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Lee S, Park NI, Park Y, Park KC, Kim ES, Son YK, Choi BS, Kim NS, Choi IY. O- and N-Methyltransferases in benzylisoquinoline alkaloid producing plants. Genes Genomics 2024; 46:367-378. [PMID: 38095842 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01477-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Secondary metabolites such as benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIA) have attracted considerable attention because of their pharmacological properties and potential therapeutic applications. Methyltransferases (MTs) can add methyl groups to alkaloid molecules, altering their physicochemical properties and bioactivity, stability, solubility, and recognition by other cellular components. Five types of O-methyltransferases and two types of N-methyltransferases are involved in BIA biosynthesis. OBJECTIVE Since MTs may be the source for the discovery and development of novel biomedical, agricultural, and industrial compounds, we performed extensive molecular and phylogenetic analyses of O- and N-methyltransferases in BIA-producing plants. METHODS MTs involved in BIA biosynthesis were isolated from transcriptomes of Berberis koreana and Caulophyllum robustum. We also mined the methyltransferases of Coptis japonica, Papaver somniferum, and Nelumbo nucifera from the National Center for Biotechnology Information protein database. Then, we analyzed the functional motifs and phylogenetic analysis. RESULT We mined 42 O-methyltransferases and 8 N-methyltransferases from the five BIA-producing plants. Functional motifs for S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferases were retained in most methyltransferases, except for the three O-methyltransferases from N. nucifera. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the methyltransferases were grouped into four clades, I, II, III and IV. The clustering patterns in the phylogenetic analysis suggested a monophyletic origin of methyltransferases and gene duplication within species. The coexistence of different O-methyltransferases in the deep branch subclade might support some cases of substrate promiscuity. CONCLUSIONS Methyltransferases may be a source for the discovery and development of novel biomedical, agricultural, and industrial compounds. Our results contribute to further understanding of their structure and reaction mechanisms, which will require future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungki Lee
- Biological Resources Assessment Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Il Park
- Department of Plant Science, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeri Park
- Department of Plant Science, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyong-Cheul Park
- Department of Smart Farm and Agricultural Industry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Sil Kim
- Biological Resources Assessment Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn Kyoung Son
- Biological Resources Assessment Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, 22689, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Nam-Soo Kim
- NBIT Co., Ltd, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ik-Young Choi
- Department of Smart Farm and Agricultural Industry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
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Li T, Chen K, Wang X, Wang Y, Su Y, Guo Y. Mass Spectrometry Rearrangement Ions and Metabolic Pathway-Based Discovery of Indole Derivatives during the Aging Process in Citrus reticulata 'Chachi'. Foods 2023; 13:8. [PMID: 38201037 PMCID: PMC10778486 DOI: 10.3390/foods13010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid analysis and characterization of compounds using mass spectrometry (MS) may overlook trace compounds. Although targeted analysis methods can significantly improve detection sensitivity, it is hard to discover novel scaffold compounds in the trace. This study developed a strategy for discovering trace compounds in the aging process of traditional Chinese medicine based on MS fragmentation and known metabolic pathways. Specifically, we found that the characteristic component of C. reticulata 'Chachi', methyl N-methyl anthranilate (MMA), fragmented in electrospray ionization coupled with collision-induced dissociation (CID) to produce the rearrangement ion 3-hydroxyindole, which was proven to exist in trace amounts in C. reticulata 'Chachi' based on comparison with the reference substance using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Combining the known metabolic pathways of 3-hydroxyindole and the possible methylation reactions that may occur during aging, a total of 10 possible indole derivatives were untargeted predicted. These compounds were confirmed to originate from MMA using purchased or synthesized reference substances, all of which were detected in C. reticulata 'Chachi' through LC-MS/MS, achieving trace compound analysis from untargeted to targeted. These results may contribute to explaining the aging mechanism of C. reticulata 'Chachi', and the strategy of using the CID-induced special rearrangement ion-binding metabolic pathway has potential application value for discovering trace compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Li
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (K.C.); (X.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Ke Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (K.C.); (X.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (K.C.); (X.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Ying Wang
- Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, No. 31 Huatuo Road, Daxing District, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Yue Su
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Yinlong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (K.C.); (X.W.); (Y.G.)
