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Watkins JL, Li Q, Yeaman S, Facchini PJ. Elucidation of the mescaline biosynthetic pathway in peyote (Lophophora williamsii). Plant J 2023; 116:635-649. [PMID: 37675639 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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2
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Vollheyde K, Dudley QM, Yang T, Oz MT, Mancinotti D, Fedi MO, Heavens D, Linsmith G, Chhetry M, Smedley MA, Harwood WA, Swarbreck D, Geu‐Flores F, Patron NJ. An improved Nicotiana benthamiana bioproduction chassis provides novel insights into nicotine biosynthesis. New Phytol 2023; 240:302-317. [PMID: 37488711 PMCID: PMC10952274 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The model plant Nicotiana benthamiana is an increasingly attractive organism for the production of high-value, biologically active molecules. However, N. benthamiana accumulates high levels of pyridine alkaloids, in particular nicotine, which complicates the downstream purification processes. Here, we report a new assembly of the N. benthamiana genome as well as the generation of low-nicotine lines by CRISPR/Cas9-based inactivation of berberine bridge enzyme-like proteins (BBLs). Triple as well as quintuple mutants accumulated three to four times less nicotine than the respective control lines. The availability of lines without functional BBLs allowed us to probe their catalytic role in nicotine biosynthesis, which has remained obscure. Notably, chiral analysis revealed that the enantiomeric purity of nicotine was fully lost in the quintuple mutants. In addition, precursor feeding experiments showed that these mutants cannot facilitate the specific loss of C6 hydrogen that characterizes natural nicotine biosynthesis. Our work delivers an improved N. benthamiana chassis for bioproduction and uncovers the crucial role of BBLs in the stereoselectivity of nicotine biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Vollheyde
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Ting Yang
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Mehmet T. Oz
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Davide Mancinotti
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Darren Heavens
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Gareth Linsmith
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Monika Chhetry
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UHUK
| | - Mark A. Smedley
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UHUK
| | | | - David Swarbreck
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Fernando Geu‐Flores
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
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Godbole RC, Kadam SB, Pable AA, Singh S, Barvkar VT. Phylogenomics of transcriptionally active AP2/ERF and bHLH transcription factors and study of their promoter regions in Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J.Graham) Mabb. Genome 2023; 66:235-250. [PMID: 37163758 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Nothapodytes nimmoniana is a medicinally important plant producing anticancer monoterpene indole alkaloid (MIA), camptothecin (CPT). The CPT is synthesised through the strictosidine intermediate following the MIA pathway; however, transcriptional regulation of CPT pathway is still elusive in N. nimmoniana. Biosynthesis of MIA is regulated by various transcription factors (TFs) belonging to AP2/ERF, bHLH, MYB, and WRKY families. The present study identified transcriptionally active full-length 105 AP2/ERF and 68 bHLH family TFs from the N. nimmoniana. AP2/ERF TFs were divided into three subfamilies along with a soloist, while bHLH TFs were divided into 10 subfamilies according to their phylogenetic similarities. Three group IXa ERFs, Nn-ERF22, Nn-ERF29, and Nn-ERF41, one subfamily IVa TF Nn-bHLH7, and three subfamilies IIIe Nn-bHLH33, Nn-bHLH51, and Nn-bHLH52 clustered with the TFs regulating alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus, tomato, tobacco, and Artemisia annua. Expression of these TFs in N. nimmoniana was higher in roots, which is a primary CPT accumulating tissue. Moreover, genome skimming approach was used to reconstruct the promoter regions of candidate ERF genes to identify the cis-regulatory elements. The presence of G-boxes and other jasmonic acid-responsive elements in the promoter suggests the regulation of ERFs by bHLHs. The present study effectively generated and used genomics resource for characterisation of regulatory TFs from non-model medicinal plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rucha C Godbole
- Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Swapnil B Kadam
- Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Anupama A Pable
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Sudhir Singh
- Nuclear Agriculture & Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, 400085, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Vitthal T Barvkar
- Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
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De Sousa JPM, Oliveira NCSA, Fernandes PA. Rational Engineering of ( S)-Norcoclaurine Synthase for Efficient Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloids Biosynthesis. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28114265. [PMID: 37298742 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28114265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
