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Michael R, Ranjan A, Gautam S, Trivedi PK. HY5 and PIF antagonistically regulate HMGR expression and sterol biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 346:112168. [PMID: 38914157 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112168] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Secondary metabolites play multiple crucial roles in plants by modulating various regulatory networks. The biosynthesis of these compounds is unique to each species and is intricately controlled by a range of developmental and environmental factors. While light's role in certain secondary metabolites is evident, its impact on sterol biosynthesis remains unclear. Previous studies indicate that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), a bZIP transcription factor, is pivotal in skotomorphogenesis to photomorphogenesis transition. Additionally, PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs), bHLH transcription factors, act as negative regulators. To unveil the light-dependent regulation of the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway, a precursor for sterol biosynthesis, mutants of light signaling components, specifically hy5-215 and the pifq quadruple mutant (pif 1,3,4, and 5), were analyzed in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene expression analysis in wild-type and mutants implicates HY5 and PIFs in regulating sterol biosynthesis genes. DNA-protein interaction analysis confirms their interaction with key genes like AtHMGR2 in the rate-limiting pathway. Results strongly suggest HY5 and PIFs' pivotal role in light-dependent MVA pathway regulation, including the sterol biosynthetic branch, in Arabidopsis, highlighting a diverse array of light signaling components finely tuning crucial growth pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Michael
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Avriti Ranjan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR, Ghaziabad 201002, India; Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Picnic Spot Road, Lucknow 226015, India
| | - Swati Gautam
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Prabodh Kumar Trivedi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR, Ghaziabad 201002, India; Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Picnic Spot Road, Lucknow 226015, India.
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Song Y, Liu H, Quax WJ, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Yang P, Cui Y, Shi Q, Xie X. Application of valencene and prospects for its production in engineered microorganisms. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1444099. [PMID: 39171255 PMCID: PMC11335630 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1444099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Valencene, a sesquiterpene with the odor of sweet and fresh citrus, is widely used in the food, beverage, flavor and fragrance industry. Valencene is traditionally obtained from citrus fruits, which possess low concentrations of this compound. In the past decades, the great market demand for valencene has attracted considerable attention from researchers to develop novel microbial cell factories for more efficient and sustainable production modes. This review initially discusses the biosynthesis of valencene in plants, and summarizes the current knowledge of the key enzyme valencene synthase in detail. In particular, we highlight the heterologous production of valencene in different hosts including bacteria, fungi, microalgae and plants, and focus on describing the engineering strategies used to improve valencene production. Finally, we propose potential engineering directions aiming to further increase the production of valencene in microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huizhong Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wim J. Quax
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Zhiqing Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinhua Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingshan Shi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaobao Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Bibik JD, Sahu A, Kim B, Unda F, Andersen TB, Mansfield SD, Maravelias CT, Sharkey TD, Hamberger BR. Engineered poplar for bioproduction of the triterpene squalene. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:2301-2311. [PMID: 38507185 PMCID: PMC11258972 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Building sustainable platforms to produce biofuels and specialty chemicals has become an increasingly important strategy to supplement and replace fossil fuels and petrochemical-derived products. Terpenoids are the most diverse class of natural products that have many commercial roles as specialty chemicals. Poplar is a fast growing, biomassdense bioenergy crop with many species known to produce large amounts of the hemiterpene isoprene, suggesting an inherent capacity to produce significant quantities of other terpenes. Here we aimed to engineer poplar with optimized pathways to produce squalene, a triterpene commonly used in cosmetic oils, a potential biofuel candidate, and the precursor to the further diversified classes of triterpenoids and sterols. The squalene production pathways were either re-targeted from the cytosol to plastids or co-produced with lipid droplets in the cytosol. Squalene and lipid droplet co-production appeared to be toxic, which we hypothesize to be due to disruption of adventitious root formation, suggesting a need for tissue specific production. Plastidial squalene production enabled up to 0.63 mg/g fresh weight in leaf tissue, which also resulted in reductions in isoprene emission and photosynthesis. These results were also studied through a technoeconomic analysis, providing further insight into developing poplar as a production host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D. Bibik
- Cell and Molecular Biology ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Abira Sahu
- DOE Plant Research LaboratoryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- The Plant Resilience InstituteMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Boeun Kim
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the EnvironmentPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
| | - Faride Unda
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of ForestryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Trine B. Andersen
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Shawn D. Mansfield
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of ForestryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Botany, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Christos T. Maravelias
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the EnvironmentPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
| | - Thomas D. Sharkey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- DOE Plant Research LaboratoryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- The Plant Resilience InstituteMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Björn R. Hamberger
- Cell and Molecular Biology ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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Ma H, Steede T, Dewey RE, Lewis RS. Engineering Sclareol Production on the Leaf Surface of Nicotiana tabacum. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 38840459 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c02442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Sclareol, a diterpene alcohol, is the most common starting material for the synthesis of ambrox, which serves as a sustainable substitute for ambergris, a valuable fragrance secreted by sperm whales. Sclareol has also been proposed to possess antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. However, in nature, sclareol is only produced by a few plant species, including Cistus creticus, Cleome spinosa, Nicotiana glutinosa, and Salvia sclarea, which limits its commercial application. In this study, we cloned the two genes responsible for sclareol biosynthesis in S. sclarea, labda-13-en-8-ol diphosphate synthase (LPPS) and sclareol synthase (SS), and overexpressed them in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). The best transgenic tobacco lines accumulated 4.1 μg/cm2 of sclareol, which is comparable to the sclareol production of N. glutinosa, a natural sclareol producer. Thus, sclareol synthesis in tobacco represents a potential alternative means for the production of this high-value compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ma
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Tyler Steede
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Ralph E Dewey
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Ramsey S Lewis
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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Bibik JD, Hamberger B. Plant Engineering to Enable Platforms for Sustainable Bioproduction of Terpenoids. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2760:3-20. [PMID: 38468079 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3658-9_1] [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] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Terpenoids represent the most diverse class of natural products, with a broad spectrum of industrial relevance including applications in green solvents, flavors and fragrances, nutraceuticals, colorants, and therapeutics. They are typically challenging to extract from their natural sources, where they occur in small amounts and mixtures of related but unwanted byproducts. Formal chemical synthesis, where established, is reliant on petrochemistry. Hence, there is great interest in developing sustainable solutions to assemble biosynthetic pathways in engineered host organisms. Metabolic engineering for chemical production has largely focused on microbial hosts, yet plants offer a sustainable production platform. In addition to containing the precursor pathways that generate the terpenoid building blocks as well as the cell structures and compartments required, or tractable localization for the enzymes involved, plants may provide a low input system to produce these chemicals using carbon dioxide and sunlight only. There have been significant recent advancements in the discovery of pathways to terpenoids of interest as well as strategies to boost yields in host plants. While part of the phytochemical field is focusing on the discovery of biosynthetic pathways, this review will focus on advancements using the pathway toolbox and toward engineering plants for the production of terpenoids. We will highlight strategies currently used to produce target products, optimization of known pathways to improve yields, compartmentalization of pathways within cells, and genetic tools developed to facilitate complex engineering of biosynthetic pathways. These advancements in Synthetic Biology are bringing engineered plant systems closer to commercially relevant hosts for the bioproduction of terpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Bibik
- Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- MelaTech, LLC, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Björn Hamberger
- Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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6
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Yao L, Wu X, Jiang X, Shan M, Zhang Z, Li Y, Yang A, Li Y, Yang C. Subcellular compartmentalization in the biosynthesis and engineering of plant natural products. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108258. [PMID: 37722606 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products (PNPs) are specialized metabolites with diverse bioactivities. They are extensively used in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and food industries. PNPs are synthesized in plant cells by enzymes that are distributed in different subcellular compartments with unique microenvironments, such as ions, co-factors and substrates. Plant metabolic engineering is an emerging and promising approach for the sustainable production of PNPs, for which the knowledge of the subcellular compartmentalization of their biosynthesis is instrumental. In this review we describe the state of the art on the role of subcellular compartments in the biosynthesis of major types of PNPs, including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids and glucosinolates, and highlight the efforts to target biosynthetic pathways to subcellular compartments in plants. In addition, we will discuss the challenges and strategies in the field of plant synthetic biology and subcellular engineering. We expect that newly developed methods and tools, together with the knowledge gained from the microbial chassis, will greatly advance plant metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Xiuming Wu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Xun Jiang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Muhammad Shan
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Zhuoxiang Zhang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Yiting Li
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Aiguo Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China
| | - Yu Li
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Changqing Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266100, China.
