H, Tsujimoto E, Baba S. Cloning and Functional Expression of Cycloartenol Synthases from Mangrove SpeciesRhizophora stylosaGriff. andKandelia candel(L.) Druce. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 71:1788-92. [PMID: 17617700 DOI: 10.1271/bbb.70113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
To obtain cDNAs encoding oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), we cloned two cDNAs, KcCAS and RsCAS, from roots of Kandelia candel (L.) Druce and leaves of Rhizophora stylosa Griff. by homology based PCR method respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of both OSCs showed 82% homology to cycloartenol synthases from Lotus japonicus (OSC5) and Ricinus cummunis (RcCAS), suggesting that these are cycloartenol synthases of K. candel and R. stylosa. The genes obtained were expressed in a lanosterol synthase deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ERG7) strain, GIL77. GC-MS analysis identified the accumulated reaction product in the yeast transformant to be cycloartenol, indicating that both KcCAS and RsCAS encode cycloartenol synthase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Basyuni
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima, Japan
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43
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Jin ML, Lee DY, Um Y, Lee JH, Park CG, Jetter R, Kim OT. Isolation and characterization of an oxidosqualene cyclase gene encoding a β-amyrin synthase involved in Polygala tenuifolia Willd. saponin biosynthesis. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2014; 33:511-519. [PMID: 24420413 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-013-1554-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Revised: 12/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Expression of PtBS (Polygala tenuifolia β-amyrin synthase) led to the production of β-amyrin as sole product. ABSTRACT Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow is a rich source of triterpene saponins, onjisaponins and polygalasaponins, used as herbal medicine to treat phlegms and for detumescence in traditional Asian healing. The Polygala saponins share the oleanane backbone structure and are, therefore, likely synthesized via β-amyrin as a common precursor. We hypothesized that, in analogy to diverse other plant species, this central intermediate should be formed by a β-amyrin synthase catalyzing the complex cyclization of oxidosqualene. This member of the oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) family of enzymes is thus defining an important branch point between primary and secondary metabolisms, and playing a crucial role in the control of oleanane-type triterpene saponin biosynthesis. From P. tenuifolia roots, we isolated an OSC cDNA containing a reading frame of 2,289 bp nucleotides. The predicted protein of 763 amino acids (molecular weight 87.353 kDa) showed particularly high amino acid sequence identities to known β-amyrin synthases (85-87 %) and was, therefore, named PtBS. Expression of PtBS in the triterpenoid synthase-deficient yeast mutant GIL77 led to the production of β-amyrin as sole product. qRT-PCR analysis of various P. tenuifolia organs showed that PtBS transcript levels were highest in the roots, consistent with onjisaponin accumulation patterns. Therefore, we conclude that PtBS is the β-amyrin synthase enzyme catalyzing the first committed step in the biosynthesis of onjisaponins and polygalasaponins in P. tenuifolia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Lan Jin
- Department of Herbal Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, RDA, Eumseong, 369-873, South Korea
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Thimmappa R, Geisler K, Louveau T, O'Maille P, Osbourn A. Triterpene biosynthesis in plants. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2014; 65:225-57. [PMID: 24498976 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-050312-120229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 406] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The triterpenes are one of the most numerous and diverse groups of plant natural products. They are complex molecules that are, for the most part, beyond the reach of chemical synthesis. Simple triterpenes are components of surface waxes and specialized membranes and may potentially act as signaling molecules, whereas complex glycosylated triterpenes (saponins) provide protection against pathogens and pests. Simple and conjugated triterpenes have a wide range of applications in the food, health, and industrial biotechnology sectors. Here, we review recent developments in the field of triterpene biosynthesis, give an overview of the genes and enzymes that have been identified to date, and discuss strategies for discovering new triterpene biosynthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesha Thimmappa
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom;
