1
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Souza JPA, Melo DJ, Moliterno AAC, Figueiredo L, Zarbin PHG. Deciphering the Absolute Configuration of Murgantiol Isomers in the Pheromone Blend of the Rice Stink Bug, Mormidea v-luteum (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae). Chem Biodivers 2024; 21:e202301860. [PMID: 38403856 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202301860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The males-produced pheromone blend of the Mormidea v-luteum (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) consists in two isomers of zingiberenol (1) and three of murgantiol (2). While the absolute configuration of the zingiberenol isomers has been described, the configurations of the murgantiol isomers remained unexplored. So, our objective was to identify the absolute configuration of the murgantiol isomers (2 a-c) in the pheromone blend. To achieve this, we initially performed dehydration of the natural extract followed by enantiomeric resolution and, as a result, the three isomers was identified as (4R,1'S)-murgantiol. By leveraging the fixed cis and trans relationships among all pheromone components, we established the configuration at C-1 for isomers 2 a and 2 b is S, while that of 2 c is R. Finally, employing microchemical Sharples asymmetric dihydroxylation and epoxide ring closure, we determined the absolute configuration of the epoxide ring. Consequently, the natural isomers 2 a, 2 b, and 2 c were identified as (1S,4R,1'S,4'R)-, (1S,4R,1'S,4'S)-, and (1R,4R,1'S,4'S)-murgantiol, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P A Souza
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, 81531-990, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
| | - Douglas J Melo
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, 81531-990, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
| | | | - Leonardo Figueiredo
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, 81531-990, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
| | - Paulo H G Zarbin
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana, 81531-990, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
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2
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Ducker C, Baines C, Guy J, Euzébio Goulart Santana A, Pickett JA, Oldham NJ. A diterpene synthase from the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis produces the pheromone sobralene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322453121. [PMID: 38470919 PMCID: PMC10962984 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322453121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The phlebotomine sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, a major vector of the Leishmania parasite, uses terpene pheromones to attract conspecifics for mating. Examination of the L. longipalpis genome revealed a putative terpene synthase (TPS), which-upon heterologous expression in, and purification from, Escherichia coli-yielded a functional enzyme. The TPS, termed LlTPS, converted geranyl diphosphate (GPP) into a mixture of monoterpenes with low efficiency, of which β-ocimene was the major product. (E,E)-farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) principally produced small amounts of (E)-β-farnesene, while (Z,E)- and (Z,Z)-FPP yielded a mixture of bisabolene isomers. None of these mono- and sesquiterpenes are known volatiles of L. longipalpis. Notably, however, when provided with (E,E,E)-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), LlTPS gave sobralene as its major product. This diterpene pheromone is released by certain chemotypes of L. longipalpis, in particular those found in the Ceará state of Brazil. Minor diterpene components were also seen as products of the enzyme that matched those seen in a sandfly pheromone extract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Ducker
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, NottinghamNG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron Baines
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, NottinghamNG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Guy
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, NottinghamNG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | | | - John A. Pickett
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Oldham
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, NottinghamNG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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3
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Broadhead GT, Cottrell TE, Beck JJ. Leaffooted Bugs: Insect Pest Species of Growing Concern for Agriculture. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:2467-2472. [PMID: 38264806 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Leptoglossus (Hemiptera: Coreidae) are a diverse genus of phytophagous insects. Literature regarding Leptoglossus has increased as species are identified as emerging agricultural pests or reported outside of their native range. Within Leptoglossus, five species dominate the literature and are known pests and vectors of plant pathogenic microbes in several major crops. Despite the increasing profile of Leptoglossus, current monitoring and management methods rely primarily on visual inspection, and semiochemical tools have yet to be developed. This Perspective identifies and discusses gaps in the Leptoglossus literature as well as areas of research needed for the development of effective tools for monitoring insect populations and enabling informed pest-management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey T Broadhead
- Chemistry Research Unit, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida 32608, United States
| | - Ted E Cottrell
- Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Byron, Georgia 31008, United States
| | - John J Beck
- Chemistry Research Unit, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida 32608, United States
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4