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Dinday S, Ghosh S. Recent advances in triterpenoid pathway elucidation and engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108214. [PMID: 37478981 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids are among the most assorted class of specialized metabolites found in all the taxa of living organisms. Triterpenoids are the leading active ingredients sourced from plant species and are utilized in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The triterpenoid precursor 2,3-oxidosqualene, which is biosynthesized via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway is structurally diversified by the oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) and other scaffold-decorating enzymes such as cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) and acyltransferases (ATs). A majority of the bioactive triterpenoids are harvested from the native hosts using the traditional methods of extraction and occasionally semi-synthesized. These methods of supply are time-consuming and do not often align with sustainability goals. Recent advancements in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology have shown prospects for the green routes of triterpenoid pathway reconstruction in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Nicotiana benthamiana, which appear to be quite promising and might lead to the development of alternative source of triterpenoids. The present review describes the biotechnological strategies used to elucidate complex biosynthetic pathways and to understand their regulation and also discusses how the advances in triterpenoid pathway engineering might aid in the scale-up of triterpenoid production in engineered hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Dinday
- CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow 226015, Uttar Pradesh, India; School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab, India
| | - Sumit Ghosh
- CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow 226015, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Buell CR, Dardick C, Parrott W, Schmitz RJ, Shih PM, Tsai CJ, Urbanowicz B. Engineering custom morpho- and chemotypes of Populus for sustainable production of biofuels, bioproducts, and biomaterials. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1288826. [PMID: 37965014 PMCID: PMC10642751 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1288826] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Humans have been modifying plant traits for thousands of years, first through selection (i.e., domestication) then modern breeding, and in the last 30 years, through biotechnology. These modifications have resulted in increased yield, more efficient agronomic practices, and enhanced quality traits. Precision knowledge of gene regulation and function through high-resolution single-cell omics technologies, coupled with the ability to engineer plant genomes at the DNA sequence, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression levels, can enable engineering of complex and complementary traits at the biosystem level. Populus spp., the primary genetic model system for woody perennials, are among the fastest growing trees in temperate zones and are important for both carbon sequestration and global carbon cycling. Ample genomic and transcriptomic resources for poplar are available including emerging single-cell omics datasets. To expand use of poplar outside of valorization of woody biomass, chassis with novel morphotypes in which stem branching and tree height are modified can be fabricated thereby leading to trees with altered leaf to wood ratios. These morphotypes can then be engineered into customized chemotypes that produce high value biofuels, bioproducts, and biomaterials not only in specific organs but also in a cell-type-specific manner. For example, the recent discovery of triterpene production in poplar leaf trichomes can be exploited using cell-type specific regulatory sequences to synthesize high value terpenes such as the jet fuel precursor bisabolene specifically in the trichomes. By spatially and temporally controlling expression, not only can pools of abundant precursors be exploited but engineered molecules can be sequestered in discrete cell structures in the leaf. The structural diversity of the hemicellulose xylan is a barrier to fully utilizing lignocellulose in biomaterial production and by leveraging cell-type-specific omics data, cell wall composition can be modified in a tailored and targeted specific manner to generate poplar wood with novel chemical features that are amenable for processing or advanced manufacturing. Precision engineering poplar as a multi-purpose sustainable feedstock highlights how genome engineering can be used to re-imagine a crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Robin Buell
- Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Christopher Dardick
- Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kearneysville, WV, United States
| | - Wayne Parrott
- Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Robert J. Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Chung-Jui Tsai
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Breeanna Urbanowicz
- Center for Complex Carbohydrate Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Gossart N, Berhin A, Sergeant K, Alam I, André C, Hausman JF, Boutry M, Hachez C. Engineering Nicotiana tabacum trichomes for triterpenic acid production. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 328:111573. [PMID: 36563941 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111573] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we aimed at implementing the biosynthesis of triterpenic acids in Nicotiana tabacum glandular trichomes. Although endogenous genes coding for enzymes involved in such biosynthetic pathway are found in the Nicotiana tabacum genome, implementing such pathway specifically in glandular trichomes required to boost endogenous enzymatic activities. Five transgenes coding for a farnesyl-diphosphate synthase, a squalene synthase, a squalene epoxidase, a beta-amyrin synthase and a beta-amyrin 28-monooxygenase were introduced in N.tabacum, their expression being driven by pMALD1, a trichome-specific transcriptional promoter. This study aimed at testing whether sinking isoprenoid precursors localized in plastids, by exploiting potential cross-talks allowing the exchange of terpenoid pools from the chloroplast to the cytosol, could be a way to improve overall yield. By analyzing metabolites extracted from entire leaves, a low amount of ursolic acid was detected in plants expressing the five transgenes. Our study shows that the terpene biosynthetic pathway could be, in part, redirected in N.tabacum glandular trichomes with no deleterious phenotype at the whole plant level (chlorosis, dwarfism,…). In light of our results, possible ways to improve the final yield are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Gossart
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Alice Berhin
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Kjell Sergeant
- Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Iftekhar Alam
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Plant Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Biotechnology, Ganakbari, Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh
| | - Christelle André
- Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd (PFR), Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jean-François Hausman
- Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Marc Boutry
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Charles Hachez
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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Juteršek M, Petek M, Ramšak Ž, Moreno-Giménez E, Gianoglio S, Mateos-Fernández R, Orzáez D, Gruden K, Baebler Š. Transcriptional deregulation of stress-growth balance in Nicotiana benthamiana biofactories producing insect sex pheromones. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:941338. [PMID: 36388501 PMCID: PMC9645294 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.941338] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant biofactories are a promising platform for sustainable production of high-value compounds, among which are insect sex pheromones, a green alternative to conventional insecticides in agriculture. Recently, we have constructed transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants ("Sexy Plants", SxP) that successfully produce a blend of moth (Lepidoptera) sex pheromone compounds (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate. However, efficient biosynthesis of sex pheromones resulted in growth and developmental penalty, diminishing the potential for commercial use of SxP in biomanufacturing. To gain insight into the underlying molecular responses, we analysed the whole-genome transcriptome and evaluated it in relation to growth and pheromone production in low- and high-producing transgenic plants of v1.0 and v1.2 SxP lines. In our study, high-producing SxPv1.2 plants accumulated the highest amounts of pheromones but still maintained better growth compared to v1.0 high producers. For an in-depth biological interpretation of the transcriptomic data, we have prepared a comprehensive functional N. benthamiana genome annotation as well as gene translations to Arabidopsis thaliana, enabling functional information transfer by using Arabidopsis knowledge networks. Differential gene expression analysis, contrasting pheromone producers to wild-type plants, revealed that while only a few genes were differentially regulated in low-producing plants, high-producing plants exhibited vast transcriptional reprogramming. They showed signs of stress-like response, manifested as downregulation of photosynthesis-related genes and significant differences in expression of hormonal signalling and secondary metabolism-related genes, the latter presumably leading to previously reported volatilome changes. Further network analyses confirmed stress-like response with activation of jasmonic acid and downregulation of gibberellic acid signalling, illuminating the possibility that the observed growth penalty was not solely a consequence of a higher metabolic burden imposed upon constitutive expression of a heterologous biosynthetic pathway, but rather the result of signalling pathway perturbation. Our work presents an example of comprehensive transcriptomic analyses of disadvantageous stress signalling in N. benthamiana biofactory that could be applied to other bioproduction systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojca Juteršek
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Petek
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Živa Ramšak
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Elena Moreno-Giménez
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Rubén Mateos-Fernández
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Kristina Gruden
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Baebler
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Drapal M, Enfissi EMA, Fraser PD. The chemotype core collection of genus Nicotiana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 110:1516-1528. [PMID: 35322494 PMCID: PMC9321557 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable production of chemicals and improving these biosources by engineering metabolic pathways to create efficient plant-based biofactories relies on the knowledge of available chemical/biosynthetic diversity present in the plant. Nicotiana species are well known for their amenability towards transformation and other new plant breeding techniques. The genus Nicotiana is primarily known through Nicotiana tabacum L., the source of tobacco leaves and all respective tobacco products. Due to the prevalence of the latter, N. tabacum and related Nicotiana species are one of the most extensively studied plants. The majority of studies focused solely on N. tabacum or other individual species for chemotyping. The present study analysed a diversity panel including 17 Nicotiana species and six accessions of Nicotiana benthamiana and created a data set that effectively represents the chemotype core collection of the genus Nicotiana. The utilisation of several analytical platforms and previously published libraries/databases enabled the identification and measurement of over 360 metabolites of a wide range of chemical classes as well as thousands of unknowns with dedicated spectral and chromatographic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margit Drapal
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | | | - Paul D. Fraser
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
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12
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Jin K, Xia H, Liu Y, Li J, Du G, Lv X, Liu L. Compartmentalization and transporter engineering strategies for terpenoid synthesis. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:92. [PMID: 35599322 PMCID: PMC9125818 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01819-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial cell factories for terpenoid synthesis form a less expensive and more environment-friendly approach than chemical synthesis and extraction, and are thus being regarded as mainstream research recently. Organelle compartmentalization for terpenoid synthesis has received much attention from researchers owing to the diverse physiochemical characteristics of organelles. In this review, we first systematically summarized various compartmentalization strategies utilized in terpenoid production, mainly plant terpenoids, which can provide catalytic reactions with sufficient intermediates and a suitable environment, while bypassing competing metabolic pathways. In addition, because of the limited storage capacity of cells, strategies used for the expansion of specific organelle membranes were discussed. Next, transporter engineering strategies to overcome the cytotoxic effects of terpenoid accumulation were analyzed. Finally, we discussed the future perspectives of compartmentalization and transporter engineering strategies, with the hope of providing theoretical guidance for designing and constructing cell factories for the purpose of terpenoid production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Jin
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Hongzhi Xia
- Richen Bioengineering Co., Ltd, Nantong, 226000, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jianghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Guocheng Du
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xueqin Lv
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Long Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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13