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Watkins JL, Li Q, Yeaman S, Facchini PJ. Elucidation of the mescaline biosynthetic pathway in peyote (Lophophora williamsii). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 116:635-649. [PMID: 37675639 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is an entheogenic and medicinal cactus native to the Chihuahuan desert. The psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties of peyote are principally attributed to the phenethylamine derivative mescaline. Despite the isolation of mescaline from peyote over 120 years ago, the biosynthetic pathway in the plant has remained undiscovered. Here, we use a transcriptomics and homology-guided gene discovery strategy to elucidate a near-complete biosynthetic pathway from l-tyrosine to mescaline. We identified a cytochrome P450 that catalyzes the 3-hydroxylation of l-tyrosine to l-DOPA, a tyrosine/DOPA decarboxylase yielding dopamine, and four substrate-specific and regiospecific substituted phenethylamine O-methyltransferases. Biochemical assays with recombinant enzymes or functional analyses performed by feeding putative precursors to engineered yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) strains expressing candidate peyote biosynthetic genes were used to determine substrate specificity, which served as the basis for pathway elucidation. Additionally, an N-methyltransferase displaying broad substrate specificity and leading to the production of N-methylated phenethylamine derivatives was identified, which could also function as an early step in the biosynthesis of tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids in peyote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta L Watkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Qiushi Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Sam Yeaman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Peter J Facchini
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
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Hao C, Yang W, Dong G, Yu Y, Liu Y, Zhang J, Zhu Y, Wei X, Chen S. Visualization and identification of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in various nelumbo nucifera tissues. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16138. [PMID: 37251486 PMCID: PMC10220311 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) seed plumules and leaves exhibit significant tissue specificity for their pharmacological effects and potential nutritional properties. Herein, 46 benzylisoquinoline alkaloids were identified via UPLC-QTOF-HRMS, of which 9 were annotated as glycosylated monobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids concentrated in the seed plumules. The spatial distribution of targeted benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in leaves, seed plumules, and milky sap was determined via MALDI-MSI. Furthermore, 37 Nelumbo cultivars were investigated using targeted metabolomics to provide insights into functional tea development. While aporphine alkaloids comprised the main compounds present in lotus leaves, bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were the main compounds in lotus plumules, where glycosylation primarily occurs. These findings can help understand the distribution of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in lotus tissue and the directional breeding of varieties enriched with specific chemical functional groups for nutritional and pharmacological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Hao
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | | | - Yuetong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yongping Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiaolu Wei
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Sha Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
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Chen S, Wei B, Fu Y. A Study of the Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Michelia macclurei Dandy Heartwood: New Sources of Natural Antioxidants, Enzyme Inhibitors and Bacterial Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097972. [PMID: 37175683 PMCID: PMC10177984 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The wood of Michelia macclurei Dandy (MD) is an excellent material that is widely used in the furniture, handicraft, and construction industries. However, less research has been conducted on the chemical composition and biological activity of heartwood, which is the main valuable part of the wood. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of the heartwood of Michelia macclurei Dandy (MDHW) and to confirm the active ingredients. Triple quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to characterize the volatile components of MDHW, while ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the non-volatile components (UPLC-MS). The total reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays, acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays, and an antimicrobial test of 4 gram bacteria were used to describe the in vitro bioactivities. The GC-MS analysis showed that the volatile components of MDHW were mainly fatty compounds and terpenoids, with sesquiterpenes and their derivatives dominating the terpene composition. β-elemene was the main terpene component in the steam distillation (11.88%) and ultrasonic extraction (8.2%) methods. A total of 67 compounds, comprising 45 alkaloids, 9 flavonoids, 6 lignans, and others, were found by UPLC-MS analysis. The primary structural kinds of the non-volatile components were 35 isoquinoline alkaloids. Alkaloids were the predominant active constituent in all MDHW extracts, including crude extracts, alkaloid fractions, and non-alkaloid fractions. These extracts all demonstrate some biological effects in terms of antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and bacterial inhibition. The findings of this study show that MDHW is abundant in chemical structure types, has great bioactivity assessment, and has the potential to be used to create natural antioxidants, products that postpone Alzheimer's disease and lower blood sugar levels and antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixiang Chen
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Bochen Wei
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yunlin Fu
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Cultivation of Fast-Growing Timber in Central South China, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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6