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Ducker C, French S, Pathak M, Taylor H, Sainter A, Askem W, Dreveny I, Santana AEG, Pickett JA, Oldham NJ. Characterisation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase from the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 161:104001. [PMID: 37619821 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a debilitating and often fatal neglected tropical disease. Males from sub-populations of the Leishmania-harbouring sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, produce the diterpene sex and aggregation pheromone, sobralene, for which geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) is the likely isoprenoid precursor. We have identified a GGPP synthase (lzGGPPS) from L. longipalpis, which was recombinantly expressed in bacteria and purified for functional and kinetic analysis. In vitro enzymatic assays using LC-MS showed that lzGGPPS is an active enzyme, capable of converting substrates dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), (E)-geranyl diphosphate (GPP), (E,E)-farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) with co-substrate isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) into (E,E,E)-GGPP, while (Z,E)-FPP was also accepted with low efficacy. Comparison of metal cofactors for lzGGPPS highlighted Mg2+ as most efficient, giving increased GGPP output when compared against other divalent metal ions tested. In line with previously characterised GGPPS enzymes, GGPP acted as an inhibitor of lzGGPPS activity. The molecular weight in solution of lzGGPPS was determined to be ∼221 kDa by analytical SEC, suggesting a hexameric assembly, as seen in the human enzyme, and representing the first assessment of GGPPS quaternary structure in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Ducker
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Stanley French
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Monika Pathak
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Harry Taylor
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Adam Sainter
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - William Askem
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Ingrid Dreveny
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | | | - John A Pickett
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Pl, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Neil J Oldham
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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5
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Hewage RT, Tseng CC, Liang SY, Lai CY, Lin HC. Genome mining of cryptic bisabolenes that were biosynthesized by intramembrane terpene synthases from Antrodia cinnamomea. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220033. [PMID: 36633275 PMCID: PMC9835599 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpenoids represent the largest structural family of natural products (NPs) and have various applications in the pharmaceutical, food and fragrance industries. Their diverse scaffolds are generated via a multi-step cyclization cascade of linear isoprene substrates catalysed by terpene synthases (TPSs). Bisabolene NPs, which are sesquiterpenes (C15), have wide applications in medicines and biofuels and serve as bioactive substances in ecology. Despite the discovery of some canonical class I TPSs that synthesize bisabolenes from plants, bacteria and insects, it remained unknown whether any bisabolene synthases from fungi could produce bisabolenes as a main product. Antrodia cinnamomea, a Basidiomycota fungus, is a medicinal mushroom indigenous to Taiwan and a known prolific producer of bioactive terpenoids, but little is known regarding the enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathways. Here, we applied a genome mining approach against A. cinnamomea and discovered two non-canonical UbiA-type TPSs that both synthesize (+)-(S,Z)-α-bisabolene (1). It was determined that two tailoring enzymes, a P450 monooxygenase and a methyltransferase, install a C14-methyl ester on the bisabolene scaffold. In addition, four new bisabolene derivatives, 2 and 4-6, were characterized from heterologous reconstitution in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our study uncovered enzymatic tools to generate structurally diverse bisabolene NPs. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranuka T. Hewage
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan,Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan,Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan,Department of Indigenous Medical Resources, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Yakkala 11870, Sri Lanka
| | - Cheng-Chung Tseng
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan,School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Suh-Yuen Liang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Yu Lai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Ching Lin
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan,Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan,School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
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6
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Wu C, Zhang F, Dewer Y, Zhang J, Li F. Exploration of Candidate Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis, Regulation and Recognition of the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of Halyomorpha halys. INSECTS 2023; 14:163. [PMID: 36835732 PMCID: PMC9960045 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation pheromone of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is produced by adult males, and plays an important role in the behavioral regulation of H. halys. However, information on the molecular mechanisms underlying this pheromone's biosynthesis is limited. In this study, HhTPS1, a key candidate synthase gene in the aggregation pheromone biosynthesis pathway of H. halys, was identified. Then, through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, the candidate P450 enzyme genes in the biosynthetic downstream of this pheromone and the related candidate transcription factor in this pathway were also identified. In addition, two olfactory-related genes, HhCSP5 and HhOr85b, involved in the recognition of the aggregation pheromone of H. halys, were detected. We further identified the key amino acid sites of HhTPS1 and HhCSP5 that interact with substrates by using molecular docking analysis. This study provides basic information for further investigations into the biosynthesis pathways and recognition mechanisms of aggregation pheromones in H. halys. It also provides key candidate genes for bioengineering bioactive aggregation pheromones necessary for the development of technologies for the monitoring and control of H. halys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- MARA-CABI Joint Laboratory for Bio-Safety, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Phytotoxicity Research Department, Dokki, Giza 12618, Egypt