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Bibik JD, Weraduwage SM, Banerjee A, Robertson K, Espinoza-Corral R, Sharkey TD, Lundquist PK, Hamberger BR. Pathway Engineering, Re-targeting, and Synthetic Scaffolding Improve the Production of Squalene in Plants. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2121-2133. [PMID: 35549088 PMCID: PMC9208017 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Plants are increasingly becoming an option for sustainable bioproduction of chemicals and complex molecules like terpenoids. The triterpene squalene has a variety of biotechnological uses and is the precursor to a diverse array of triterpenoids, but we currently lack a sustainable strategy to produce large quantities for industrial applications. Here, we further establish engineered plants as a platform for production of squalene through pathway re-targeting and membrane scaffolding. The squalene biosynthetic pathway, which natively resides in the cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum, was re-targeted to plastids, where screening of diverse variants of enzymes at key steps improved squalene yields. The highest yielding enzymes were used to create biosynthetic scaffolds on co-engineered, cytosolic lipid droplets, resulting in squalene yields up to 0.58 mg/gFW or 318% higher than a cytosolic pathway without scaffolding during transient expression. These scaffolds were also re-targeted to plastids where they associated with membranes throughout, including the formation of plastoglobules or plastidial lipid droplets. Plastid scaffolding ameliorated the negative effects of squalene biosynthesis and showed up to 345% higher rates of photosynthesis than without scaffolding. This study establishes a platform for engineering the production of squalene in plants, providing the opportunity to expand future work into production of higher-value triterpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D. Bibik
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Sarathi M. Weraduwage
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Aparajita Banerjee
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Ka’shawn Robertson
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Roberto Espinoza-Corral
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- The Plant Resilience Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Thomas D. Sharkey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- The Plant Resilience Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Peter K. Lundquist
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- The Plant Resilience Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Björn R. Hamberger
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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14
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Wang Y, Wen J, Liu L, Chen J, Wang C, Li Z, Wang G, Pichersky E, Xu H. Engineering of tomato type VI glandular trichomes for trans-chrysanthemic acid biosynthesis, the acid moiety of natural pyrethrin insecticides. Metab Eng 2022; 72:188-199. [PMID: 35339691 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes, known as metabolic cell factories, have been proposed as highly suitable for metabolically engineering the production of plant high-value specialized metabolites. Natural pyrethrins, found only in Dalmatian pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium), are insecticides with low mammalian toxicity and short environmental persistence. Type I pyrethrins are esters of the monoterpenoid trans-chrysanthemic acid with one of the three rethrolone-type alcohols. To test if glandular trichomes can be made to synthesize trans-chrysanthemic acid, we reconstructed its biosynthetic pathway in tomato type VI glandular trichomes, which produce large amounts of terpenoids that share the precursor dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) with this acid. This was achieved by coexpressing the trans-chrysanthemic acid pathway related genes including TcCDS encoding chrysanthemyl diphosphate synthase and the fusion gene of TcADH2 encoding the alcohol dehydrogenase 2 linked with TcALDH1 encoding the aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 under the control of a newly identified type VI glandular trichome-specific metallocarboxypeptidase inhibitor promoter. Whole tomato leaves harboring type VI glandular trichomes expressing all three aformentioned genes had a concentration of total trans-chrysanthemic acid that was about 1.5-fold higher (by mole number) than the levels of β-phellandrene, the dominant monoterpene present in non-transgenic leaves, while the levels of β-phellandrene and the representative sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene in transgenic leaves were reduced by 96% and 81%, respectively. These results suggest that the tomato type VI glandular trichome is an alternative platform for the biosynthesis of trans-chrysanthemic acid by metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Jing Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Lang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Chu Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Zhengguo Li
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
| | - Eran Pichersky
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Haiyang Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; Center of Plant Functional Genomics, Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
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15
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Fu X, Zhang F, Ma Y, Hassani D, Peng B, Pan Q, Zhang Y, Deng Z, Liu W, Zhang J, Han L, Chen D, Zhao J, Li L, Sun X, Tang K. High-Level Patchoulol Biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 8:621127. [PMID: 33614607 PMCID: PMC7890116 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.621127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Terpenes constitute the largest class of secondary metabolites in plants. Some terpenes are essential for plant growth and development, membrane components, and photosynthesis. Terpenes are also economically useful for industry, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. However, there is very low content of most terpenes in microbes and plants. Chemical or microbial synthesis of terpenes are often costly. Plants have the elaborate and economic biosynthetic way of producing high-value terpenes through photosynthesis. Here we engineered the heterogenous sesquiterpenoid patchoulol production in A. annua. When using a strong promoter such as 35S to over express the avian farnesyl diphosphate synthase gene and patchoulol synthase gene, the highest content of patchoulol was 52.58 μg/g DW in transgenic plants. When altering the subcellular location of the introduced sesquiterpene synthetase via a signal peptide, the accumulation of patchoulol was observably increased to 273 μg/g DW. This case demonstrates that A. annua plant with glandular trichomes is a useful platform for synthetic biology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Fu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyuan Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Southwest University-Tibet Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College (SWU-TAAHC) Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanan Ma
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Danial Hassani
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bowen Peng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qifang Pan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongxiang Deng
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Jixiu Zhang
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Han
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Dongfang Chen
- Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich Aromatics (China) Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Jingya Zhao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofen Sun
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kexuan Tang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South) Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU)-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Lynch JH, Huang XQ, Dudareva N. Silent constraints: the hidden challenges faced in plant metabolic engineering. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 69:112-117. [PMID: 33429160 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering is embraced as a method to sustainably enhance production of valuable phytochemicals with beneficial properties. However, successful production of these compounds in plants is not always predictable even when the pathways are fully known, frequently due to the lack of comprehensive understanding of plant metabolism as a whole, and interconnections between different primary, secondary, and hormone metabolic networks. Here, we highlight critical hidden constraints, including substrate availability, silent metabolism, and metabolic crosstalk, that impair engineering strategies. We explore how these constraints have historically been manifested in engineering attempts and propose how modern advancements will enable future strategies to overcome these impediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Lynch
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xing-Qi Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Natalia Dudareva
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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17
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Ka S, Koirala M, Mérindol N, Desgagné-Penix I. Biosynthesis and Biological Activities of Newly Discovered Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids. Molecules 2020; 25:E4901. [PMID: 33113950 PMCID: PMC7660210 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alkaloids are an important group of specialized nitrogen metabolites with a wide range of biochemical and pharmacological effects. Since the first publication on lycorine in 1877, more than 650 alkaloids have been extracted from Amaryllidaceae bulbous plants and clustered together as the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AAs) family. AAs are specifically remarkable for their diverse pharmaceutical properties, as exemplified by the success of galantamine used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. This review addresses the isolation, biological, and structure activity of AAs discovered from January 2015 to August 2020, supporting their therapeutic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seydou Ka
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.M.)
| | - Manoj Koirala
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.M.)
| | - Natacha Mérindol
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.M.)
| | - Isabel Desgagné-Penix
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (S.K.); (M.K.); (N.M.)
- Groupe de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
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18
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Dhandapani S, Tjhang JG, Jang IC. Production of multiple terpenes of different chain lengths by subcellular targeting of multi-substrate terpene synthase in plants. Metab Eng 2020; 61:397-405. [PMID: 32795613 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Multi-substrate terpene synthases (TPSs) are distinct from typical TPSs that react with a single substrate. Although in vitro activity of few multi-substrate TPSs have been reported, in vivo characterization has not been well investigated for most of them. Here, a new TPS from Cananga odorata, CoTPS5, belonging to TPS-f subfamily was functionally characterized in vitro as well as in vivo. CoTPS5 reacted with multiple prenyl-pyrophosphate substrates of various chain lengths as a multi-substrate TPS. It catalyzed the formation of (E)-β-ocimene, (E,E)-α-farnesene and α-springene from geranyl pyrophosphate, (E,E)-farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, respectively. Upon transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana, CoTPS5 localized to cytosol and produced only (E,E)-α-farnesene. However, expression of plastid-targeted CoTPS5 in N. benthamiana resulted in biosynthesis of all three compounds, (E)-β-ocimene, (E,E)-α-farnesene and α-springene. Similarly, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing plastid-targeted CoTPS5 showed stable and sustainable production of (E)-β-ocimene, (E,E)-α-farnesene and α-springene. Moreover, their production did not affect the growth and development of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Our results demonstrate that redirecting multi-substrate TPS to a different intracellular compartment could be an effective way to prove in vivo activity of multi-substrate TPSs and thereby allowing for the production of multiple terpenoids simultaneously in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savitha Dhandapani
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Jessica Gambino Tjhang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - In-Cheol Jang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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19
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Srivastava G, Garg A, Misra RC, Chanotiya CS, Ghosh S. Transcriptome analysis and functional characterization of oxidosqualene cyclases of the arjuna triterpene saponin pathway. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 292:110382. [PMID: 32005387 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) tree has been popular in Indian traditional medicine to treat cardiovascular ailments. The tree accumulates bioactive triterpene glycosides (saponins) and aglycones (sapogenins), in a tissue-preferential manner. Oleanane triterpenes/saponins (derived from β-amyrin) with potential cardioprotective function predominantly accumulate in the bark. However, arjuna triterpene saponin pathway enzymes remain to be identified and biochemically characterized. Here, we employed a combined transcriptomics, metabolomics and biochemical approach to functionally define a suite of oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) that catalyzed key reactions towards triterpene scaffold diversification. De novo assembly of 131 millions Illumina NextSeq500 sequencing reads obtained from leaf and stem bark samples led to a total of 156,650 reference transcripts. Four distinct OSCs (TaOSC1-4) with 54-71 % sequence identities were identified and functionally characterized. TaOSC1, TaOSC3 and TaOSC4 were biochemically characterized as β-amyrin synthase, cycloartenol synthase and lupeol synthase, respectively. However, TaOSC2 was found to be a multifunctional OSC producing both α-amyrin and β-amyrin, but showed a preference for α-amyrin product. Both TaOSC1 and TaOSC2 produced β-amyrin, the direct precursor for oleanane triterpene/saponin biosynthesis; but, TaOSC1 transcript expressed preferentially in bark, suggesting a major role of TaOSC1 in the biosynthesis of oleanane triterpenes/saponins in bark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Srivastava
- Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Anchal Garg
- Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Rajesh Chandra Misra
- Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Chandan Singh Chanotiya
- Chemical Sciences Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Sumit Ghosh
- Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India.