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Pyne ME, Gold ND, Martin VJJ. Pathway elucidation and microbial synthesis of proaporphine and bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloids from sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Metab Eng 2023; 77:162-173. [PMID: 37004909 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has been utilized as a food, medicine, and spiritual symbol for nearly 3000 years. The medicinal properties of lotus are largely attributed to its unique profile of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), which includes potential anti-cancer, anti-malarial and anti-arrhythmic compounds. BIA biosynthesis in sacred lotus differs markedly from that of opium poppy and other members of the Ranunculales, most notably in an abundance of BIAs possessing the (R)-stereochemical configuration and the absence of reticuline, a major branchpoint intermediate in most BIA producers. Owing to these unique metabolic features and the pharmacological potential of lotus, we set out to elucidate the BIA biosynthesis network in N. nucifera. Here we show that lotus CYP80G (NnCYP80G) and a superior ortholog from Peruvian nutmeg (Laurelia sempervirens; LsCYP80G) stereospecifically convert (R)-N-methylcoclaurine to the proaporphine alkaloid glaziovine, which is subsequently methylated to pronuciferine, the presumed precursor to nuciferine. While sacred lotus employs a dedicated (R)-route to aporphine alkaloids from (R)-norcoclaurine, we implemented an artificial stereochemical inversion approach to flip the stereochemistry of the core BIA pathway. Exploiting the unique substrate specificity of dehydroreticuline synthase from common poppy (Papaver rhoeas) and pairing it with dehydroreticuline reductase enabled de novo synthesis of (R)-N-methylcoclaurine from (S)-norcoclaurine and its subsequent conversion to pronuciferine. We leveraged our stereochemical inversion approach to also elucidate the role of NnCYP80A in sacred lotus metabolism, which we show catalyzes the stereospecific formation of the bis-BIA nelumboferine. Screening our collection of 66 plant O-methyltransferases enabled conversion of nelumboferine to liensinine, a potential anti-cancer bis-BIA from sacred lotus. Our work highlights the unique benzylisoquinoline metabolism of N. nucifera and enables the targeted overproduction of potential lotus pharmaceuticals using engineered microbial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Pyne
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Nicholas D Gold
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Concordia Genome Foundry, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent J J Martin
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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7
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Huang J, Li Z, Zhang W, Lv Z, Dong S, Feng Y, Liu R, Zhao Y. Explainable machine learning-assisted origin identification: Chemical profiling of five lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) parts. Food Chem 2023; 404:134517. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Lemos Cruz P, Carqueijeiro I, Koudounas K, Bomzan DP, Stander EA, Abdallah C, Kulagina N, Oudin A, Lanoue A, Giglioli-Guivarc'h N, Nagegowda DA, Papon N, Besseau S, Clastre M, Courdavault V. Identification of a second 16-hydroxytabersonine-O-methyltransferase suggests an evolutionary relationship between alkaloid and flavonoid metabolisms in Catharanthus roseus. PROTOPLASMA 2023; 260:607-624. [PMID: 35947213 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-022-01801-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus biosynthesizes many important drugs for human health, including the anticancer monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) vinblastine and vincristine. Over the past decades, the continuous increase in pharmaceutical demand has prompted several research groups to characterize MIA biosynthetic pathways for considering future metabolic engineering processes of supply. In line with previous work suggesting that diversification can potentially occur at various steps along the vindoline branch, we were here interested in investigating the involvement of distinct isoforms of tabersonine-16-O-methyltransferase (16OMT) which plays a pivotal role in the MIA biosynthetic pathway. By combining homology searches based on the previously characterized 16OMT1, phylogenetic analyses, functional assays in yeast, and biochemical and in planta characterizations, we identified a second isoform of 16OMT, referred to as 16OMT2. 16OMT2 appears to be a multifunctional enzyme working on both MIA and flavonoid substrates, suggesting that a constrained evolution of the enzyme for accommodating the MIA substrate has probably occurred to favor the apparition of 16OMT2 from an ancestral specific flavonoid-O-methyltransferase. Since 16OMT1 and 16OMT2 displays a high sequence identity and similar kinetic parameters for 16-hydroxytabersonine, we postulate that 16OMT1 may result from a later 16OMT2 gene duplication accompanied by a continuous neofunctionalization leading to an almost complete loss of flavonoid O-methyltransferase activity. Overall, these results participate in increasing our knowledge on the evolutionary processes that have likely led to enzyme co-optation for MIA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Lemos Cruz
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Ines Carqueijeiro
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | | | - Dikki Pedenla Bomzan
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Emily Amor Stander
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Cécile Abdallah
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Natalja Kulagina
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Audrey Oudin
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Arnaud Lanoue
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | | | - Dinesh A Nagegowda
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Univ Angers, Univ Brest, IRF, SFR, ICAT, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Sébastien Besseau
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Marc Clastre
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Vincent Courdavault
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France.
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Elucidation of the (R)-enantiospecific benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic pathways in sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Sci Rep 2023; 13:2955. [PMID: 36805479 PMCID: PMC9940101 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29415-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a structurally diverse group of plant specialized metabolites found mainly in members of the order Ranunculales, including opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), for which BIA biosynthetic pathways leading to the critical drugs morphine, noscapine, and sanguinarine have been elucidated. Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), in the order Proteales, accumulates medicinal BIAs in the proaporphine, aporphine, and bisbenzylisoquinoline structural subgroups with a prevalence of R enantiomers, opposed to the dominant S configuration occurring in the Ranunculales. Nevertheless, distinctive BIA biosynthetic routes in sacred lotus have not been explored. In planta labeling experiments and in vitro assays with recombinant enzymes and plant protein extracts showed that dopamine and 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde derived from L-tyrosine serve as precursors for the formation of (R,S)-norcoclaurine in sacred lotus, whereas only (R)-norcoclaurine byproducts are favored in the plant by action of R-enantiospecific methyltransferases and cytochrome P450 oxidoreductases (CYPs). Enzymes responsible for the R-enantiospecific formation of proaporphine (NnCYP80Q1) and bisbenzylisoquinoline (NnCYP80Q2) scaffolds, and a methylenedioxy bridge introduction on aporphine substrates (NnCYP719A22) were identified, whereas additional aspects of the biosynthetic pathways leading to the distinctive alkaloid profile are discussed. This work expands the availability of molecular tools that can be deployed in synthetic biology platforms for the production of high-value alkaloids.