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Turner TR, Ramakrishnan K, Walshaw J, Heavens D, Alston M, Swarbreck D, Osbourn A, Grant A, Poole PS. Comparative metatranscriptomics reveals kingdom level changes in the rhizosphere microbiome of plants. THE ISME JOURNAL 2013; 7:2248-58. [PMID: 23864127 PMCID: PMC3834852 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere have important roles in biogeochemical cycling, and maintenance of plant health and productivity, yet remain poorly understood. Using RNA-based metatranscriptomics, the global active microbiomes were analysed in soil and rhizospheres of wheat, oat, pea and an oat mutant (sad1) deficient in production of anti-fungal avenacins. Rhizosphere microbiomes differed from bulk soil and between plant species. Pea (a legume) had a much stronger effect on the rhizosphere than wheat and oat (cereals), resulting in a dramatically different rhizosphere community. The relative abundance of eukaryotes in the oat and pea rhizospheres was more than fivefold higher than in the wheat rhizosphere or bulk soil. Nematodes and bacterivorous protozoa were enriched in all rhizospheres, whereas the pea rhizosphere was highly enriched for fungi. Metabolic capabilities for rhizosphere colonisation were selected, including cellulose degradation (cereals), H2 oxidation (pea) and methylotrophy (all plants). Avenacins had little effect on the prokaryotic community of oat, but the eukaryotic community was strongly altered in the sad1 mutant, suggesting that avenacins have a broader role than protecting from fungal pathogens. Profiling microbial communities with metatranscriptomics allows comparison of relative abundance, from multiple samples, across all domains of life, without polymerase chain reaction bias. This revealed profound differences in the rhizosphere microbiome, particularly at the kingdom level between plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Turner
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
- Earth Life Systems Alliance, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
| | - Alastair Grant
- Earth Life Systems Alliance, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Philip S Poole
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
- Earth Life Systems Alliance, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Moses T, Pollier J, Thevelein JM, Goossens A. Bioengineering of plant (tri)terpenoids: from metabolic engineering of plants to synthetic biology in vivo and in vitro. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:27-43. [PMID: 23668256 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids constitute a large and diverse class of natural products that serve many functions in nature. Most of the tens of thousands of the discovered terpenoids are synthesized by plants, where they function as primary metabolites involved in growth and development, or as secondary metabolites that optimize the interaction between the plant and its environment. Several plant terpenoids are economically important molecules that serve many applications as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, etc. Major challenges for the commercialization of plant-derived terpenoids include their low production levels in planta and the continuous demand of industry for novel molecules with new or superior biological activities. Here, we highlight several synthetic biology methods to enhance and diversify the production of plant terpenoids, with a foresight towards triterpenoid engineering, the least engineered class of bioactive terpenoids. Increased or cheaper production of valuable triterpenoids may be obtained by 'classic' metabolic engineering of plants or by heterologous production of the compounds in other plants or microbes. Novel triterpenoid structures can be generated through combinatorial biosynthesis or directed enzyme evolution approaches. In its ultimate form, synthetic biology may lead to the production of large amounts of plant triterpenoids in in vitro systems or custom-designed artificial biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Moses
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Johan M Thevelein
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
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Sun J, Xu X, Xue Z, Snyder JH, Qi X. Functional analysis of a rice oxidosqualene cyclase through total gene synthesis. MOLECULAR PLANT 2013; 6:1726-1729. [PMID: 23430049 DOI: 10.1093/mp/sst038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juncong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Fragrant Hill, Beijing 100093, China
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Geisler K, Hughes RK, Sainsbury F, Lomonossoff GP, Rejzek M, Fairhurst S, Olsen CE, Motawia MS, Melton RE, Hemmings AM, Bak S, Osbourn A. Biochemical analysis of a multifunctional cytochrome P450 (CYP51) enzyme required for synthesis of antimicrobial triterpenes in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:E3360-7. [PMID: 23940321 PMCID: PMC3761579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1309157110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the cytochromes P450 superfamily (P450s) catalyze a huge variety of oxidation reactions in microbes and higher organisms. Most P450 families are highly divergent, but in contrast the cytochrome P450 14α-sterol demethylase (CYP51) family is one of the most ancient and conserved, catalyzing sterol 14α-demethylase reactions required for essential sterol synthesis across the fungal, animal, and plant kingdoms. Oats (Avena spp.) produce antimicrobial compounds, avenacins, that provide protection against disease. Avenacins are synthesized from the simple triterpene, β-amyrin. Previously we identified a gene encoding a member of the CYP51 family of cytochromes P450, AsCyp51H10 (also known as Saponin-deficient 2, Sad2), that is required for avenacin synthesis in a forward screen for avenacin-deficient oat mutants. sad2 mutants accumulate β-amyrin, suggesting that they are blocked early in