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20
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Aminfar Z, Rabiei B, Tohidfar M, Mirjalili MH. Identification of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of triterpenic acids in the mint family. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15826. [PMID: 31676750 PMCID: PMC6825174 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52090-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Triterpenic acids (TAs), a large group of natural compounds with diverse biological activity, are produced by several plant taxa. Betulinic, oleanolic, and ursolic acids are the most medicinally important TAs and are mainly found in plants of the mint family. Metabolic engineering is strongly dependent on identifying the key genes in biosynthetic pathways toward the products of interest. In this study, gene expression tracking was performed by transcriptome mining, co-expression network analysis, and tissue-specific metabolite-expression analysis in order to identify possible key genes involved in TAs biosynthetic pathways. To this end, taxa-specific degenerate primers of six important genes were designed using an effective method based on the MEME algorithm in a phylogenetically related group of sequences and successfully applied in three members of the Lamiaceae (Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Thymus persicus). Based on the results of in-depth data analysis, genes encoding squalene epoxidase and oxido squalene cyclases are proposed as targets for boosting triterpene production. The results emphasize the importance of identifying key genes in triterpene biosynthesis, which may facilitate genetic manipulation or overexpression of target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Aminfar
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | - Babak Rabiei
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
| | - Masoud Tohidfar
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Mirjalili
- Department of Agriculture, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G. C., Tehran, Iran.
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21
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Cai Y, Whitehead P, Chappell J, Chapman KD. Mouse lipogenic proteins promote the co-accumulation of triacylglycerols and sesquiterpenes in plant cells. PLANTA 2019; 250:79-94. [PMID: 30919065 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03148-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Mouse FIT2 protein redirects the cytoplasmic terpene biosynthetic machinery to lipid-droplet-forming domains in the ER and this relocalization supports the efficient compartmentalization and accumulation of sesquiterpenes in plant cells. Mouse (Mus musculus) fat storage-inducing transmembrane protein 2 (MmFIT2), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein with an important role in lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis in mammals, can function in plant cells to promote neutral lipid compartmentalization. Surprisingly, in affinity capture experiments, the Nicotiana benthamiana 5-epi-aristolochene synthase (NbEAS), a soluble cytoplasm-localized sesquiterpene synthase, was one of the most abundant proteins that co-precipitated with GFP-tagged MmFIT2 in transient expression assays in N. benthamiana leaves. Consistent with results of pull-down experiments, the subcellular location of mCherry-tagged NbEAS was changed from the cytoplasm to the LD-forming domains in the ER, only when co-expressed with MmFIT2. Ectopic co-expression of NbEAS and MmFIT2 together with mouse diacylglycerol:acyl-CoA acyltransferase 2 (MmDGAT2) in N. benthamiana leaves substantially increased the numbers of cytoplasmic LDs and supported the accumulation of the sesquiterpenes, 5-epi-aristolochene and capsidiol, up to tenfold over levels elicited by Agrobacterium infection alone. Taken together, our results suggest that MmFIT2 recruits sesquiterpene synthetic machinery to ER subdomains involved in LD formation and that this process can enhance the efficiency of sesquiterpene biosynthesis and compartmentalization in plant cells. Further, MmFIT2 and MmDGAT2 represent cross-kingdom lipogenic protein factors that may be used to engineer terpene accumulation more broadly in the cytoplasm of plant vegetative tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Cai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA
| | - Payton Whitehead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA
| | - Joe Chappell
- Plant Biology Program and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kent D Chapman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA.
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22
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Kempinski C, Chappell J. Engineering triterpene metabolism in the oilseed of Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:386-396. [PMID: 29979486 PMCID: PMC6335079 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Squalene and botryococcene are linear, hydrocarbon triterpenes that have industrial and medicinal values. While natural sources for these compounds exist, there is a pressing need for robust, renewable production platforms. Oilseeds are an excellent target for heterologous production because of their roles as natural storage repositories and their capacity to produce precursors from photosynthetically-derived carbon. We generated transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants using a variety of engineering strategies (subcellular targeting and gene stacking) to assess the potential for oilseeds to produce these two compounds. Constructs used seed-specific promoters and evaluated expression of a triterpene synthase alone and in conjunction with a farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) plus 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS). Constructs directing biosynthesis to the cytosol to harness isoprenoid precursors from the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway were compared to those directing biosynthesis to the plastid compartment diverting precursors from the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. On average, the highest accumulation for both compounds was achieved by targeting the triterpene synthase, FPS and DXS to the plastid (526.84 μg/g seed for botryococcene and 227.30 μg/g seed for squalene). Interestingly, a higher level accumulation of botryococcene (a non-native compound) was observed when the biosynthetic enzymes were targeted to the cytosol (>1000 μg/g seed in one line), but not squalene (natively produced in the cytosol). Not only do these results indicate the potential of engineering triterpene accumulation in oilseeds, but they also uncover some the unique regulatory mechanisms controlling triterpene metabolism in different cellular compartments of seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Kempinski
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Joe Chappell
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
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23
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Kempinski C, Jiang Z, Zinck G, Sato SJ, Ge Z, Clemente TE, Chappell J. Engineering linear, branched-chain triterpene metabolism in monocots. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:373-385. [PMID: 29979490 PMCID: PMC6335073 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenes are thirty-carbon compounds derived from the universal five-carbon prenyl precursors isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). Normally, triterpenes are synthesized via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway operating in the cytoplasm of eukaryotes where DMAPP is condensed with two IPPs to yield farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), catalyzed by FPP synthase (FPS). Squalene synthase (SQS) condenses two molecules of FPP to generate the symmetrical product squalene, the first committed precursor to sterols and most other triterpenes. In the green algae Botryococcus braunii, two FPP molecules can also be condensed in an asymmetric manner yielding the more highly branched triterpene, botryococcene. Botryococcene is an attractive molecule because of its potential as a biofuel and petrochemical feedstock. Because B. braunii, the only native host for botryococcene biosynthesis, is difficult to grow, there have been efforts to move botryococcene biosynthesis into organisms more amenable to large-scale production. Here, we report the genetic engineering of the model monocot, Brachypodium distachyon, for botryococcene biosynthesis and accumulation. A subcellular targeting strategy was used, directing the enzymes (botryococcene synthase [BS] and FPS) to either the cytosol or the plastid. High titres of botryococcene (>1 mg/g FW in T0 mature plants) were obtained using the cytosolic-targeting strategy. Plastid-targeted BS + FPS lines accumulated botryococcene (albeit in lesser amounts than the cytosolic BS + FPS lines), but they showed a detrimental phenotype dependent on plastid-targeted FPS, and could not proliferate and survive to set seed under phototrophic conditions. These results highlight intriguing differences in isoprenoid metabolism between dicots and monocots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Kempinski
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Zuodong Jiang
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Present address:
Department of Soil and Crop SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTX77843USA
| | - Garrett Zinck
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Shirley J. Sato
- Center for BiotechnologyUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
| | - Zhengxiang Ge
- Center for BiotechnologyUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
| | | | - Joe Chappell
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
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24
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Yan N, Du Y, Zhang H, Zhang Z, Liu X, Shi J, Liu Y. RNA Sequencing Provides Insights into the Regulation of Solanesol Biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum Induced by Moderately High Temperature. Biomolecules 2018; 8:E165. [PMID: 30544626 PMCID: PMC6316125 DOI: 10.3390/biom8040165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Solanesol is a terpene alcohol composed of nine isoprene units that mainly accumulates in solanaceous plants, especially tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The present study aimed to investigate the regulation of solanesol accumulation in tobacco leaves induced by moderately high temperature (MHT). Exposure to MHT resulted in a significant increase in solanesol content, dry weight, and net photosynthetic rate in tobacco leaves. In MHT-exposed tobacco leaves, 492 and 1440 genes were significantly up- and downregulated, respectively, as revealed by RNA-sequencing. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis, metabolic pathway, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, hydrolase activity, catalytic activity, and oxidation-reduction process. Moreover, 122 transcription factors of DEGs were divided into 22 families. Significant upregulation of N. tabacum 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (NtHMGR), 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (NtDXR), geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (NtGGPS), and solanesyl diphosphate synthase (NtSPS) and significant downregulation of N. tabacum 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (NtDXS) and farnesyl diphosphate synthase (NtFPS) transcription upon MHT exposure were monitored by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). This study indicated that solanesol accumulation in tobacco leaves can be manipulated through regulation of the environmental temperature and established a basis for further elucidation of the molecular mechanism of temperature regulation of solanesol accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Yan
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - Yongmei Du
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - Hongbo Zhang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - Zhongfeng Zhang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - Xinmin Liu
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - John Shi
- Guelph Food Research Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada.
