1
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Seligmann B, Liu S, Franke J. Chemical tools for unpicking plant specialised metabolic pathways. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 80:102554. [PMID: 38820646 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Elucidating the biochemical pathways of specialised metabolites in plants is key to enable or improve their sustainable biotechnological production. Chemical tools can greatly facilitate the discovery of biosynthetic genes and enzymes. Here, we summarise transdisciplinary approaches where methods from chemistry and chemical biology helped to overcome key challenges of pathway elucidation. Based on recent examples, we describe how state-of-the-art isotope labelling experiments can guide the selection of biosynthetic gene candidates, how affinity-based probes enable the identification of novel enzymes, how semisynthesis can improve the availability of elusive pathway intermediates, and how biomimetic reactions provide a better understanding of inherent chemical reactivity. We anticipate that a wider application of such chemical methods will accelerate the pace of pathway elucidation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Seligmann
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Botany, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Shenyu Liu
- Leibniz University Hannover, Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research (BMWZ), Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jakob Franke
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Botany, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany; Leibniz University Hannover, Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research (BMWZ), Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
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2
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Han T, Miao G. Strategies, Achievements, and Potential Challenges of Plant and Microbial Chassis in the Biosynthesis of Plant Secondary Metabolites. Molecules 2024; 29:2106. [PMID: 38731602 PMCID: PMC11085123 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092106] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Diverse secondary metabolites in plants, with their rich biological activities, have long been important sources for human medicine, food additives, pesticides, etc. However, the large-scale cultivation of host plants consumes land resources and is susceptible to pest and disease problems. Additionally, the multi-step and demanding nature of chemical synthesis adds to production costs, limiting their widespread application. In vitro cultivation and the metabolic engineering of plants have significantly enhanced the synthesis of secondary metabolites with successful industrial production cases. As synthetic biology advances, more research is focusing on heterologous synthesis using microorganisms. This review provides a comprehensive comparison between these two chassis, evaluating their performance in the synthesis of various types of secondary metabolites from the perspectives of yield and strategies. It also discusses the challenges they face and offers insights into future efforts and directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taotao Han
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan 232038, China;
| | - Guopeng Miao
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan 232038, China;
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan 232038, China
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3
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Grützner R, König K, Horn C, Engler C, Laub A, Vogt T, Marillonnet S. A transient expression tool box for anthocyanin biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1238-1250. [PMID: 38124296 PMCID: PMC11022804 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14261] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana offers a robust platform for the rapid production of complex secondary metabolites. It has proven highly effective in helping identify genes associated with pathways responsible for synthesizing various valuable natural compounds. While this approach has seen considerable success, it has yet to be applied to uncovering genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways. This is because only a single anthocyanin, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, can be produced in N. benthamiana by activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis using transcription factors. The production of other anthocyanins would necessitate the suppression of certain endogenous flavonoid biosynthesis genes while transiently expressing others. In this work, we present a series of tools for the reconstitution of anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways in N. benthamiana leaves. These tools include constructs for the expression or silencing of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes and a mutant N. benthamiana line generated using CRISPR. By infiltration of defined sets of constructs, the basic anthocyanins pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and delphinidin 3-O-glucoside could be obtained in high amounts in a few days. Additionally, co-infiltration of supplementary pathway genes enabled the synthesis of more complex anthocyanins. These tools should be useful to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of complex anthocyanins. They also make it possible to produce novel anthocyanins not found in nature. As an example, we reconstituted the pathway for biosynthesis of Arabidopsis anthocyanin A5, a cyanidin derivative and achieved the biosynthesis of the pelargonidin and delphinidin variants of A5, pelargonidin A5 and delphinidin A5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Grützner
- Department of Cell and Metabolic BiologyLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
| | - Kristin König
- Department of Cell and Metabolic BiologyLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
| | - Claudia Horn
- Department of Cell and Metabolic BiologyLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
| | | | - Annegret Laub
- Department of Bioorganic ChemistryLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
| | - Thomas Vogt
- Department of Cell and Metabolic BiologyLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
| | - Sylvestre Marillonnet
- Department of Cell and Metabolic BiologyLeibniz Institute of Plant BiochemistryHalleGermany