| | - Jinping Zhang
- MARA-CABI Joint Laboratory for Bio-Safety, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fengqi Li
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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7
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Rebholz Z, Lancaster J, Larose H, Khrimian A, Luck K, Sparks ME, Gendreau KL, Shewade L, Köllner TG, Weber DC, Gundersen-Rindal DE, O'Maille P, Morozov AV, Tholl D. Ancient origin and conserved gene function in terpene pheromone and defense evolution of stink bugs and hemipteran insects. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 152:103879. [PMID: 36470318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Insects use diverse arrays of small molecules such as metabolites of the large class of terpenes for intra- and inter-specific communication and defense. These molecules are synthesized by specialized metabolic pathways; however, the origin of enzymes involved in terpene biosynthesis and their evolution in insect genomes is still poorly understood. We addressed this question by investigating the evolution of isoprenyl diphosphate synthase (IDS)-like genes with terpene synthase (TPS) function in the family of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) within the large order of piercing-sucking Hemipteran insects. Stink bugs include species of global pest status, many of which emit structurally related 15-carbon sesquiterpenes as sex or aggregation pheromones. We provide evidence for the emergence of IDS-type TPS enzymes at the onset of pentatomid evolution over 100 million years ago, coinciding with the evolution of flowering plants. Stink bugs of different geographical origin maintain small IDS-type families with genes of conserved TPS function, which stands in contrast to the diversification of TPS genes in plants. Expanded gene mining and phylogenetic analysis in other hemipteran insects further provides evidence for an ancient emergence of IDS-like genes under presumed selection for terpene-mediated chemical interactions, and this process occurred independently from a similar evolution of IDS-type TPS genes in beetles. Our findings further suggest differences in TPS diversification in insects and plants in conjunction with different modes of gene functionalization in chemical interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarley Rebholz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Jason Lancaster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Hailey Larose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Ashot Khrimian
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Katrin Luck
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael E Sparks
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Kerry L Gendreau
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Leena Shewade
- SRI International, Biosciences Division, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA, 94025-3493, USA
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Donald C Weber
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Dawn E Gundersen-Rindal
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Paul O'Maille
- SRI International, Biosciences Division, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA, 94025-3493, USA
| | - Alexandre V Morozov
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and Center for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8019, USA
| | - Dorothea Tholl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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8
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Derstine N, Galbraith D, Villar G, Amsalem E. Differential gene expression underlying the biosynthesis of Dufour's gland signals in Bombus impatiens. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:100056. [PMID: 37124651 PMCID: PMC10130613 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Pheromones regulating social behavior are one of the most explored phenomena in social insects. However, compound identity, biosynthesis and their genetic basis are known in only a handful of species. Here we examined the gene expression associated with pheromone biosynthesis of two main chemical classes: esters and terpenes, using the social bee Bombus impatiens. We conducted chemical and RNA-seq analyses of the Dufour's gland, an exocrine gland producing a plethora of pheromones regulating social behavior in hymenopteran species. The Dufour's gland contains mostly long-chained hydrocarbons, terpenes and esters that signal reproductive and social status in several bee species. In bumble bees, the Dufour's gland contains queen- and worker-specific esters, in addition to terpenes and terpene-esters only found in gynes and queens. These compounds are assumed to be synthesized de novo in the gland, however, their genetic basis is unknown. A whole transcriptome gene expression analysis of the gland in queens, gynes, queenless and queenright workers showed distinct transcriptomic profiles, with thousands of differentially expressed genes between the groups. Workers and queens express genes associated with key enzymes in the biosynthesis of wax esters, while queens and gynes preferentially express key genes in terpene biosynthesis. Overall, our data demonstrate gland-specific regulation of chemical signals associated with social behavior and identifies candidate genes and pathways regulating caste-specific chemical signals in social insects.