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Yu Y, Liu Y, Dong G, Jiang J, Leng L, Liu X, Zhang J, Liu A, Chen S. Functional characterization and key residues engineering of a regiopromiscuity O-methyltransferase involved in benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in Nelumbo nucifera. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhac276. [PMID: 36789257 PMCID: PMC9923211 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), an ancient aquatic plant, possesses a unique pharmacological activity that is primarily contributed by benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). However, only few genes and enzymes involved in BIA biosynthesis in N. nucifera have been isolated and characterized. In the present study we identified the regiopromiscuity of an O-methyltransferase, designated NnOMT6, isolated from N. nucifera; NnOMT6 was found to catalyze the methylation of monobenzylisoquinoline 6-O/7-O, aporphine skeleton 6-O, phenylpropanoid 3-O, and protoberberine 2-O. We further probed the key residues affecting NnOMT6 activity via molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Verification using site-directed mutagenesis revealed that residues D316, N130, L135, N176A, D269, and E328 were critical for BIA O-methyltransferase activities; furthermore, N323A, a mutant of NnOMT6, demonstrated a substantial increase in catalytic efficiency for BIAs and a broader acceptor scope compared with wild-type NnOMT6. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the O-methyltransferase activity of an aporphine skeleton without benzyl moiety substitutions in N. nucifera. The study findings provide biocatalysts for the semisynthesis of related medical compounds and give insights into protein engineering to strengthen O-methyltransferase activity in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuetong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | | | - JinZhu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Liang Leng
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - XianJu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16, Nanxiaojie, Dongzhimennei, Beijing 100700, China
| | - An Liu
- Corresponding author. E-mail: ;
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Cheng W, Yao Y, Wang Q, Chang X, Shi Z, Fang X, Chen F, Chen S, Zhang Y, Zhang F, Zhu D, Deng Z, Lu L. Characterization of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid methyltransferases in Liriodendron chinense provides insights into the phylogenic basis of angiosperm alkaloid diversity. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 112:535-548. [PMID: 36062348 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a class of plant secondary metabolites with great pharmacological value. Their biosynthetic pathways have been extensively elucidated in the species from the Ranunculales order, such as poppy and Coptis japonica, in which methylation events play central roles and are directly responsible for BIA chemodiversity. Here, we combined BIA quantitative profiling and transcriptomic analyses to identify novel BIA methyltransferases (MTs) from Liriodendron chinense, a basal angiosperm plant. We identified an N-methyltransferase (LcNMT1) and two O-methyltransferases (LcOMT1 and LcOMT3), and characterized their biochemical functions in vitro. LcNMT1 methylates (S)-coclaurine to produce mono- and dimethylated products. Mutagenesis experiments revealed that a single-residue alteration is sufficient to change its substrate selectivity. LcOMT1 methylates (S)-norcoclaurine at the C6 site and LcOMT3 methylates (S)-coclaurine at the C7 site, respectively. Two key residues of LcOMT3, A115 and T301, are identified as important contributors to its catalytic activity. Compared with Ranunculales-derived NMTs, Magnoliales-derived NMTs were less abundant and had narrower substrate specificity, indicating that NMT expansion has contributed substantially to BIA chemodiversity in angiosperms, particularly in Ranunculales species. In summary, we not only characterized three novel enzymes that could be useful in the biosynthetic production of valuable BIAs but also shed light on the molecular origin of BIAs during angiosperm evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qiuxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaosa Chang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhuolin Shi
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xueting Fang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Fangfang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Shixin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yonghong Zhang
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Academy of Bio-Medicine Research, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Dongqing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Li Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430071, China
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12
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Zhao W, Sun J, Yao LY, Hang D, Li YQ, Chen CP, Zhou YW, Chen X, Tao T, Wei LS, Zheng YY, Ge X, Li CJ, Xin ZC, Pan Y, Wang XZ, He WQ, Zhang XN, Yao B, Zhu MS. MYPT1 reduction is a pathogenic factor of erectile dysfunction. Commun Biol 2022; 5:744. [PMID: 35879418 PMCID: PMC9314386 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03716-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is closely associated with smooth muscle dysfunction, but its underlying mechanisms remains incompletely understood. We here reported that the reduced expression of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1), the main regulatory unit of myosin light chain phosphatase, was critical for the development of vasculogenic ED. Male MYPT1 knockout mice had reduced fertility and the penises displayed impaired erections as evidenced by reduced intracavernous pressure (ICP). The penile smooth muscles of the knockout mice displayed enhanced response to G-Protein Couple Receptor agonism and depolarization contractility and resistant relaxation. We further identified a natural compound lotusine that increased the MYPT1 expression by inhibiting SIAH1/2 E3 ligases-mediated protein degradation. This compound sufficiently restored the ICP and improved histological characters of the penile artery of Mypt1 haploinsufficiency mice. In diabetic ED mice (db/db), the decreased expression of MYPT1 was measured, and ICP was improved by lotusine treatment. We conclude that the reduction of MYPT1 is the major pathogenic factor of vasculogenic ED. The restoration of MYPT1 by lotusine improved the function of injured penile smooth muscles, and could be a novel strategy for ED therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang-Yu Yao
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dong Hang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye-Qiong Li
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Cai-Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Wei Zhou
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Sha Wei
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan-Yan Zheng
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xie Ge
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao-Jun Li
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhong-Cheng Xin
- Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin-Zhu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei-Qi He