the pathway. Here, using a transient plant expression system, we show that AsCYP51H10 is a multifunctional P450 capable of modifying both the C and D rings of the pentacyclic triterpene scaffold to give 12,13β-epoxy-3β,16β-dihydroxy-oleanane (12,13β-epoxy-16β-hydroxy-β-amyrin). Molecular modeling and docking experiments indicate that C16 hydroxylation is likely to precede C12,13 epoxidation. Our computational modeling, in combination with analysis of a suite of sad2 mutants, provides insights into the unusual catalytic behavior of AsCYP51H10 and its active site mutants. Fungal bioassays show that the C12,13 epoxy group is an important determinant of antifungal activity. Accordingly, the oat AsCYP51H10 enzyme has been recruited from primary metabolism and has acquired a different function compared to other characterized members of the plant CYP51 family--as a multifunctional stereo- and regio-specific hydroxylase in plant specialized metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Geisler
- Departments of Metabolic Biology and
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, VKR Research Centre Pro-Active Plants, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark; and
| | - Richard K. Hughes
- Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | - Martin Rejzek
- Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Shirley Fairhurst
- Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Carl-Erik Olsen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, VKR Research Centre Pro-Active Plants, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark; and
| | - Mohammed Saddik Motawia
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, VKR Research Centre Pro-Active Plants, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark; and
| | | | - Andrew M. Hemmings
- Schools of Chemistry and
- Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, VKR Research Centre Pro-Active Plants, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark; and
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Putative genes involved in saikosaponin biosynthesis in Bupleurum species. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:12806-26. [PMID: 23783277 PMCID: PMC3709813 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140612806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative medicinal agents, such as the herb Bupleurum, are increasingly used in modern medicine to supplement synthetic drugs. First, we present a review of the currently known effects of triterpene saponins-saikosaponins of Bupleurum species. The putative biosynthetic pathway of saikosaponins in Bupleurum species is summarized, followed by discussions on identification and characterization of genes involved in the biosynthesis of saikosaponins. The purpose is to provide a brief review of gene extraction, functional characterization of isolated genes and assessment of expression patterns of genes encoding enzymes in the process of saikosaponin production in Bupleurum species, mainly B. kaoi. We focus on the effects of MeJA on saikosaponin production, transcription patterns of genes involved in biosynthesis and on functional depiction.
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Mugford ST, Louveau T, Melton R, Qi X, Bakht S, Hill L, Tsurushima T, Honkanen S, Rosser SJ, Lomonossoff GP, Osbourn A. Modularity of plant metabolic gene clusters: a trio of linked genes that are collectively required for acylation of triterpenes in oat. THE PLANT CELL 2013; 25:1078-92. [PMID: 23532069 PMCID: PMC3634678 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.113.110551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Revised: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Operon-like gene clusters are an emerging phenomenon in the field of plant natural products. The genes encoding some of the best-characterized plant secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways are scattered across plant genomes. However, an increasing number of gene clusters encoding the synthesis of diverse natural products have recently been reported in plant genomes. These clusters have arisen through the neo-functionalization and relocation of existing genes within the genome, and not by horizontal gene transfer from microbes. The reasons for clustering are not yet clear, although this form of gene organization is likely to facilitate co-inheritance and co-regulation. Oats (Avena spp) synthesize antimicrobial triterpenoids (avenacins) that provide protection against disease. The synthesis of these compounds is encoded by a gene cluster. Here we show that a module of three adjacent genes within the wider biosynthetic gene cluster is required for avenacin acylation. Through the characterization of these genes and their encoded proteins we present a model of the subcellular organization of triterpenoid biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaoquan Qi
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Saleha Bakht
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Lionel Hill
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Tetsu Tsurushima
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Business, Han-nan University, Matsubara City, Osaka 580, Japan
| | - Suvi Honkanen
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Susan J. Rosser
- Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Anne Osbourn
- John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
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