(S)-Norcoclaurine is synthesized in vivo through a metabolic pathway that ends with (S)-norcoclaurine synthase (NCS). The former constitutes the scaffold for the biosynthesis of all benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), including many drugs such as the opiates morphine and codeine and the semi-synthetic opioids oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone. Unfortunately, the only source of complex BIAs is the opium poppy, leaving the drug supply dependent on poppy crops. Therefore, the bioproduction of (S)-norcoclaurine in heterologous hosts, such as bacteria or yeast, is an intense area of research nowadays. The efficiency of (S)-norcoclaurine biosynthesis is strongly dependent on the catalytic efficiency of NCS. Therefore, we identified vital NCS rate-enhancing mutations through the rational transition-state macrodipole stabilization method at the Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) level. The results are a step forward for obtaining NCS variants able to biosynthesize (S)-norcoclaurine on a large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P M De Sousa
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno C S A Oliveira
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro A Fernandes
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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Liu J, Han L, Li G, Zhang A, Liu X, Zhao M. Transcriptome and metabolome profiling of the medicinal plant Veratrum mengtzeanum reveal key components of the alkaloid biosynthesis. Front Genet 2023; 14:1023433. [PMID: 36741317 PMCID: PMC9895797 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1023433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Veratrum mengtzeanum is the main ingredient for Chinese folk medicine known as "Pimacao" due to its unique alkaloids. A diverse class of plant-specific metabolites having key pharmacological activities. There are limited studies on alkaloid synthesis and its metabolic pathways in plants. To elucidate the alkaloid pathway and identify novel biosynthetic enzymes and compounds in V. mengtzeanum, transcriptome and metabolome profiling has been conducted in leaves and roots. The transcriptome of V. mengtzeanum leaves and roots yielded 190,161 unigenes, of which 33,942 genes expressed differentially (DEGs) in both tissues. Three enriched regulatory pathways (isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, indole alkaloid biosynthesis and tropane, piperidine and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis) and a considerable number of genes such as AED3-like, A4U43, 21 kDa protein-like, 3-O-glycotransferase 2-like, AtDIR19, MST4, CASP-like protein 1D1 were discovered in association with the biosynthesis of alkaloids in leaves and roots. Some transcription factor families, i.e., AP2/ERF, GRAS, NAC, bHLH, MYB-related, C3H, FARI, WRKY, HB-HD-ZIP, C2H2, and bZIP were also found to have a prominent role in regulating the synthesis of alkaloids and steroidal alkaloids in the leaves and roots of V. mengtzeanum. The metabolome analysis revealed 74 significantly accumulated metabolites, with 55 differentially accumulated in leaves compared to root tissues. Out of 74 metabolites, 18 alkaloids were highly accumulated in the roots. A novel alkaloid compound viz; 3-Vanilloylygadenine was discovered in root samples. Conjoint analysis of transcriptome and metabolome studies has also highlighted potential genes involved in regulation and transport of alkaloid compounds. Here, we have presented a comprehensive metabolic and transcriptome profiling of V. mengtzeanum tissues. In earlier reports, only the roots were reported as a rich source of alkaloid biosynthesis, but the current findings revealed both leaves and roots as significant manufacturing factories for alkaloid biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Liu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Lijun Han
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Dai and Yi Medicines, University of Chinese Medicine Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Guodong Li
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Aili Zhang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Mingzhi Zhao
- Kunming Medical University Haiyuan College, Kunming, China,*Correspondence: Mingzhi Zhao,
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Jiao C, Wei M, Fan H, Song C, Wang Z, Cai Y, Jin Q. Transcriptomic analysis of genes related to alkaloid biosynthesis and the regulation mechanism under precursor and methyl jasmonate treatment in Dendrobium officinale. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:941231. [PMID: 35937364 PMCID: PMC9355482 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.941231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendrobium officinale is both a traditional herbal medicine and a plant of high ornamental and medicinal value. Alkaloids, especially terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs), with pharmacological activities are present in the tissues of D. officinale. A number of genes involved in alkaloid biosynthetic pathways have been identified. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the precursor and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-induced accumulation of alkaloids in D. officinale are poorly understood. In this study, we collected D. officinale protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) and treated them with TIA precursors (tryptophan and secologanin) and MeJA for 0 (T0), 4 (T4) and 24 h (T24); we also established control samples (C4 and C24). Then, we measured the total alkaloid content of the PLBs and performed transcriptome sequencing using the Illumina HiSeq 2,500 system. The total alkaloid content increased significantly after 4 h of treatment. Go and KEGG analysis suggested that genes from the TIA, isoquinoline alkaloid, tropane alkaloid and jasmonate (JA) biosynthetic pathways were significantly enriched. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) uncovered brown module related to alkaloid content. Six and seven genes related to alkaloid and JA bisosynthetic pathways, respectively, might encode the key enzymes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis of D. officinale. Moreover, 13 transcription factors (TFs), which mostly belong to AP2/ERF, WRKY, and MYB gene families, were predicted to regulate alkaloid biosynthesis. Our data provide insight for studying the regulatory mechanism underlying TIA precursor and MeJA-induced accumulation of three types of alkaloids in D. officinale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Jiao
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, China
| | - Mengke Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, China
| | - Honghong Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Cheng Song
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Luan, China
| | - Zhanjun Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, China
- State Key Laboratory of Utilization of Woody Oil Resource, Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, China
| | - Yongping Cai
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Qing Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Wang M, Tong S, Ma T, Xi Z, Liu J. Chromosome-level genome assembly of Sichuan pepper provides insights into apomixis, drought tolerance, and alkaloid biosynthesis. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 21:2533-2545. [PMID: 34145765 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Sichuan pepper is a commonly used spice in Asian cuisine. Sanshools and wgx-50/gx-50 isolated from it have been shown to possess a wide spectrum of medicinal properties. Here we generated a chromosome-level genome assembly of one Sichuan pepper species Zanthoxylum armatum characterized by drought tolerance and apomixis. Analyses of functionally related genes suggested that increased gene copy number and expression level of drought-tolerant genes might play an important role in improving drought tolerance of Z. armatum. Moreover, a gene encoding an RWP-RK domain-containing protein was shown to contribute to apomixis in Z. armatum, which was further characterized by overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, based on gene homology searching and co-expression patterns of metabolite concentration and gene expressions, we identified a number of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of sanshools and wgx-50/gx-50. Taken together, our results yield valuable insights for understanding the evolution of apomixis, drought tolerance, and alkaloid biosynthesis in Z. armatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingcheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shaofei Tong
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenxiang Xi
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianquan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Zakaria MM, Schemmerling B, Ober D. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) Hairy Roots Results in the Complete Eradication of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids. Molecules 2021; 26:1498. [PMID: 33801907 PMCID: PMC7998174 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and proliferative properties. However, its pharmaceutical application is hampered by the co-occurrence of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in its tissues. Using a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach, we introduced detrimental mutations into the hss gene encoding homospermidine synthase (HSS), the first pathway-specific enzyme of PA biosynthesis. The resulting hairy root (HR) lines were analyzed for the type of gene-editing effect that they exhibited and for their homospermidine and PA content. Inactivation of only one of the two hss alleles resulted in HRs with significantly reduced levels of homospermidine and PAs, whereas no alkaloids were detectable in HRs with two inactivated hss alleles. PAs were detectable once again after the HSS-deficient HRs were fed homospermidine confirming that the inability of these roots to produce PAs was only attributable to the inactivated HSS and not to any unidentified off-target effect of the CRISPR/Cas9 approach. Further analyses showed that PA-free HRs possessed, at least in traces, detectable amounts of homospermidine, and that the PA patterns of manipulated HRs were different from those of control lines. These observations are discussed with regard to the potential use of such a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated approach for the economical exploitation of in vitro systems in a medicinal plant and for further studies of PA biosynthesis in non-model plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud M. Zakaria
- Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany; (M.M.Z.); (B.S.)