- Cambridge-Suda (CAM-SU) Genomic Resource Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xue-Na Zhang
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Bing Yao
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Min-Sheng Zhu
- Jinling Hospital Department of Reproductive Medical Center affiliated Sch Med, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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13
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Bu J, Zhang X, Li Q, Ma Y, Hu Z, Yang J, Liu X, Wang R, Jiao X, Chen T, Lai C, Cui G, Tang J, Kong Y, Yang L, Lin S, Chen Y, Guo J, Huang L. Catalytic promiscuity of O-methyltransferases from Corydalis yanhusuo leading to the structural diversity of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhac152. [PMID: 36168544 PMCID: PMC9510826 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
O-methyltransferases play essential roles in producing structural diversity and improving the biological properties of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) in plants. In this study, Corydalis yanhusuo, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine due to the analgesic effects of its BIA-active compounds, was employed to analyze the catalytic characteristics of O-methyltransferases in the formation of BIA diversity. Seven genes encoding O-methyltransferases were cloned, and functionally characterized using seven potential BIA substrates. Specifically, an O-methyltransferase (CyOMT2) with highly efficient catalytic activity of both 4'- and 6-O-methylations of 1-BIAs was found. CyOMT6 was found to perform two sequential methylations at both 9- and 2-positions of the essential intermediate of tetrahydroprotoberberines, (S)-scoulerine. Two O-methyltransferases (CyOMT5 and CyOMT7) with wide substrate promiscuity were found, with the 2-position of tetrahydroprotoberberines as the preferential catalytic site for CyOMT5 (named scoulerine 2-O-methyltransferase) and the 6-position of 1-BIAs as the preferential site for CyOMT7. In addition, results of integrated phylogenetic molecular docking analysis and site-directed mutation suggested that residues at sites 172, 306, 313, and 314 in CyOMT5 are important for enzyme promiscuity related to O-methylations at the 6- and 7-positions of isoquinoline. Cys at site 253 in CyOMT2 was proved to promote the methylation activity of the 6-position and to expand substrate scopes. This work provides insight into O-methyltransferases in producing BIA diversity in C. yanhusuo and genetic elements for producing BIAs by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qishuang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Ying Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Zhimin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Jian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiuyu Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 156 Jinshuidong Road, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Ruishan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiang Jiao
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Changjiangsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Guanghong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Jinfu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 16 South Side Street, Dongzhimen, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yu Kong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Sheng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, SE41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Juan Guo
- Corresponding authors. E-mail: ,
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14
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Sun H, Song H, Deng X, Liu J, Yang D, Zhang M, Wang Y, Xin J, Chen L, Liu Y, Yang M. Transcriptome-Wide Characterization of Alkaloids and Chlorophyll Biosynthesis in Lotus Plumule. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:885503. [PMID: 35677240 PMCID: PMC9168470 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.885503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lotus plumule is a green tissue in the middle of seeds that predominantly accumulates bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (bis-BIAs) and chlorophyll (Chl). However, the biosynthetic mechanisms of these two metabolites remain largely unknown in lotus. This study used physiological and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) approaches to characterize the development and molecular mechanisms of bis-BIAs and Chl biosynthesis in lotus plumule. Physiological analysis revealed that exponential plumule growth occurred between 9 and 15 days after pollination (DAP), which coincided with the onset of bis-BIAs biosynthesis and its subsequent rapid accumulation. Transcriptome analysis of lotus plumule identified a total of 8,725 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), representing ~27.7% of all transcripts in the lotus genome. Sixteen structural DEGs, potentially associated with bis-BIAs biosynthesis, were identified. Of these, 12 encoded O-methyltransferases (OMTs) are likely involved in the methylation and bis-BIAs diversity in lotus. In addition, functionally divergent paralogous and redundant homologous gene members of the BIAs biosynthesis pathway, as well as transcription factors co-expressed with bis-BIAs and Chl biosynthesis genes, were identified. Twenty-two genes encoding 16 conserved enzymes of the Chl biosynthesis pathway were identified, with the majority being significantly upregulated by Chl biosynthesis. Photosynthesis and Chl biosynthesis pathways were simultaneously activated during lotus plumule development. Moreover, our results showed that light-driven Pchlide reduction is essential for Chl biosynthesis in the lotus plumule. These results will be useful for enhancing our understanding of alkaloids and Chl biosynthesis in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Sun
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Heyun Song
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianbao Deng
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Dong Yang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Xin
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Center of Applied Biotechnology, Wuhan Institute of Bioengineering, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanling Liu
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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15