| | - Yanhua Liu
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
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25
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Delatte TL, Scaiola G, Molenaar J, de Sousa Farias K, Alves Gomes Albertti L, Busscher J, Verstappen F, Carollo C, Bouwmeester H, Beekwilder J. Engineering storage capacity for volatile sesquiterpenes in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:1997-2006. [PMID: 29682901 PMCID: PMC6230952 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Plants store volatile compounds in specialized organs. The properties of these storage organs prevent precarious evaporation and protect neighbouring tissues from cytotoxicity. Metabolic engineering of plants is often carried out in tissues such as leaf mesophyll cells, which are abundant and easily accessible by engineering tools. However, these tissues are not suitable for the storage of volatile and hydrophobic compound such as sesquiterpenes and engineered volatiles are often lost into the headspace. In this study, we show that the seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana, which naturally contain lipid bodies, accumulate sesquiterpenes upon engineered expression. Subsequently, storage of volatile sesquiterpenes was achieved in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf tissue, by introducing oleosin-coated lipid bodies through metabolic engineering. Hereto, different combinations of genes encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGATs), transcription factors (WRINKL1) and oleosins (OLE1), from the oil seed-producing species castor bean (Ricinus communis) and Arabidopsis, were assessed for their suitability to promote lipid body formation. Co-expression of α-bisabolol synthase with Arabidopsis DGAT1 and WRINKL1 and OLE1 from castor bean promoted storage of α-bisabolol in N. benthamiana mesophyll tissue more than 17-fold. A clear correlation was found between neutral lipids and storage of sesquiterpenes, using synthases for α-bisabolol, (E)-β-caryophyllene and α-barbatene. The co-localization of neutral lipids and α-bisabolol was shown using microscopy. This work demonstrates that lipid bodies can be used as intracellular storage compartment for hydrophobic sesquiterpenes, also in the vegetative parts of plants, creating the possibility to improve yields of metabolic engineering strategies in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulia Scaiola
- Lab Plant PhysiolWageningen Univ & ResWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jamil Molenaar
- Lab Plant PhysiolWageningen Univ & ResWageningenThe Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Carollo
- Lab Prod Nat & Espectrometria MassasUniv Fed Mato Grosso do SulCampo GrandeMSBrazil
| | - Harro Bouwmeester
- Lab Plant PhysiolWageningen Univ & ResWageningenThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Swammerdam Institute for Life SciencesUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jules Beekwilder
- Wageningen Univ & ResWageningen Plant ResBiosciWageningenThe Netherlands
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26
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Reed J, Osbourn A. Engineering terpenoid production through transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:1431-1441. [PMID: 29786761 PMCID: PMC6153650 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-018-2296-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids are the most structurally diverse class of plant natural products with a huge range of commercial and medical applications. Exploiting this enormous potential has historically been hindered due to low levels of these compounds in their natural sources, making isolation difficult, while their structural complexity frequently makes synthetic chemistry approaches uneconomical. Engineering terpenoid biosynthesis in heterologous host production platforms provides a means to overcome these obstacles. In particular, plant-based production systems are attractive as they provide the compartmentalisation and cofactors necessary for the transfer of functional pathways from other plants. Nicotiana benthamiana, a wild relative of tobacco, has become increasingly popular as a heterologous expression platform for reconstituting plant natural product pathways, because it is amenable to Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression, a scalable and highly flexible process that enables rapid expression of genes and enzymes from other plant species. Here, we review recent work describing terpene production in N. benthamiana. We examine various strategies taken to engineer this host for increased production of the target metabolite. We also look at how transient expression can be utilised for rapid generation of molecular diversity, including new-to-nature products. Finally, we highlight current issues surrounding this expression platform and discuss the future directions and developments which will be needed to fully realise the potential of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Reed
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anne Osbourn
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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27
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Dong L, Pollier J, Bassard JE, Ntallas G, Almeida A, Lazaridi E, Khakimov B, Arendt P, de Oliveira LS, Lota F, Goossens A, Michoux F, Bak S. Co-expression of squalene epoxidases with triterpene cyclases boosts production of triterpenoids in plants and yeast. Metab Eng 2018; 49:1-12. [PMID: 30016654 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Triterpene cyclases catalyze the first committed step in triterpene biosynthesis, by forming mono- to pentacyclic backbone structures from oxygenated C30 isoprenoid precursors. Squalene epoxidase precedes this cyclization by providing the oxygenated and activated substrate for triterpene biosynthesis. Three squalene epoxidases from Cucurbita pepo (CpSEs) were isolated and shown to have evolved under purifying selection with signs of sites under positive selection in their N- and C-termini. They all localize to the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) and produce 2,3-oxidosqualene and 2,3:22,23-dioxidosqualene when expressed in a yeast erg1 (squalene epoxidase) erg7 (lanosterol synthase) double mutant. Co-expression of the CpSEs with four different triterpene cyclases, either transiently in Nicotiana benthamiana or constitutively in yeast, showed that CpSEs boost triterpene production. CpSE2 was the best performing in this regard, which could reflect either increased substrate production or superior channeling of the substrate to the triterpene cyclases. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) analysis with C. pepo cucurbitadienol synthase (CpCPQ) revealed a specific interaction with CpSE2 but not with the other CpSEs. When CpSE2 was transformed into C. pepo hairy root lines, cucurbitacin E production was increased two folds compared to empty vector control lines. This study provides new insight into the importance of SEs in triterpene biosynthesis, suggesting that they may facilitate substrate channeling, and demonstrates that SE overexpression is a new tool for increasing triterpene production in plants and yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lemeng Dong
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jean-Etienne Bassard
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Georgios Ntallas
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Alkion Biopharma SAS, 4 rue Pierre Fontaine, 91000 Evry, France
| | - Aldo Almeida
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Eleni Lazaridi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Bekzod Khakimov
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 16, DK-1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Philipp Arendt
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Louisi Souza de Oliveira
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Lota
- Alkion Biopharma SAS, 4 rue Pierre Fontaine, 91000 Evry, France
| | - Alain Goossens
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Franck Michoux
- Alkion Biopharma SAS, 4 rue Pierre Fontaine, 91000 Evry, France
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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28
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Jiang Z, Kempinski C, Kumar S, Kinison S, Linscott K, Nybo E, Janze S, Wood C, Chappell J. Agronomic and chemical performance of field-grown tobacco engineered for triterpene and methylated triterpene metabolism. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:1110-1124. [PMID: 29069530 PMCID: PMC5978867 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Squalene is a linear intermediate to nearly all classes of triterpenes and sterols and is itself highly valued for its use in wide range of industrial applications. Another unique linear triterpene is botryococcene and its methylated derivatives generated by the alga Botryococcus braunii race B, which are progenitors to fossil fuel deposits. Production of these linear triterpenes was previously engineered into transgenic tobacco by introducing the key steps of triterpene metabolism into the particular subcellular compartments. In this study, the agronomic characteristics (height, biomass accumulation, leaf area), the photosynthetic capacity (photosynthesis rate, conductance, internal CO2 levels) and triterpene content of select lines grown under field conditions were evaluated for three consecutive growing seasons. We observed that transgenic lines targeting enzymes to the chloroplasts accumulated 50-150 times more squalene than the lines targeting the enzymes to the cytoplasm, without compromising growth or photosynthesis. We also found that the transgenic lines directing botryococcene metabolism to the chloroplast accumulated 10- to 33-fold greater levels than the lines where the same enzymes were targeted to in the cytoplasm. However, growth of these high botryococcene accumulators was highly compromised, yet their photosynthesis rates remained unaffected. In addition, in the transgenic lines targeting a triterpene methyltransferase (TMT) to the chloroplasts of high squalene accumulators, 55%-65% of total squalene was methylated, whereas in the lines expressing a TMT in the cytoplasm, only 6%-13% of squalene was methylated. The growth of these methylated triterpene-accumulating lines was more compromised than that of nonmethylated squalene lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuodong Jiang
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Chase Kempinski
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Scott Kinison
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Kristin Linscott
- Molecular and Cellular BiochemistryUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Eric Nybo
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Sarah Janze
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Connie Wood
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
| | - Joe Chappell
- Plant Biology ProgramUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
- Molecular and Cellular BiochemistryUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKYUSA
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29