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, 44519 Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Brigitte Schemmerling
- Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany; (M.M.Z.); (B.S.)
| | - Dietrich Ober
- Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany; (M.M.Z.); (B.S.)
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Oh J, Shin Y, Ha IJ, Lee MY, Lee SG, Kang BC, Kyeong D, Kim D. Transcriptome Profiling of Two Ornamental and Medicinal Papaver Herbs. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103192. [PMID: 30332811 PMCID: PMC6213990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Papaver spp. (Papaver rhoeas (Corn poppy) and Papaver nudicaule (Iceland poppy)) genera are ornamental and medicinal plants that are used for the isolation of alkaloid drugs. In this study, we generated 700 Mb of transcriptome sequences with the PacBio platform. They were assembled into 120,926 contigs, and 1185 (82.2%) of the benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) core genes were completely present in our assembled transcriptome. Furthermore, using 128 Gb of Illumina sequences, the transcript expression was assessed at three stages of Papaver plant development (30, 60, and 90 days), from which we identified 137 differentially expressed transcripts. Furthermore, three co-occurrence heat maps are generated from 51 different plant genomes along with the Papaver transcriptome, i.e., secondary metabolite biosynthesis, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis (BIA) pathway, and cytochrome. Sixty-nine transcripts in the BIA pathway along with 22 different alkaloids (quantified with LC-QTOF-MS/MS) were mapped into the BIA KEGG map (map00950). Finally, we identified 39 full-length cytochrome transcripts and compared them with other genomes. Collectively, this transcriptome data, along with the expression and quantitative metabolite profiles, provides an initial recording of secondary metabolites and their expression related to Papaver plant development. Moreover, these profiles could help to further detail the functional characterization of the various secondary metabolite biosynthesis and Papaver plant development associated problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyeon Oh
- Genomics Division, National Institute of Agricultural Science, RDA, 370, Nongsaengmyeong-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si 54874, Jeollabuk-do, Korea.
| | - Younhee Shin
- Data Science Center, Insilicogen Inc., Yongin-si 16954, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea.
| | - In Jin Ha
- Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center (K-CTC), Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Seoul 02447, Korea.
| | - Min Young Lee
- Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center (K-CTC), Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Seoul 02447, Korea.
| | - Seok-Geun Lee
- Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center (K-CTC), Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Seoul 02447, Korea.
- KHU-KIST Department of Converging Science & Technology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
| | - Byeong-Chul Kang
- Data Science Center, Insilicogen Inc., Yongin-si 16954, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
| | - Dongsoo Kyeong
- Data Science Center, Insilicogen Inc., Yongin-si 16954, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
| | - Dowan Kim
- Genomics Division, National Institute of Agricultural Science, RDA, 370, Nongsaengmyeong-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si 54874, Jeollabuk-do, Korea.
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Boke H, Ozhuner E, Turktas M, Parmaksiz I, Ozcan S, Unver T. Regulation of the alkaloid biosynthesis by miRNA in opium poppy. Plant Biotechnol J 2015; 13:409-20. [PMID: 25735537 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is an important medicinal plant producing benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIA). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small RNAs (sRNAs) of approximately 21 nucleotides. They are noncoding, but regulate gene expression in eukaryotes. Although many studies have been conducted on the identification and functions of plant miRNA, scarce researches on miRNA regulation of alkaloid biosynthesis have been reported. In this study, a total of 316 conserved and 11 novel miRNAs were identified in opium poppy using second-generation sequencing and direct cloning. Tissue-specific regulation of miRNA expression was comparatively analysed by miRNA microarray assays. A total of 232 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed among four tissues. Likewise, 1469 target transcripts were detected using in silico and experimental approaches. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses indicated that miRNA putatively regulates carbohydrate metabolism and genetic-information processing. Additionally, miRNA target transcripts were mostly involved in response to stress against various factors and secondary-metabolite biosynthesis processes. Target transcript identification analyses revealed that some of the miRNAs might be involved in BIA biosynthesis, such as pso-miR13, pso-miR2161 and pso-miR408. Additionally, three putatively mature miRNA sequences were predicted to be targeting BIA-biosynthesis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Boke