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Li K, Chen X, Zhang J, Wang C, Xu Q, Hu J, Kai G, Feng Y. Transcriptome Analysis of Stephania tetrandra and Characterization of Norcoclaurine-6-O-Methyltransferase Involved in Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Biosynthesis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:874583. [PMID: 35432428 PMCID: PMC9009073 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.874583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Stephania tetrandra (S. Moore) is a source of traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used to treat rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, edema, and hypertension. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the main bioactive compounds. However, the current understanding of the biosynthesis of BIAs in S. tetrandra is poor. Metabolite and transcriptomic analyses of the stem, leaf, xylem, and epidermis of S. tetrandra were performed to identify candidate genes associated with BIAs biosynthesis. According to the metabolite analysis, the majority of the BIAs accumulated in the root, especially in the epidermis. Transcriptome sequencing revealed a total of 113,338 unigenes that were generated by de novo assembly. Among them, 79,638 unigenes were successfully annotated, and 42 candidate structural genes associated with 15 steps of BIA biosynthesis identified. Additionally, a new (S)-norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase (6OMT) gene was identified in S. tetrandra, named St6OMT2. Recombinant St6OMT2 catalyzed (S)-norcoclaurine methylation to form (S)-coclaurine in vitro. Maximum activity of St6OMT2 was determined at 30°C and pH 6.0 in NaAc-HAc buffer. Its half-life at 50°C was 22 min with the Km and kcat of 28.2 μM and 1.5 s-1, respectively. Our results provide crucial transcriptome information for S. tetrandra, shedding light on the understanding of BIAs biosynthesis and further gene functional characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunlun Li
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuefei Chen
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianbo Zhang
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Can Wang
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiwei Xu
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangning Hu
- Zhejiang Conba Pharmaceutical Limited Company, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoyin Kai
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yue Feng
- Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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16
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Li J, Li Y, Dang M, Li S, Chen S, Liu R, Zhang Z, Li G, Zhang M, Yang D, Yang M, Liu Y, Tian D, Deng X. Jasmonate-Responsive Transcription Factors NnWRKY70a and NnWRKY70b Positively Regulate Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Biosynthesis in Lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:862915. [PMID: 35783938 PMCID: PMC9240598 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.862915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a large aquatic plant that accumulates pharmacologically significant benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). However, little is known about their biosynthesis and regulation. Here, we show that the two group III WRKY transcription factors (TFs), NnWRKY70a and NnWRKY70b, positively regulate the BIA biosynthesis in lotus. Both NnWRKY70s are jasmonic acid (JA) responsive, with their expression profiles highly correlated to the BIA concentration and BIA pathway gene expression. A dual-luciferase assay showed that NnWRKY70a could transactivate the NnTYDC promoter, whereas NnWRKY70b could activate promoters of the three BIA structural genes, including NnTYDC, NnCYP80G, and Nn7OMT. In addition, the transient overexpression of NnWRKY70a and NnWRKY70b in lotus petals significantly elevated the BIA alkaloid concentrations. Notably, NnWRKY70b seems to be a stronger BIA biosynthesis regulator, because it dramatically induced more BIA structural gene expressions and BIA accumulation than NnWRKY70a. A yeast two-hybrid assay further revealed that NnWRKY70b physically interacted with NnJAZ1 and two other group III WRKY TFs (NnWRKY53b and NnWRKY70a), suggesting that it may cooperate with the other group III WRKYs to adjust the lotus BIA biosynthesis via the JA-signaling pathway. To illustrate the mechanism underlying NnWRKY70b-mediated BIA regulation in the lotus, a simplified model is proposed. Our study provides useful insights into the regulatory roles of WRKY TFs in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingjing Dang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shang Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Simeng Chen
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruizhen Liu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zeyu Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guoqian Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Dong Yang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanling Liu
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Daike Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianbao Deng
- Aquatic Plant Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xianbao Deng
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17
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Complete biosynthesis of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids guattegaumerine and berbamunine in yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2112520118. [PMID: 34903659 PMCID: PMC8713753 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112520118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This work demonstrates microbial biosynthesis of bisbenzylisoquinoline (bisBIA) alkaloids. We show that several didomain epimerases can function in yeast to epimerize the nonnative substrate N-methylcoclaurine, an essential step in bisBIA biosynthesis. The N-methylcoclaurine epimerase activity was increased 10-fold by combining individual reductase and oxidase domains from different plant species. Strain engineering and optimization of media and growth conditions increased the bisBIA titer over 10,000-fold. We show that strains can be engineered to primarily produce one bisBIA product by selection of the cytochrome P450 variant that couples the monomer BIA subunits. We then leverage our bisBIA biosynthetic strain as a platform for the screening of other plant enzymes to produce two additional plant natural products de novo in a heterologous host. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a diverse class of medicinal plant natural products. Nearly 500 dimeric bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (bisBIAs), produced by the coupling of two BIA monomers, have been characterized and display a range of pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiarrhythmic activities. In recent years, microbial platforms have been engineered to produce several classes of BIAs, which are rare or difficult to obtain from natural plant hosts, including protoberberines, morphinans, and phthalideisoquinolines. However, the heterologous biosyntheses of bisBIAs have thus far been largely unexplored. Here, we describe the engineering of yeast strains that produce the Type I bisBIAs guattegaumerine and berbamunine de novo. Through strain engineering, protein engineering, and optimization of growth conditions, a 10,000-fold improvement in the production of guattegaumerine, the major bisBIA pathway product, was observed. By replacing the cytochrome P450 used in the final coupling reaction with a chimeric variant, the product profile was inverted to instead produce solely berbamunine. Our highest titer engineered yeast strains produced 108 and 25 mg/L of guattegaumerine and berbamunine, respectively. Finally, the inclusion of two additional putative BIA biosynthesis enzymes, SiCNMT2 and NnOMT5, into our bisBIA biosynthetic strains enabled the production of two derivatives of bisBIA pathway intermediates de novo: magnocurarine and armepavine. The de novo heterologous biosyntheses of bisBIAs presented here provide the foundation for the production of additional medicinal bisBIAs in yeast.