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Abstract
Insect pests are responsible for substantial crop losses worldwide through direct damage and transmission of plant diseases, and novel approaches that complement or replace broad-spectrum chemical insecticides will facilitate the sustainable intensification of food production in the coming decades. Multiple strategies for improved crop resistance to insect pests, especially strategies relating to plant secondary metabolism and immunity and microbiome science, are becoming available. Recent advances in metabolic engineering of plant secondary chemistry offer the promise of specific toxicity or deterrence to insect pests; improved understanding of plant immunity against insects provides routes to optimize plant defenses against insects; and the microbiomes of insect pests can be exploited, either as a target or as a vehicle for delivery of insecticidal agents. Implementation of these advances will be facilitated by ongoing advances in plant breeding and genetic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Douglas
- Department of Entomology and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA;
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30
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Zhao C, Kim Y, Zeng Y, Li M, Wang X, Hu C, Gorman C, Dai SY, Ding SY, Yuan JS. Co-Compartmentation of Terpene Biosynthesis and Storage via Synthetic Droplet. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:774-781. [PMID: 29439563 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Traditional bioproduct engineering focuses on pathway optimization, yet is often complicated by product inhibition, downstream consumption, and the toxicity of certain products. Here, we present the co-compartmentation of biosynthesis and storage via a synthetic droplet as an effective new strategy to improve the bioproduct yield, with squalene as a model compound. A hydrophobic protein was designed and introduced into the tobacco chloroplast to generate a synthetic droplet for terpene storage. Simultaneously, squalene biosynthesis enzymes were introduced to chloroplasts together with the droplet-forming protein to co-compartmentalize the biosynthesis and storage of squalene. The strategy has enabled a record yield of squalene at 2.6 mg/g fresh weight without compromising plant growth. Confocal fluorescent microscopy imaging, stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, and droplet composition analysis confirmed the formation of synthetic storage droplet in chloroplast. The co-compartmentation of synthetic storage droplet with a targeted metabolic pathway engineering represents a new strategy for enhancing bioproduct yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhao
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - YongKyoung Kim
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - Yining Zeng
- Biosciences Center , National Renewable Energy Laboratory , Golden , Colorado 80401 , United States
| | - Man Li
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - Xin Wang
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - Cheng Hu
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - Connor Gorman
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
| | - Susie Y Dai
- State Hygienic Lab , University of Iowa , Coralville , Iowa 52241 , United States
| | - Shi-You Ding
- Department of Plant Biology , Michigan State University , East Lansing , Michigan 48824 , United States
| | - Joshua S Yuan
- Texas A&M Agrilife Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
- Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology , Texas A&M University , College Station , Texas 77843 , United States
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Liao P, Chen X, Wang M, Bach TJ, Chye M. Improved fruit α-tocopherol, carotenoid, squalene and phytosterol contents through manipulation of Brassica juncea 3-HYDROXY-3-METHYLGLUTARYL-COA SYNTHASE1 in transgenic tomato. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:784-796. [PMID: 28881416 PMCID: PMC5814594 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase (HMGS) in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway generates isoprenoids including phytosterols. Dietary phytosterols are important because they can lower blood cholesterol levels. Previously, the overexpression of Brassica juncea wild-type (wt) and mutant (S359A) BjHMGS1 in Arabidopsis up-regulated several genes in sterol biosynthesis and increased sterol content. Recombinant S359A had earlier displayed a 10-fold higher in vitro enzyme activity. Furthermore, tobacco HMGS overexpressors (OEs) exhibited improved sterol content, plant growth and seed yield. Increased growth and seed yield in tobacco OE-S359A over OE-wtBjHMGS1 coincided with elevations in NtSQS expression and sterol content. Herein, the overexpression of wt and mutant (S359A) BjHMGS1 in a crop plant, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), caused an accumulation of MVA-derived squalene and phytosterols, as well as methylerythritol phosphate (MEP)-derived α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and carotenoids, which are important to human health as antioxidants. In tomato HMGS-OE seedlings, genes associated with the biosyntheses of C10, C15 and C20 universal precursors of isoprenoids, phytosterols, brassinosteroids, dolichols, methylerythritol phosphate, carotenoid and vitamin E were up-regulated. In OE-S359A tomato fruits, increased squalene and phytosterol contents over OE-wtBjHMGS1 were attributed to heightened SlHMGR2, SlFPS1, SlSQS and SlCYP710A11 expression. In both tomato OE-wtBjHMGS1 and OE-S359A fruits, the up-regulation of SlGPS and SlGGPPS1 in the MEP pathway that led to α-tocopherol and carotenoid accumulation indicated cross-talk between the MVA and MEP pathways. Taken together, the manipulation of BjHMGS1 represents a promising strategy to simultaneously elevate health-promoting squalene, phytosterols, α-tocopherol and carotenoids in tomato, an edible fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Liao
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong KongChina
- Partner State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyCUHKShatinHong KongChina
| | - Xinjian Chen
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong KongChina
| | - Mingfu Wang
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong KongChina
| | - Thomas J. Bach
- Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueUPR 2357Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des PlantesStrasbourgFrance
| | - Mee‐Len Chye
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong KongChina
- Partner State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyCUHKShatinHong KongChina
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Non-photosynthetic plastids as hosts for metabolic engineering. Essays Biochem 2018; 62:41-50. [DOI: 10.1042/ebc20170047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Using plants as hosts for production of complex, high-value compounds and therapeutic proteins has gained increasing momentum over the past decade. Recent advances in metabolic engineering techniques using synthetic biology have set the stage for production yields to become economically attractive, but more refined design strategies are required to increase product yields without compromising development and growth of the host system. The ability of plant cells to differentiate into various tissues in combination with a high level of cellular compartmentalization represents so far the most unexploited plant-specific resource. Plant cells contain organelles called plastids that retain their own genome, harbour unique biosynthetic pathways and differentiate into distinct plastid types upon environmental and developmental cues. Chloroplasts, the plastid type hosting the photosynthetic processes in green tissues, have proven to be suitable for high yield protein and bio-compound production. Unfortunately, chloroplast manipulation often affects photosynthetic efficiency and therefore plant fitness. In this respect, plastids of non-photosynthetic tissues, which have focused metabolisms for synthesis and storage of particular classes of compounds, might prove more suitable for engineering the production and storage of non-native metabolites without affecting plant fitness. This review provides the current state of knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involved in plastid differentiation and focuses on non-photosynthetic plastids as alternative biotechnological platforms for metabolic engineering.
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Huchelmann A, Boutry M, Hachez C. Plant Glandular Trichomes: Natural Cell Factories of High Biotechnological Interest. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 175:6-22. [PMID: 28724619 PMCID: PMC5580781 DOI: 10.1104/pp.17.00727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Multicellular glandular trichomes are epidermal outgrowths characterized by the presence of a head made of cells that have the ability to secrete or store large quantities of specialized metabolites. Our understanding of the transcriptional control of glandular trichome initiation and development is still in its infancy. This review points to some central questions that need to be addressed to better understand how such specialized cell structures arise from the plant protodermis. A key and unique feature of glandular trichomes is their ability to synthesize and secrete large amounts, relative to their size, of a limited number of metabolites. As such, they qualify as true cell factories, making them interesting targets for metabolic engineering. In this review, recent advances regarding terpene metabolic engineering are highlighted, with a special focus on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). In particular, the choice of transcriptional promoters to drive transgene expression and the best ways to sink existing pools of terpene precursors are discussed. The bioavailability of existing pools of natural precursor molecules is a key parameter and is controlled by so-called cross talk between different biosynthetic pathways. As highlighted in this review, the exact nature and extent of such cross talk are only partially understood at present. In the future, awareness of, and detailed knowledge on, the biology of plant glandular trichome development and metabolism will generate new leads to tap the largely unexploited potential of glandular trichomes in plant resistance to pests and lead to the improved production of specialized metabolites with high industrial or pharmacological value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Huchelmann
- Life Sciences Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marc Boutry
- Life Sciences Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Charles Hachez