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4
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Li T, Li H, Zhou TT, Zheng Y, Li SH. Syntheses of Linear Biosynthetic C 25-Precursors of Leucosceptroids. J Org Chem 2024; 89:3652-3656. [PMID: 38353480 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
An efficient synthetic approach was developed and applied to the syntheses of four linear biosynthetic C25-precursors of leucosceptroids. The synthesis features a Julia-Kocienski olefination and a late-stage bioinspired photo-oxidation as key steps. The immunosuppressive effects of all synthetic compounds on mouse T cells and macrophage RAW264.7 were determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Hao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, P. R. China
| | - Sheng-Hong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, P. R. China
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5
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Peng B, Weintraub SJ, Lu Z, Evans S, Shen Q, McDonnell L, Plan M, Collier T, Cheah LC, Ji L, Howard CB, Anderson W, Trau M, Dumsday G, Bredeweg EL, Young EM, Speight R, Vickers CE. Integration of Yeast Episomal/Integrative Plasmid Causes Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity and Improved Sesquiterpene Production in Metabolically Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:141-156. [PMID: 38084917 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00363] [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: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The variability in phenotypic outcomes among biological replicates in engineered microbial factories presents a captivating mystery. Establishing the association between phenotypic variability and genetic drivers is important to solve this intricate puzzle. We applied a previously developed auxin-inducible depletion of hexokinase 2 as a metabolic engineering strategy for improved nerolidol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and biological replicates exhibit a dichotomy in nerolidol production of either 3.5 or 2.5 g L-1 nerolidol. Harnessing Oxford Nanopore's long-read genomic sequencing, we reveal a potential genetic cause─the chromosome integration of a 2μ sequence-based yeast episomal plasmid, encoding the expression cassettes for nerolidol synthetic enzymes. This finding was reinforced through chromosome integration revalidation, engineering nerolidol and valencene production strains, and generating a diverse pool of yeast clones, each uniquely fingerprinted by gene copy numbers, plasmid integrations, other genomic rearrangements, protein expression levels, growth rate, and target product productivities. Τhe best clone in two strains produced 3.5 g L-1 nerolidol and ∼0.96 g L-1 valencene. Comparable genotypic and phenotypic variations were also generated through the integration of a yeast integrative plasmid lacking 2μ sequences. Our work shows that multiple factors, including plasmid integration status, subchromosomal location, gene copy number, sesquiterpene synthase expression level, and genome rearrangement, together play a complicated determinant role on the productivities of sesquiterpene product. Integration of yeast episomal/integrative plasmids may be used as a versatile method for increasing the diversity and optimizing the efficiency of yeast cell factories, thereby uncovering metabolic control mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyin Peng
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sarah J Weintraub
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609, United States of America
| | - Zeyu Lu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Samuel Evans
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Qianyi Shen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Liam McDonnell
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Manuel Plan
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Metabolomics Australia (Queensland Node), Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Collier
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Li Chen Cheah
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lei Ji
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, PR China
| | - Christopher B Howard
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Will Anderson
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Matt Trau
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | | | - Erin L Bredeweg
- Functional and Systems Biology Group, Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Eric M Young
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609, United States
| | - Robert Speight
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Claudia E Vickers
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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6
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Bradley SA, Lehka BJ, Hansson FG, Adhikari KB, Rago D, Rubaszka P, Haidar AK, Chen L, Hansen LG, Gudich O, Giannakou K, Lengger B, Gill RT, Nakamura Y, de Bernonville TD, Koudounas K, Romero-Suarez D, Ding L, Qiao Y, Frimurer TM, Petersen AA, Besseau S, Kumar S, Gautron N, Melin C, Marc J, Jeanneau R, O'Connor SE, Courdavault V, Keasling JD, Zhang J, Jensen MK. Biosynthesis of natural and halogenated plant monoterpene indole alkaloids in yeast. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1551-1560. [PMID: 37932529 PMCID: PMC10667104 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01430-2] [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: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) represent a large class of plant natural products with marketed pharmaceutical activities against a wide range of indications, including cancer, malaria and hypertension. Halogenated MIAs have shown improved pharmaceutical properties; however, synthesis of new-to-nature halogenated MIAs remains a challenge. Here we demonstrate a platform for de novo biosynthesis of two MIAs, serpentine and alstonine, in baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and deploy it to systematically explore the biocatalytic potential of refactored MIA pathways for the production of halogenated MIAs. From this, we demonstrate conversion of individual haloindole derivatives to a total of 19 different new-to-nature haloserpentine and haloalstonine analogs. Furthermore, by process optimization and heterologous expression of a modified halogenase in the microbial MIA platform, we document de novo halogenation and biosynthesis of chloroalstonine. Together, this study highlights a microbial platform for enzymatic exploration and production of complex natural and new-to-nature MIAs with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Bradley