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18
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Wang Z, Li Y, Ma D, Zeng M, Wang Z, Qin F, Chen J, Christian M, He Z. Alkaloids from lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera): recent advances in biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, bioactivity, safety, and industrial applications. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021:1-34. [PMID: 34845950 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2021.2009436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) including the seeds, rhizomes, leaves, and flowers, are used for medicinal purposes with health promoting and illness preventing benefits. The presence of active chemicals such as alkaloids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids (particularly alkaloids) may account for this plant's pharmacological effects. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview and summarize up-to-date research on the biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, and bioactivity of lotus alkaloids as well as their safety. Moreover, the potential uses of lotus alkaloids in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors are explored. Current evidence shows that alkaloids, mainly consisting of aporphines, 1-benzylisoquinolines, and bisbenzylisoquinolines, are present in different parts of lotus. The bioavailability of these alkaloids is relatively low in vivo but can be enhanced by technological modification using nanoliposomes, liposomes, microcapsules, and emulsions. Available data highlights their therapeutic and preventive effects on obesity, diabetes, neurodegeneration, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc. Additionally, industrial applications of lotus alkaloids include their use as food, medical, and cosmetic ingredients in tea, other beverages, and healthcare products; as lipid-lowering, anticancer, and antipsychotic drugs; and in facial masks, toothpastes, and shower gels. However, their clinical efficacy and safety remains unclear; hence, larger and longer human trials are needed to achieve their safe and effective use with minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dandan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Maomao Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhaojun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fang Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mark Christian
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton, Nottingham, UK
| | - Zhiyong He
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
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19
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Yang X, Gao S, Guo L, Wang B, Jia Y, Zhou J, Che Y, Jia P, Lin J, Xu T, Sun J, Ye K. Three chromosome-scale Papaver genomes reveal punctuated patchwork evolution of the morphinan and noscapine biosynthesis pathway. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6030. [PMID: 34654815 PMCID: PMC8521590 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26330-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
For millions of years, plants evolve plenty of structurally diverse secondary metabolites (SM) to support their sessile lifestyles through continuous biochemical pathway innovation. While new genes commonly drive the evolution of plant SM pathway, how a full biosynthetic pathway evolves remains poorly understood. The evolution of pathway involves recruiting new genes along the reaction cascade forwardly, backwardly, or in a patchwork manner. With three chromosome-scale Papaver genome assemblies, we here reveal whole-genome duplications (WGDs) apparently accelerate chromosomal rearrangements with a nonrandom distribution towards SM optimization. A burst of structural variants involving fusions, translocations and duplications within 7.7 million years have assembled nine genes into the benzylisoquinoline alkaloids gene cluster, following a punctuated patchwork model. Biosynthetic gene copies and their total expression matter to morphinan production. Our results demonstrate how new genes have been recruited from a WGD-induced repertoire of unregulated enzymes with promiscuous reactivities to innovate efficient metabolic pathways with spatiotemporal constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Yang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,Genome Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shenghan Gao
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Li Guo
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanyan Jia
- School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Yizhuo Che
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Jia
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiadong Lin
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tun Xu
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jianyong Sun
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kai Ye
- MOE Key Lab for Intelligent Networks & Networks Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. .,Genome Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. .,School of Automation Science and Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. .,Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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20
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Xue X, Jiao Q, Jin R, Wang X, Li P, Shi S, Huang Z, Dai Y, Chen S. The combination of UHPLC-HRMS and molecular networking improving discovery efficiency of chemical components in Chinese Classical Formula. Chin Med 2021; 16:50. [PMID: 34215302 PMCID: PMC8254261 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-021-00459-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is essential to identify the chemical components for the quality control methods establishment of Chinese Classical Formula (CCF). However, CCF are complex mixture of several herbal medicines with huge number of different compounds and they are not equal to the combination of chemical components from each herb due to particular formula ratio and preparation techniques. Therefore, it is time-consuming to identify compounds in a CCF by analyzing the LC–MS/MS data one by one, especially for unknown components. Methods An ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography-linear ion trap-orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS) approach was developed to comprehensively profile and characterize multi-components in CCF with Erdong decoction composed of eight herbal medicines as an example. Then the MS data of Erdong decoction was analyzed by MS/MS-based molecular networking and these compounds with similar structures were connected to each other into a cluster in the network map. Then the unknown compounds connected to known compounds in a cluster of the network map were identified due to their similar structures. Results Based on the clusters of the molecular networking, 113 compounds were rapidly tentative identification from Erdong decoction for the first time in the negative mode, which including steroidal saponins, triterpenoid saponins, flavonoid O-glycosides and flavonoid C-glycosides. In addition, 10 alkaloids were tentatively identified in the positive mode from Nelumbinis folium by comparison with literatures. Conclusion MS/MS-based molecular networking technique is very useful for the rapid identification of components in CCF. In Erdong decoction, this method was very suitable for the identification of major steroidal saponins, triterpenoid saponins, and flavonoid C-glycosides. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-021-00459-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Xue
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.,Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, 030619, Shanxi, China
| | - Qishu Jiao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Runa Jin
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Xueyuan Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.,Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, Shanxi, China
| | - Pengyue Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Shougang Shi
- Sunflower Pharmaceutical Group (Xiangyang) Longzhong Co. Ltd, Xiangyang, 441003, Hubei, China
| | - Zhengjun Huang
- Sunflower Pharmaceutical Group (Xiangyang) Longzhong Co. Ltd, Xiangyang, 441003, Hubei, China
| | - Yuntao Dai
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China. .,Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, 030619, Shanxi, China.