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9
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Phytochemical Profile, Preliminary Toxicity, and Antioxidant Capacity of the Essential Oils of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg. and Myrcia sylvatica (G. Mey) DC. (Myrtaceae). Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11102076. [PMID: 36290799 PMCID: PMC9658195 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11102076] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The essential oils (EOs) of Myrciaria floribunda (Mflo) and Myrcia sylvatica (Msyl) (Myrtaceae) were obtained by hydrodistillation. The analysis of volatile constituents was performed by GC/MS. Preliminary toxicity was assessed on Artemia salina Leach. The antioxidant capacity was measured by the ABTS•+ and DPPH• radical inhibitory activities. The results indicate that the Mflo EO had the highest yield (1.02%), and its chemical profile was characterized by high levels of hydrocarbon (65.83%) and oxygenated (25.74%) monoterpenes, especially 1,8-cineole (23.30%), terpinolene (22.23%) and α-phellandrene (22.19%). Regarding the Msyl EO, only hydrocarbon (51.60%) and oxygenated (46.52%) sesquiterpenes were identified in the sample, with (Z)-α-trans-bergamotene (24.57%), α-sinensal (13.44%), and (Z)-α-bisabolene (8.33%) at higher levels. The EO of Mflo exhibited moderate toxicity against A. salina (LC50 = 82.96 ± 5.20 µg.mL−1), while the EO of Msyl was classified as highly toxic (LC50 = 2.74 ± 0.50 µg.mL−1). In addition, relative to Trolox, the EOs of Mflo and Msyl showed significant inhibitory effects (p < 0.0001) against the DPPH• radical. This study contributes to the expansion of chemical and biological knowledge on the EOs of Myrtaceae species from the Amazon region.
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10
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Abstract
Plants, animals, and microbes produce a plethora of natural products that are important for defense and communication. Most of these compounds show a phylogenetically restricted occurrence, but, in rare instances, the same natural product is biosynthesized by organisms in two different kingdoms. The monoterpene-derived iridoids, for example, have been found in more than 50 plant families but are also observed in several insect orders. The discovery of the aphid iridoid pathway, one of the longest and most chemically complex insect-derived natural product biosynthetic pathways reported to date, highlights the mechanisms underlying the convergent evolution of metabolic enzymes in insects and plants, including the recruitment of different enzyme classes to catalyze the same chemical processes. Iridoid monoterpenes, widely distributed in plants and insects, have many ecological functions. While the biosynthesis of iridoids has been extensively studied in plants, little is known about how insects synthesize these natural products. Here, we elucidated the biosynthesis of the iridoids cis-trans-nepetalactol and cis-trans-nepetalactone in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), where they act as sex pheromones. The exclusive production of iridoids in hind legs of sexual female aphids allowed us to identify iridoid genes by searching for genes specifically expressed in this tissue. Biochemical characterization of candidate enzymes revealed that the iridoid pathway in aphids proceeds through the same sequence of intermediates as described for plants. The six identified aphid enzymes are unrelated to their counterparts in plants, conclusively demonstrating an independent evolution of the entire iridoid pathway in plants and insects. In contrast to the plant pathway, at least three of the aphid iridoid enzymes are likely membrane bound. We demonstrated that a lipid environment facilitates the cyclization of a reactive enol intermediate to the iridoid cyclopentanoid-pyran scaffold in vitro, suggesting that membranes are an essential component of the aphid iridoid pathway. Altogether, our discovery of this complex insect metabolic pathway establishes the genetic and biochemical basis for the formation of iridoid sex pheromones in aphids, and this discovery also serves as a foundation for understanding the convergent evolution of complex metabolic pathways between kingdoms.