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
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11
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Irmer S, Podzun N, Langel D, Heidemann F, Kaltenegger E, Schemmerling B, Geilfus CM, Zörb C, Ober D. New aspect of plant-rhizobia interaction: alkaloid biosynthesis in Crotalaria depends on nodulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:4164-9. [PMID: 25775562 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1423457112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection of legume hosts by rhizobial bacteria results in the formation of a specialized organ, the nodule, in which atmospheric nitrogen is reduced to ammonia. Nodulation requires the reprogramming of the plant cell, allowing the microsymbiont to enter the plant tissue in a highly controlled manner. We have found that, in Crotalaria (Fabaceae), this reprogramming is associated with the biosynthesis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). These compounds are part of the plant's chemical defense against herbivores and cannot be regarded as being functionally involved in the symbiosis. PAs in Crotalaria are detectable only when the plants form nodules after infection with their rhizobial partner. The identification of a plant-derived sequence encoding homospermidine synthase (HSS), the first pathway-specific enzyme of PA biosynthesis, suggests that the plant and not the microbiont is the producer of PAs. Transcripts of HSS are detectable exclusively in the nodules, the tissue with the highest concentration of PAs, indicating that PA biosynthesis is restricted to the nodules and that the nodules are the source from which the alkaloids are transported to the above ground parts of the plant. The link between nodulation and the biosynthesis of nitrogen-containing alkaloids in Crotalaria highlights a further facet of the effect of symbiosis with rhizobia on the ecologically important trait of the plant's chemical defense.
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Lichman BR, Gershater MC, Lamming ED, Pesnot T, Sula A, Keep NH, Hailes HC, Ward JM. 'Dopamine-first' mechanism enables the rational engineering of the norcoclaurine synthase aldehyde activity profile. FEBS J 2015; 282:1137-51. [PMID: 25620686 PMCID: PMC4413047 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Norcoclaurine synthase (NCS) (EC 4.2.1.78) catalyzes the Pictet–Spengler condensation of dopamine and an aldehyde, forming a substituted (S)-tetrahydroisoquinoline, a pharmaceutically important moiety. This unique activity has led to NCS being used for both in vitro biocatalysis and in vivo recombinant metabolism. Future engineering of NCS activity to enable the synthesis of diverse tetrahydroisoquinolines is dependent on an understanding of the NCS mechanism and kinetics. We assess two proposed mechanisms for NCS activity: (a) one based on the holo X-ray crystal structure and (b) the ‘dopamine-first’ mechanism based on computational docking. Thalictrum flavum NCS variant activities support the dopamine-first mechanism. Suppression of the non-enzymatic background reaction reveals novel kinetic parameters for NCS, showing it to act with low catalytic efficiency. This kinetic behaviour can account for the ineffectiveness of recombinant NCS in in vivo systems, and also suggests NCS may have an in planta role as a metabolic gatekeeper. The amino acid substitution L76A, situated in the proposed aldehyde binding site, results in the alteration of the enzyme's aldehyde activity profile. This both verifies the dopamine-first mechanism and demonstrates the potential for the rational engineering of NCS activity.
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Abstract
Transcription factors of the basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) family play a central role in cell proliferation, determination, and differentiation. In plants, the regulatory functions of bHLHs in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis have been well established with regard to other interacting-proteins; i.e., MYB and WD40 repeat proteins. On the other hand, those in alkaloid biosynthesis are greatly limited due to the limited distribution of alkaloids in plant species. Recently, several groups have reported the regulatory functions of bHLH in alkaloid biosynthesis: novel CjbHLH1 in isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in Coptis japonica, and Jasmonate-inducible MYC2-type bHLHs in nicotine-alkaloid biosynthesis in Nicotiana plants and indole alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus. We report here the JA-inducibility of CjbHLH1 and discuss the similarity and differences of non-MYC2-resemblant CjbHLH1 and MYC2-type bHLHs in nicotine and indole alkaloid biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Yamada
- Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University; Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomotsugu Koyama
- Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University; Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Sato
- Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University; Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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