- Life Sciences Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Singh AK, Kumar SR, Dwivedi V, Rai A, Pal S, Shasany AK, Nagegowda DA. A WRKY transcription factor from Withania somnifera regulates triterpenoid withanolide accumulation and biotic stress tolerance through modulation of phytosterol and defense pathways. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017. [PMID: 28649699 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Withania somnifera produces pharmacologically important triterpenoid withanolides that are derived via phytosterol pathway; however, their biosynthesis and regulation remain to be elucidated. A jasmonate- and salicin-inducible WRKY transcription factor from W. somnifera (WsWRKY1) exhibiting correlation with withaferin A accumulation was functionally characterized employing virus-induced gene silencing and overexpression studies combined with transcript and metabolite analyses, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. WsWRKY1 silencing resulted in stunted plant growth, reduced transcripts of phytosterol pathway genes with corresponding reduction in phytosterols and withanolides in W. somnifera. Its overexpression elevated the biosynthesis of triterpenoids in W. somnifera (phytosterols and withanolides), as well as tobacco and tomato (phytosterols). Moreover, WsWRKY1 binds to W-box sequences in promoters of W. somnifera genes encoding squalene synthase and squalene epoxidase, indicating its direct regulation of triterpenoid pathway. Furthermore, while WsWRKY1 silencing in W. somnifera compromised the tolerance to bacterial growth, fungal infection, and insect feeding, its overexpression in tobacco led to improved biotic stress tolerance. Together these findings demonstrate that WsWRKY1 has a positive regulatory role on phytosterol and withanolides biosynthesis, and defense against biotic stress, highlighting its importance as a metabolic engineering tool for simultaneous improvement of triterpenoid biosynthesis and plant defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Kumar Singh
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Allalasandra, GKVK Post, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Sarma Rajeev Kumar
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Allalasandra, GKVK Post, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Varun Dwivedi
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Allalasandra, GKVK Post, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Avanish Rai
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Allalasandra, GKVK Post, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Shaifali Pal
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Ajit K Shasany
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 226015, India
| | - Dinesh A Nagegowda
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Allalasandra, GKVK Post, Bengaluru, 560065, India
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Henquet MGL, Prota N, van der Hooft JJJ, Varbanova-Herde M, Hulzink RJM, de Vos M, Prins M, de Both MTJ, Franssen MCR, Bouwmeester H, Jongsma M. Identification of a drimenol synthase and drimenol oxidase from Persicaria hydropiper, involved in the biosynthesis of insect deterrent drimanes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:1052-1063. [PMID: 28258968 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The sesquiterpenoid polygodial, which belongs to the drimane family, has been shown to be an antifeedant for a number of herbivorous insects. It is presumed to be synthesized from farnesyl diphosphate via drimenol, subsequent C-12 hydroxylation and further oxidations at both C-11 and C-12 to form a dialdehyde. Here, we have identified a drimenol synthase (PhDS) and a cytochrome P450 drimenol oxidase (PhDOX1) from Persicaria hydropiper. Expression of PhDS in yeast and plants resulted in production of drimenol alone. Co-expression of PhDS with PhDOX1 in yeast yielded drimendiol, the 12-hydroxylation product of drimenol, as a major product, and cinnamolide. When PhDS and PhDOX1 were transiently expressed by agro-infiltration in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, drimenol was almost completely converted into cinnamolide and several additional drimenol derivatives were observed. In vitro assays showed that PhDOX1 only catalyses the conversion from drimenol to drimendiol, and not the further oxidation into an aldehyde. In yeast and heterologous plant hosts, the C-12 position of drimendiol is therefore likely to be further oxidized by endogenous enzymes into an aldehyde and subsequently converted to cinnamolide, presumably by spontaneous hemiacetal formation with the C-11 hydroxyl group followed by oxidation. Purified cinnamolide was confirmed by NMR and shown to be deterrent with an effective deterrent dose (ED50 ) of about 200-400 μg g-1 fresh weight against both whiteflies and aphids. The putative additional physiological and biochemical requirements for polygodial biosynthesis and stable storage in plant tissues are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice G L Henquet
- PRI-Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Neli Prota
- PRI-Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Justin J J van der Hooft
- PRI-Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marina Varbanova-Herde
- PRI-Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Maurice C R Franssen
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Harro Bouwmeester
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Jongsma
- PRI-Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Nanda S, Mohanty JN, Mishra R, Joshi RK. Metabolic Engineering of Phenylpropanoids in Plants. REFERENCE SERIES IN PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28669-3_30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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An Intronless β-amyrin Synthase Gene is More Efficient in Oleanolic Acid Accumulation than its Paralog in Gentiana straminea. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33364. [PMID: 27624821 PMCID: PMC5022052 DOI: 10.1038/srep33364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Paralogous members of the oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) family encode a diversity of enzymes that are important in triterpenoid biosynthesis. This report describes the isolation of the Gentiana straminea gene GsAS2 that encodes a β-amyrin synthase (βAS) enzyme. Unlike its previously isolated paralog GsAS1, GsAS2 lacks introns. Its predicted protein product was is a 759 residue polypeptide that shares high homology with other known β-amyrin synthases (βASs). Heterologously expressed GsAS2 generates more β-amyrin in yeast than does GsAS1. Constitutive over-expression of GsAS2 resulted in a 5.7 fold increase in oleanolic acid accumulation, while over-expression of GsAS1 led to a 3 fold increase. Additionally, RNAi-directed suppression of GsAS2 and GsAS1 in G. straminea decreased oleonolic acid levels by 65.9% and 21% respectively, indicating that GsAS2 plays a more important role than GsAS1 in oleanolic acid biosynthesis in G. straminea. We uses a docking model to explore the catalytic mechanism of GsAS1/2 and predicted that GsAS2, with its Y560, have higher efficiency than GsAS1 and mutated versions of GsAS2 in β-amyrin produce. When the key residue in GsAS2 was mutagenized, it produced about 41.29% and 71.15% less β-amyrin than native, while the key residue in GsAS1 was mutagenized to that in GsAS2, the mutant produced 38.02% more β-amyrin than native GsAS1.
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Pasoreck EK, Su J, Silverman IM, Gosai SJ, Gregory BD, Yuan JS, Daniell H. Terpene metabolic engineering via nuclear or chloroplast genomes profoundly and globally impacts off-target pathways through metabolite signalling. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2016; 14:1862-75. [PMID: 27507797 PMCID: PMC4980996 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The impact of metabolic engineering on nontarget pathways and outcomes of metabolic engineering from different genomes are poorly understood questions. Therefore, squalene biosynthesis genes FARNESYL DIPHOSPHATE SYNTHASE (FPS) and SQUALENE SYNTHASE (SQS) were engineered via the Nicotiana tabacum chloroplast (C), nuclear (N) or both (CN) genomes to promote squalene biosynthesis. SQS levels were ~4300-fold higher in C and CN lines than in N, but all accumulated ~150-fold higher squalene due to substrate or storage limitations. Abnormal leaf and flower phenotypes, including lower pollen production and reduced fertility, were observed regardless of the compartment or level of transgene expression. Substantial changes in metabolomes of all lines were observed: levels of 65-120 unrelated metabolites, including the toxic alkaloid nicotine, changed by as much as 32-fold. Profound effects of transgenesis on nontarget gene expression included changes in the abundance of 19 076 transcripts by up to 2000-fold in CN; 7784 transcripts by up to 1400-fold in N; and 5224 transcripts by as much as 2200-fold in C. Transporter-related transcripts were induced, and cell cycle-associated transcripts were disproportionally repressed in all three lines. Transcriptome changes were validated by qRT-PCR. The mechanism underlying these large changes likely involves metabolite-mediated anterograde and/or retrograde signalling irrespective of the level of transgene expression or end product, due to imbalance of metabolic pools, offering new insight into both anticipated and unanticipated consequences of metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise K Pasoreck
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jin Su
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian M Silverman
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sager J Gosai
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian D Gregory
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua S Yuan
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Henry Daniell
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Kortbeek RWJ, Xu J, Ramirez A, Spyropoulou E, Diergaarde P, Otten-Bruggeman I, de Both M, Nagel R, Schmidt A, Schuurink RC, Bleeker PM. Engineering of Tomato Glandular Trichomes for the Production of Specialized Metabolites. Methods Enzymol 2016; 576:305-31. [PMID: 27480691 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes are specialized tissues on the epidermis of many plant species. On tomato they synthesize, store, and emit a variety of metabolites such as terpenoids, which play a role in the interaction with insects. Glandular trichomes are excellent tissues for studying the biosynthesis of specialized plant metabolites and are especially suitable targets for metabolic engineering. Here we describe the strategy for engineering tomato glandular trichomes, first with a transient expression system to provide proof of trichome specificity of selected promoters. Using microparticle bombardment, the trichome specificity of a terpene-synthase promoter could be validated in a relatively fast way. Second, we describe a method for stable expression of genes of interest in trichomes. Trichome-specific expression of another terpene-synthase promoter driving the yellow-fluorescence protein-gene is presented. Finally, we describe a case of the overexpression of farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS), specifically in tomato glandular trichomes, providing an important precursor in the biosynthetic pathway of sesquiterpenoids. FPS was targeted to the plastid aiming to engineer sesquiterpenoid production, but interestingly leading to a loss of monoterpenoid production in the transgenic tomato trichomes. With this example we show that trichomes are amenable to engineering though, even with knowledge of a biochemical pathway, the result of such engineering can be unexpected.