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11
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Activation of mycelial defense mechanisms in the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus induced by Tyrophagus putrescentiae. Food Res Int 2022; 160:111708. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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12
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Stink Bug Communication and Signal Detection in a Plant Environment. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121058. [PMID: 34940147 PMCID: PMC8705670 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plants influenced the evolution of plant-dwelling stink bugs' systems underlying communication with chemical and substrate-borne vibratory signals. Plant volatiles provides cues that increase attractiveness or interfere with the probability of finding a mate in the field. Mechanical properties of herbaceous hosts and associated plants alter the frequency, amplitude, and temporal characteristics of stink bug species and sex-specific vibratory signals. The specificity of pheromone odor tuning has evolved through highly specific odorant receptors located within the receptor membrane. The narrow-band low-frequency characteristics of the signals produced by abdomen vibration and the frequency tuning of the highly sensitive subgenual organ vibration receptors match with filtering properties of the plants enabling optimized communication. A range of less sensitive mechanoreceptors, tuned to lower vibration frequencies, detect signals produced by other mechanisms used at less species-specific levels of communication in a plant environment. Whereas the encoding of frequency-intensity and temporal parameters of stink bug vibratory signals is relatively well investigated at low levels of processing in the ventral nerve cord, processing of this information and its integration with other modalities at higher neuronal levels still needs research attention.
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13
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Vaporization enthalpies and vapor pressures of the major components of opopanax oil, α-santalene, cis α-bisabolene, cis α-bergamotene. Struct Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11224-021-01764-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Kishi Y, Parker J. Cell type innovation at the tips of the animal tree. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 69:112-121. [PMID: 33784538 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how organs originate is challenging due to the twin problems of explaining how new cell types evolve and how collective interactions between cell types arise and become selectively advantageous. Animals are assemblages of organs and cell types of different antiquities, and among the most rapidly and convergently evolving are exocrine glands and their constituent secretory cell types. Such structures have arisen independently thousands of times across the Metazoa, impacting how animals chemically interact with their environments. The recurrent evolution of exocrine systems provides a paradigm for examining how qualitative phenotypic novelties arise from variation at the cellular level. Here, we take a hierarchical perspective, focusing on the evolutionary assembly of novel biosynthetic pathways and secretory cell types, and how both selection and non-adaptive molecular processes may combine to build the complex, modular architectures of many animal glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriko Kishi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States
| | - Joseph Parker
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States.
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15
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Darragh K, Orteu A, Black D, Byers KJRP, Szczerbowski D, Warren IA, Rastas P, Pinharanda A, Davey JW, Fernanda Garza S, Abondano Almeida D, Merrill RM, McMillan WO, Schulz S, Jiggins CD. A novel terpene synthase controls differences in anti-aphrodisiac pheromone production between closely related Heliconius butterflies. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001022. [PMID: 33465061 PMCID: PMC7815096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants and insects often use the same compounds for chemical communication, but not much is known about the genetics of convergent evolution of chemical signals. The terpene (E)-β-ocimene is a common component of floral scent and is also used by the butterfly Heliconius melpomene as an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. While the biosynthesis of terpenes has been described in plants and microorganisms, few terpene synthases (TPSs) have been identified in insects. Here, we study the recent divergence of 2 species, H. melpomene and Heliconius cydno, which differ in the presence of (E)-β-ocimene; combining linkage mapping, gene expression, and functional analyses, we identify 2 novel TPSs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one, HmelOS, is able to synthesise (E)-β-ocimene in vitro. We find no evidence for TPS activity in HcydOS (HmelOS ortholog of H. cydno), suggesting that the loss of (E)-β-ocimene in this species is the result of coding, not regulatory, differences. The TPS enzymes we discovered are unrelated to previously described plant and insect TPSs, demonstrating that chemical convergence has independent evolutionary origins. Plants and insects often use the same compounds for chemical communication, but little is known about the convergent evolution of such chemical signals. This study identifies a novel terpene synthase involved in production of an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone by the butterfly Heliconius melpomene. This enzyme is unrelated to other insect terpene synthases, providing evidence that the ability to synthesise terpenes has arisen multiple times independently within the insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Darragh
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
- * E-mail:
| | - Anna Orteu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Daniella Black
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Kelsey J. R. P. Byers
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
| | - Daiane Szczerbowski
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Life Sciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ian A. Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Pasi Rastas
