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Liu XY, Wang YN, Du JS, Chen BH, Liu KY, Feng L, Xiang GS, Zhang SY, Lu YC, Yang SC, Zhang GH, Hao B. Biosynthetic pathway of prescription bergenin from Bergenia purpurascens and Ardisia japonica. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1259347. [PMID: 38239219 PMCID: PMC10794647 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1259347] [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: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Bergenin is a typical carbon glycoside and the primary active ingredient in antitussive drugs widely prescribed for central cough inhibition in China. The bergenin extraction industry relies on the medicinal plant species Bergenia purpurascens and Ardisia japonica as their resources. However, the bergenin biosynthetic pathway in plants remains elusive. In this study, we functionally characterized a shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH), two O-methyltransferases (OMTs), and a C-glycosyltransferase (CGT) involved in bergenin synthesis through bioinformatics analysis, heterologous expression, and enzymatic characterization. We found that BpSDH2 catalyzes the two-step dehydrogenation process of shikimic acid to form gallic acid (GA). BpOMT1 and AjOMT1 facilitate the methylation reaction at the 4-OH position of GA, resulting in the formation of 4-O-methyl gallic acid (4-O-Me-GA). AjCGT1 transfers a glucose moiety to C-2 to generate 2-Glucosyl-4-O-methyl gallic acid (2-Glucosyl-4-O-Me-GA). Bergenin production ultimately occurs in acidic conditions or via dehydration catalyzed by plant dehydratases following a ring-closure reaction. This study for the first time uncovered the biosynthetic pathway of bergenin, paving the way to rational production of bergenin in cell factories via synthetic biology strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Yu Liu
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yi-Na Wang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiang-Shun Du
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bi-Huan Chen
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Kun-Yi Liu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lei Feng
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Gui-Sheng Xiang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shuang-Yan Zhang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying-Chun Lu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Sheng-Chao Yang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Guang-Hui Zhang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bing Hao
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- College of Tobacco Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Sayed HMB, Nassar S, Kaufholdt D, Beerhues L, Liu B, El-Awaad I. Biosynthesis of polyprenylated xanthones in Hypericum perforatum roots involves 4-prenyltransferase. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023:kiad219. [PMID: 37061818 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Polyprenylated xanthones are natural products with a multitude of biological and pharmacological activities. However, their biosynthetic pathway is not completely understood. In this study, metabolic profiling revealed the presence of 4-prenylated 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone derivatives in St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) root extracts. Transcriptomic data mining led to the detection of five variants of xanthone 4-prenyltransferase (HpPT4px) comprising four long variants (HpPT4px-v1 to HpPT4px-v4) and one short variant (HpPT4px-sh). The full-length sequences of all five variants were cloned and heterologously expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Microsomes containing HpPT4px-v2, HpPT4px-v4, and HpPT4px-sh catalyzed the addition of a prenyl group at the C-4 position of 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone, 1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone, and 1,3,7-trihydroxyxanthone, whereas microsomes harboring HpPT4px-v1 and HpPT4px-v3 additionally accepted 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone. HpPT4px-v1 produced in Nicotiana benthamiana displayed the same activity as in yeast, while HpPT4px-sh was inactive. The kinetic parameters of HpPT4px-v1 and HpPT4px-sh chosen as representative variants indicated 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone as the preferred acceptor substrate, rationalizing that HpPT4px catalyzes the first prenylation step in the biosynthesis of polyprenylated xanthones in H. perforatum. Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate was the exclusive prenyl donor. Expression of the HpPT4px transcripts was highest in roots and leaves, raising the question of product translocation. C-terminal yellow fluorescent protein fusion of HpPT4px-v1 localized to the envelope of chloroplasts in N. benthamiana leaves, whereas short, truncated, and masked signal peptides led to the disruption of plastidial localization. These findings pave the way for a better understanding of the prenylation of xanthones in plants and the identification of additional xanthone-specific prenyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesham M B Sayed
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35 A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, 71526 Assiut, Egypt
| | - Sara Nassar
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35 A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, 11566 Cairo, Egypt
| | - David Kaufholdt
- Institute of Plant Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Humboldtstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ludger Beerhues
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35 A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Benye Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35 A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Islam El-Awaad
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35 A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, 71526 Assiut, Egypt
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Phenolic C-glycoside synthesis using microbial systems. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 78:102827. [PMID: 36308986 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Plants produce different types of phenolic compounds. The majority of these compounds are glycosylated. Phenolic O-glycosides are also common. Recently, C-glycosylation of phenolic compounds has received attention because of the biological importance of phenolic C-glycosides. To date, three classes of C-glycosyltransferases (CGTs) have been characterized based on the type of sugar acceptor: flavonoid CGT, coumarin CGT, and xanthone CGT. Phylogenetic analysis of glycosyltransferases has revealed that CGTs form a distinct class that is clearly different from that of O-glycosyltransferases. The characterized CGTs have been introduced into microbial systems to synthesize phenolic C-glycosides. Here, we review recent progress in the development of CGTs and their application in the synthesis of phenolic C-glycosides using microbial systems.
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Zhang YQ, Zhang M, Wang ZL, Qiao X, Ye M. Advances in plant-derived C-glycosides: Phytochemistry, bioactivities, and biotechnological production. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 60:108030. [PMID: 36031083 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
C-glycosides represent a large group of natural products with a C-C bond between the aglycone and the sugar moiety. They exhibit great structural diversity, wide natural distribution, and significant biological activities. By the end of 2021, at least 754 C-glycosides and their derivatives have been isolated and characterized from plants. Thus far, 66 functional C-glycosyltransferases (CGTs) have been discovered from plants, and provide green and efficient approaches to synthesize C-glycosides. Herein, advances in plant-derived C-glycosides are comprehensively summarized from aspects of structural diversity and identification, bioactivities, and biotechnological production. New strategies to discover novel C-glycosides and CGTs, as well as the applications of biotechnological methods to produce C-glycosides in the future are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zi-Long Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xue Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Min Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Ministry of Education, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
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