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Affiliation(s)
- R W J Kortbeek
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Xu
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Ramirez
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Spyropoulou
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - M de Both
- Keygene N.V., Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - R Nagel
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - A Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - R C Schuurink
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - P M Bleeker
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Jiang Z, Kempinski C, Bush CJ, Nybo SE, Chappell J. Engineering Triterpene and Methylated Triterpene Production in Plants Provides Biochemical and Physiological Insights into Terpene Metabolism. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 170:702-16. [PMID: 26603654 PMCID: PMC4734568 DOI: 10.1104/pp.15.01548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Linear, branch-chained triterpenes, including squalene (C30), botryococcene (C30), and their methylated derivatives (C31-C37), generated by the green alga Botryococcus braunii race B have received significant attention because of their utility as chemical and biofuel feedstocks. However, the slow growth habit of B. braunii makes it impractical as a production system. In this study, we evaluated the potential of generating high levels of botryococcene in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants by diverting carbon flux from the cytosolic mevalonate pathway or the plastidic methylerythritol phosphate pathway by the targeted overexpression of an avian farnesyl diphosphate synthase along with two versions of botryococcene synthases. Up to 544 µg g(-1) fresh weight of botryococcene was achieved when this metabolism was directed to the chloroplasts, which is approximately 90 times greater than that accumulating in plants engineered for cytosolic production. To test if methylated triterpenes could be produced in tobacco, we also engineered triterpene methyltransferases (TMTs) from B. braunii into wild-type plants and transgenic lines selected for high-level triterpene accumulation. Up to 91% of the total triterpene contents could be converted to methylated forms (C31 and C32) by cotargeting the TMTs and triterpene biosynthesis to the chloroplasts, whereas only 4% to 14% of total triterpenes were methylated when this metabolism was directed to the cytoplasm. When the TMTs were overexpressed in the cytoplasm of wild-type plants, up to 72% of the total squalene was methylated, and total triterpene (C30+C31+C32) content was elevated 7-fold. Altogether, these results point to innate mechanisms controlling metabolite fluxes, including a homeostatic role for squalene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuodong Jiang
- Plant Biology Program (Z.J., C.K., J.C.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (C.J.B., S.E.N., J.C.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596
| | - Chase Kempinski
- Plant Biology Program (Z.J., C.K., J.C.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (C.J.B., S.E.N., J.C.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596
| | - Caroline J Bush
- Plant Biology Program (Z.J., C.K., J.C.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (C.J.B., S.E.N., J.C.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596
| | - S Eric Nybo
- Plant Biology Program (Z.J., C.K., J.C.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (C.J.B., S.E.N., J.C.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596
| | - Joe Chappell
- Plant Biology Program (Z.J., C.K., J.C.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (C.J.B., S.E.N., J.C.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. O'Connor
- The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom;
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Khan NE, Nybo SE, Chappell J, Curtis WR. Triterpene hydrocarbon production engineered into a metabolically versatile host--Rhodobacter capsulatus. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 112:1523-32. [PMID: 25728701 DOI: 10.1002/bit.25573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Triterpene hydrocarbon biosynthesis of the ancient algae Botryococcus braunii was installed into Rhodobacter capsulatus to explore the production of C30 hydrocarbon in a host capable of diverse growth habits-utilizing carbohydrate, sunlight or hydrogen (with CO2 fixation) as alternative energy feedstocks. Engineering an enhanced MEP pathway was also used to augment triterpene accumulation. Despite dramatically different sources of carbon and reducing power, nearly the same level of botryococcene or squalene (∼5 mg oil/g-dry-weight [gDW]) was achieved in small-scale aerobic heterotrophic, anaerobic photoheterotrophic, and aerobic chemoautotrophic growth conditions. A glucose fed-batch bioreactor reached 40 mg botryococcene/L (∼12 mg/gDW), while autotrophic bioreactor performance with CO2 , H2 , and O2 reached 110 mg/L (16.7 mg/gDW) during batch and 60 mg/L (23 mg/gDW) during continuous operation at a dilution rate corresponding to about 10% of μ(max). Batch and continuous autotrophic specific productivity was found to reach 0.5 and 0.32 mg triterpene/g DW/h, comparable to prior reports for terpene production driven by heterotrophic growth conditions. This demonstrates the feasibility of alternative feedstocks and trophic modes to provide comparable routes to biochemicals that do not rely on sugar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nymul E Khan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802
| | - S Eric Nybo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40536
| | - Joe Chappell
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40536
| | - Wayne R Curtis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802.
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Wang X, Ort DR, Yuan JS. Photosynthetic terpene hydrocarbon production for fuels and chemicals. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2015; 13:137-46. [PMID: 25626473 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic hydrocarbon production bypasses the traditional biomass hydrolysis process and represents the most direct conversion of sunlight energy into the next-generation biofuels. As a major class of biologically derived hydrocarbons with diverse structures, terpenes are also valuable in producing a variety of fungible bioproducts in addition to the advanced 'drop-in' biofuels. However, it is highly challenging to achieve the efficient redirection of photosynthetic carbon and reductant into terpene biosynthesis. In this review, we discuss four major scientific and technical barriers for photosynthetic terpene production and recent advances to address these constraints. Collectively, photosynthetic terpene production needs to be optimized in a systematic fashion, in which the photosynthesis improvement, the optimization of terpene biosynthesis pathway, the improvement of key enzymes and the enhancement of sink effect through terpene storage or secretion are all important. New advances in synthetic biology also offer a suite of potential tools to design and engineer photosynthetic terpene platforms. The systemic integration of these solutions may lead to 'disruptive' technologies to enable biofuels and bioproducts with high efficiency, yield and infrastructure compatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Pateraki I, Heskes AM, Hamberger B. Cytochromes P450 for Terpene Functionalisation and Metabolic Engineering. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 148:107-39. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cankar K, Jongedijk E, Klompmaker M, Majdic T, Mumm R, Bouwmeester H, Bosch D, Beekwilder J. (+)-Valencene production in Nicotiana benthamiana is increased by down-regulation of competing pathways. Biotechnol J 2015; 10:180-9. [PMID: 25159317 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201400288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant sesquiterpenes, such as (+)-valencene, artemisinin, and farnesene are valuable chemicals for use as aromatics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Plant-based production systems for terpenoids critically depend on the availability of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP). Currently, these systems show insufficient yields, due to the competition for FPP of newly introduced pathways with endogenous ones. In this study, for the first time an RNAi strategy aiming at silencing of endogenous pathways for increased (+)-valencene production was employed. Firstly, a transient production system for (+)-valencene in Nicotiana benthamiana was set up using agroinfiltration. Secondly, silencing of the endogenous 5-epi-aristolochene synthase (EAS) and squalene synthase (SQS) that compete for the FPP pool was deployed. This resulted in a N. benthamiana plant that produces (+)-valencene as a prevalent volatile with a 2.8-fold increased yield. Finally, the size of the FPP pool was increased by overexpression of enzymes that are rate-limiting in FPP biosynthesis. Combined with silencing of EAS and SQS, no further increase of (+)-valencene production was observed, but emission of farnesol. Formation of farnesol, which is a breakdown product of FPP, indicates that overproducing sesquiterpenes is no longer limited by FPP availability in the cytosol. This study shows that metabolic engineering of plants can effectively be used for increased production of desired products in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Cankar
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Plant Research International, Business Unit Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Tholl D. Biosynthesis and biological functions of terpenoids in plants. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 148:63-106. [PMID: 25583224 DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Terpenoids (isoprenoids) represent the largest and most diverse class of chemicals among the myriad compounds produced by plants. Plants employ terpenoid metabolites for a variety of basic functions in growth and development but use the majority of terpenoids for more specialized chemical interactions and protection in the abiotic and biotic environment. Traditionally, plant-based terpenoids have been used by humans in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, and more recently have been exploited in the development of biofuel products. Genomic resources and emerging tools in synthetic biology facilitate the metabolic engineering of high-value terpenoid products in plants and microbes. Moreover, the ecological importance of terpenoids has gained increased attention to develop strategies for sustainable pest control and abiotic stress protection. Together, these efforts require a continuous growth in knowledge of the complex metabolic and molecular regulatory networks in terpenoid biosynthesis. This chapter gives an overview and highlights recent advances in our understanding of the organization, regulation, and diversification of core and specialized terpenoid metabolic pathways, and addresses the most important functions of volatile and nonvolatile terpenoid specialized metabolites in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Tholl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 409 Latham Hall, 24061, Blacksburg, VA, USA,
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Metabolic engineering of higher plants and algae for isoprenoid production. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 148:161-99. [PMID: 25636485 DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Isoprenoids are a class of compounds derived from the five carbon precursors, dimethylallyl diphosphate, and isopentenyl diphosphate. These molecules present incredible natural chemical diversity, which can be valuable for humans in many aspects such as cosmetics, agriculture, and medicine. However, many terpenoids are only produced in small quantities by their natural hosts and can be difficult to generate synthetically. Therefore, much interest and effort has been directed toward capturing the genetic blueprint for their biochemistry and engineering it into alternative hosts such as plants and algae. These autotrophic organisms are attractive when compared to traditional microbial platforms because of their ability to utilize atmospheric CO2 as a carbon substrate instead of supplied carbon sources like glucose. This chapter will summarize important techniques and strategies for engineering the accumulation of isoprenoid metabolites into higher plants and algae by choosing the correct host, avoiding endogenous regulatory mechanisms, and optimizing potential flux into the target compound. Future endeavors will build on these efforts by fine-tuning product accumulation levels via the vast amount of available "-omic" data and devising metabolic engineering schemes that integrate this into a whole-organism approach. With the development of high-throughput transformation protocols and synthetic biology molecular tools, we have only begun to harness the power and utility of plant and algae metabolic engineering.
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Zhou JS, Ji SL, Ren MF, He YL, Jing XR, Xu JW. Enhanced accumulation of individual ganoderic acids in a submerged culture of Ganoderma lucidum by the overexpression of squalene synthase gene. Biochem Eng J 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2014.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Gene clustering in plant specialized metabolism. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2014; 26:91-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Moses T, Pollier J, Thevelein JM, Goossens A. Bioengineering of plant (tri)terpenoids: from metabolic engineering of plants to synthetic biology in vivo and in vitro. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:27-43. [PMID: 23668256 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids constitute a large and diverse class of natural products that serve many functions in nature. Most of the tens of thousands of the discovered terpenoids are synthesized by plants, where they function as primary metabolites involved in growth and development, or as secondary metabolites that optimize the interaction between the plant and its environment. Several plant terpenoids are economically important molecules that serve many applications as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, etc. Major challenges for the commercialization of plant-derived terpenoids include their low production levels in planta and the continuous demand of industry for novel molecules with new or superior biological activities. Here, we highlight several synthetic biology methods to enhance and diversify the production of plant terpenoids, with a foresight towards triterpenoid engineering, the least engineered class of bioactive terpenoids. Increased or cheaper production of valuable triterpenoids may be obtained by 'classic' metabolic engineering of plants or by heterologous production of the compounds in other plants or microbes. Novel triterpenoid structures can be generated through combinatorial biosynthesis or directed enzyme evolution approaches. In its ultimate form, synthetic biology may lead to the production of large amounts of plant triterpenoids in in vitro systems or custom-designed artificial biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Moses
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Johan M Thevelein
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
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