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ana Pinharanda
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - John W. Davey
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Richard M. Merrill
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Life Sciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
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16
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Evolution of isoprenyl diphosphate synthase-like terpene synthases in fungi. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14944. [PMID: 32913319 PMCID: PMC7484799 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71219-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpene synthases (TPSs) and trans-isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDSs) are among the core enzymes for creating the enormous diversity of terpenoids. Despite having no sequence homology, TPSs and IDSs share a conserved “α terpenoid synthase fold” and a trinuclear metal cluster for catalysis, implying a common ancestry with TPSs hypothesized to evolve from IDSs anciently. Here we report on the identification and functional characterization of novel IDS-like TPSs (ILTPSs) in fungi that evolved from IDS relatively recently, indicating recurrent evolution of TPSs from IDSs. Through large-scale bioinformatic analyses of fungal IDSs, putative ILTPSs that belong to the geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGDPS) family of IDSs were identified in three species of Melampsora. Among the GGDPS family of the two Melampsora species experimentally characterized, one enzyme was verified to be bona fide GGDPS and all others were demonstrated to function as TPSs. Melampsora ILTPSs displayed kinetic parameters similar to those of classic TPSs. Key residues underlying the determination of GGDPS versus ILTPS activity and functional divergence of ILTPSs were identified. Phylogenetic analysis implies a recent origination of these ILTPSs from a GGDPS progenitor in fungi, after the split of Melampsora from other genera within the class of Pucciniomycetes. For the poplar leaf rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina, the transcripts of its ILTPS genes were detected in infected poplar leaves, suggesting possible involvement of these recently evolved ILTPS genes in the infection process. This study reveals the recurrent evolution of TPSs from IDSs since their ancient occurrence and points to the possibility of a wide distribution of ILTPS genes in three domains of life.
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Jiang SY, Jin J, Sarojam R, Ramachandran S. A Comprehensive Survey on the Terpene Synthase Gene Family Provides New Insight into Its Evolutionary Patterns. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:2078-2098. [PMID: 31304957 PMCID: PMC6681836 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Terpenes are organic compounds and play important roles in plant growth and development as well as in mediating interactions of plants with the environment. Terpene synthases (TPSs) are the key enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of terpenes. Although some species were employed for the genome-wide identification and characterization of the TPS family, limited information is available regarding the evolution, expansion, and retention mechanisms occurring in this gene family. We performed a genome-wide identification of the TPS family members in 50 sequenced genomes. Additionally, we also characterized the TPS family from aromatic spearmint and basil plants using RNA-Seq data. No TPSs were identified in algae genomes but the remaining plant species encoded various numbers of the family members ranging from 2 to 79 full-length TPSs. Some species showed lineage-specific expansion of certain subfamilies, which might have contributed toward species or ecotype divergence or environmental adaptation. A large-scale family expansion was observed mainly in dicot and monocot plants, which was accompanied by frequent domain loss. Both tandem and segmental duplication significantly contributed toward family expansion and expression divergence and played important roles in the survival of these expanded genes. Our data provide new insight into the TPS family expansion and evolution and suggest that TPSs might have originated from isoprenyl diphosphate synthase genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Ye Jiang
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jingjing Jin
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,School of Computing, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,China Tobacco Gene Research Centre, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rajani Sarojam
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Srinivasan Ramachandran
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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18
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Ganley JG, Derbyshire ER. Linking Genes to Molecules in Eukaryotic Sources: An Endeavor to Expand Our Biosynthetic Repertoire. Molecules 2020; 25:E625. [PMID: 32023950 PMCID: PMC7036892 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of natural products continues to interest chemists and biologists for their utility in medicine as well as facilitating our understanding of signaling, pathogenesis, and evolution. Despite an attenuation in the discovery rate of new molecules, the current genomics and transcriptomics revolution has illuminated the untapped biosynthetic potential of many diverse organisms. Today, natural product discovery can be driven by biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) analysis, which is capable of predicting enzymes that catalyze novel reactions and organisms that synthesize new chemical structures. This approach has been particularly effective in mining bacterial and fungal genomes where it has facilitated the discovery of new molecules, increased the understanding of metabolite assembly, and in some instances uncovered enzymes with intriguing synthetic utility. While relatively less is known about the biosynthetic potential of non-fungal eukaryotes, there is compelling evidence to suggest many encode biosynthetic enzymes that produce molecules with unique bioactivities. In this review, we highlight how the advances in genomics and transcriptomics have aided natural product discovery in sources from eukaryotic lineages. We summarize work that has successfully connected genes to previously identified molecules and how advancing these techniques can lead to genetics-guided discovery of novel chemical structures and reactions distributed throughout the tree of life. Ultimately, we discuss the advantage of increasing the known biosynthetic space to ease access to complex natural and non-natural small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack G Ganley