| | - Shilin Chen
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
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21
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Arooj M, Imran S, Inam‐ur‐Raheem M, Rajoka MSR, Sameen A, Siddique R, Sahar A, Tariq S, Riaz A, Hussain A, Siddeeg A, Aadil RM. Lotus seeds ( Nelumbinis semen) as an emerging therapeutic seed: A comprehensive review. Food Sci Nutr 2021; 9:3971-3987. [PMID: 34262752 PMCID: PMC8269573 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nelumbinis semen is commonly known as lotus seeds that have been used as a vegetable, functional food, and medicine for 7,000 years. These are low caloric, a rich source of multiple nutrients and bioactive constituents, which make it a unique therapeutic food. N. semen plays an important part in the physiological functions of the body. Nowadays, people are more conscious about their health and desire to treat disease naturally with minimal side effects. So, functional foods are getting popularity due to a wide range of essential constituents, which are associated to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. These bioactive compounds from seeds are involved in anti-adipogenic, antioxidant, antitumor, cardiovascular, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, anti-microbial, anti-viral, hypoglycemic, etc. Moreover, the relationship between functional compounds along with their mechanism of action in the body, their extraction from the seeds for further research would be of great interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzalfa Arooj
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Saira Imran
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Muhammad Inam‐ur‐Raheem
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | | | - Aysha Sameen
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Rabia Siddique
- Department of ChemistryGovernment College UniversityFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Amna Sahar
- Department of Food EngineeringUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Shiza Tariq
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Ayesha Riaz
- Institute of Home SciencesUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
| | - Abid Hussain
- School of Food Science and EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Azhari Siddeeg
- Department of Food Engineering and TechnologyFaculty of Engineering and TechnologyUniversity of GeziraWad MedaniSudan
| | - Rana Muhammad Aadil
- National Institute of Food Science and TechnologyUniversity of AgricultureFaisalabadPakistan
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22
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Diversity in Chemical Structures and Biological Properties of Plant Alkaloids. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26113374. [PMID: 34204857 PMCID: PMC8199754 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochemicals belonging to the group of alkaloids are signature specialized metabolites endowed with countless biological activities. Plants are armored with these naturally produced nitrogenous compounds to combat numerous challenging environmental stress conditions. Traditional and modern healthcare systems have harnessed the potential of these organic compounds for the treatment of many ailments. Various chemical entities (functional groups) attached to the central moiety are responsible for their diverse range of biological properties. The development of the characterization of these plant metabolites and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis is of an utmost priority to deliver enhanced advantages in terms of biological properties and productivity. Further, the incorporation of whole/partial metabolic pathways in the heterologous system and/or the overexpression of biosynthetic steps in homologous systems have both become alternative and lucrative methods over chemical synthesis in recent times. Moreover, in-depth research on alkaloid biosynthetic pathways has revealed numerous chemical modifications that occur during alkaloidal conversions. These chemical reactions involve glycosylation, acylation, reduction, oxidation, and methylation steps, and they are usually responsible for conferring the biological activities possessed by alkaloids. In this review, we aim to discuss the alkaloidal group of plant specialized metabolites and their brief classification covering major categories. We also emphasize the diversity in the basic structures of plant alkaloids arising through enzymatically catalyzed structural modifications in certain plant species, as well as their emerging diverse biological activities. The role of alkaloids in plant defense and their mechanisms of action are also briefly discussed. Moreover, the commercial utilization of plant alkaloids in the marketplace displaying various applications has been enumerated.
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Menéndez-Perdomo IM, Hagel JM, Facchini PJ. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloid analysis using high-resolution Orbitrap LC-MS n. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2021; 56:e4683. [PMID: 33410198 DOI: 10.1002/jms.4683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) have profound implications on human health owing to their potent pharmacological properties. Notable naturally occurring BIAs are the narcotic analgesics morphine, the cough suppressant codeine, the potential anticancer drug noscapine, the muscle relaxant papaverine, and the antimicrobial sanguinarine, all of which are produced in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Thebaine, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of codeine and morphine, is used in the manufacture of semisynthetic opiates, including oxycodone and naloxone. As the only commercial source of pharmaceutical opiates, opium poppy has been the focus of considerable research to understand BIA metabolism in the plant. The elucidation of several BIA biosynthetic pathways has enabled the development of synthetic biology platforms aimed at the alternative commercial production of valuable phytochemicals in microorganisms. The detection and identification of BIA pathway products and intermediates in complex extracts is essential for the continuing advancement of research in plant specialized metabolism and microbial synthetic biology. Herein, we report the use of liquid chromatography coupled with linear trap quadrupole and high-resolution Orbitrap multistage mass spectrometry to characterize 44 authentic BIAs using collision-induced dissociation (CID), higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD), and pulsed Q collision-induced dissociation (PQD) MS2 fragmentation, with MS2 CID followed by MS3 and MS4 fragmentation. Our deep library of diagnostic spectral data constitutes a valuable resource for BIAs identification. In addition, we identified 22 BIAs in opium poppy latex and roots extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jillian M Hagel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Peter J Facchini
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
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