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708-0346, USA
| | - Emily R Derbyshire
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708-0346, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, 213 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Abstract
Secondary metabolites are often considered within the remit of bacterial or plant research, but animals also contain a plethora of these molecules with important functional roles. Classical feeding studies demonstrate that, whereas some are derived from diet, many of these compounds are made within the animals. In the past 15 years, the genetic and biochemical origin of several animal natural products has been traced to partnerships with symbiotic bacteria. More recently, a number of animal genome-encoded pathways to microbe-like natural products have come to light. These pathways are sometimes horizontally acquired from bacteria, but more commonly they unveil a new and diverse animal biochemistry. In this review, we highlight recent examples of characterized animal biosynthetic enzymes that reveal an unanticipated breadth and intricacy in animal secondary metabolism. The results so far suggest that there may be an immense diversity of animal small molecules and biosynthetic enzymes awaiting discovery. This biosynthetic dark matter is just beginning to be understood, providing a relatively untapped frontier for discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Torres
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Eric W Schmidt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
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20
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Beran F, Köllner TG, Gershenzon J, Tholl D. Chemical convergence between plants and insects: biosynthetic origins and functions of common secondary metabolites. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:52-67. [PMID: 30707438 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the phylogenetic distance between plants and insects, these two groups of organisms produce some secondary metabolites in common. Identical structures belonging to chemical classes such as the simple monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, iridoid monoterpenes, cyanogenic glycosides, benzoic acid derivatives, benzoquinones and naphthoquinones are sometimes found in both plants and insects. In addition, very similar glucohydrolases involved in activating two-component defenses, such as glucosinolates and cyanogenic glycosides, occur in both plants and insects. Although this trend was first noted many years ago, researchers have long struggled to find convincing explanations for such co-occurrence. In some cases, identical compounds may be produced by plants to interfere with their function in insects. In others, plant and insect compounds may simply have parallel functions, probably in defense or attraction, and their co-occurrence is a coincidence. The biosynthetic origin of such co-occurring metabolites may be very different in insects as compared to plants. Plants and insects may have different pathways to the same metabolite, or similar sequences of intermediates, but different enzymes. Further knowledge of the ecological roles and biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites may shed more light on why plants and insects produce identical substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Beran
- Research Group Sequestration and Detoxification in Insects, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jonathan Gershenzon
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Dorothea Tholl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 409 Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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21
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Nagel R, Schmidt A, Peters RJ. Isoprenyl diphosphate synthases: the chain length determining step in terpene biosynthesis. PLANTA 2019; 249:9-20. [PMID: 30467632 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-018-3052-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent developments in the study of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases with an emphasis on analytical techniques, product length determination, and the physiological consequences of manipulating expression in planta. The highly diverse structures of all terpenes are synthesized from the five carbon precursors dimethylallyl diphosphate and a varying number of isopentenyl diphosphate units through 1'-4 alkylation reactions. These elongation reactions are catalyzed by isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDS). IDS are classified depending on the configuration of the ensuing double bond as trans- and cis-IDS. In addition, IDS are further stratified by the length of their prenyl diphosphate product. This review discusses analytical techniques for the determination of product length and the factors that control product length, with an emphasis on alternative mechanisms. With recent advances in analytics, multiple IDS of Arabidopsis thaliana have been recently reinvestigated and demonstrated to yield products of different lengths than originally reported, which is summarized here. As IDS dictate prenyl diphosphate length and thereby which class of terpenes is ultimately produced, another focus of this review is the impact that altering IDS expression has on terpenoid natural product accumulation. Finally, recent findings regarding the ability of a few IDS to not catalyze 1'-4 alkylation reactions, but instead produce irregular products, with unusual connectivity, or act as terpene synthases, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raimund Nagel
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
| | - Axel Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Reuben J Peters
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
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