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Beata J Lehka
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Frederik G Hansson
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Khem B Adhikari
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniela Rago
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Paulina Rubaszka
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ahmad K Haidar
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ling Chen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lea G Hansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Olga Gudich
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Konstantina Giannakou
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Bettina Lengger
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ryan T Gill
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Yoko Nakamura
- Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | | | | | - David Romero-Suarez
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ling Ding
- Department of Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Yijun Qiao
- Department of Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas M Frimurer
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anja A Petersen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sébastien Besseau
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Nicolas Gautron
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Celine Melin
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Jillian Marc
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | | | - Sarah E O'Connor
- Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Vincent Courdavault
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Jay D Keasling
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Institute for Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Michael K Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
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7
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Jha S, Yin H, Li C, Wang GL. Editorial: Transgenesis and secondary metabolites: recent developments and technological challenges. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1276922. [PMID: 37711309 PMCID: PMC10499397 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1276922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sumita Jha
- Department of Botany, Calcutta University, Kolkata, India
| | - Hengfu Yin
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenghao Li
- School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Guang-Long Wang
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, China
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8
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Kumara PM, Varun E, Sanjay JR, Madhushree AH, Thimmappa R. De novo transcriptome analysis of Dysoxylum binectariferum to unravel the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically relevant specialized metabolites. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1098987. [PMID: 37636089 PMCID: PMC10450223 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1098987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The tropical tree, D. binectariferum, is a prominent source of chromone alkaloid rohitukine, which is used in the semi-syntheses of anticancer molecules such as flavopiridol and P-276-00. The biosynthetic pathway of rohitukine or its derivatives is currently unknown in plants. Here, we explored chromone alkaloid biosynthesis in D. binectariferum through targeted transcriptome sequencing. Illumina sequencing of leaves and roots of a year-old D. binectariferum seedling generated, 42.43 and 38.74 million paired-end short reads, respectively. Quality filtering and de novo assembly of the transcriptome generated 274,970 contigs and 126,788 unigenes with an N50 contig length of 1560 bp. The assembly generated 117,619 translated unigene protein sequences and 51,598 non-redundant sequences. Nearly 80% of these non-redundant sequences were annotated to publicly available protein and nucleotide databases, suggesting the completeness and effectiveness of the transcriptome assembly. Using the assembly, we identified a chalcone synthase (CHS) and three type III polyketide synthases (PKS-III; non-CHS type) that are likely to be involved in the biosynthesis of chromone ring/noreugenin moiety of rohitukine. We also identified key enzymes like lysine decarboxylase in the piperidine pathway that make the piperidine moiety of rohitukine. Besides these, the upstream enzymes in flavonoid biosynthesis like phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), trans-cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H),4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), and chalcone isomerase (CHI) have also been identified. Also, terpene synthases that are likely to be involved in the biosynthesis of various terpenoid scaffolds have been identified. Together, the D. binectariferum transcriptome resource forms a basis for further exploration of biosynthetic pathways of these valuable compounds through functional validation of the candidate genes and metabolic engineering in heterologous hosts. Additionally, the transcriptome dataset generated will serve as an important resource for research on functional genomics and enzyme discovery in D. binectariferum and comparative analysis with other Meliaceae family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patel Mohana Kumara
- Department of Biotechnology and Crop Improvement, Kittur Rani Chennamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
- Center for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Eranna Varun
- Center for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Joshi Renuka Sanjay
- Center for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Anchedoddi Hanumegowda Madhushree
- Center for Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ramesha Thimmappa
- Amity Institute of Genome Engineering, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
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9
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Bui VH, Rodríguez-López CE, Dang TTT. Integration of discovery and engineering in plant alkaloid research: Recent developments in elucidation, reconstruction, and repurposing biosynthetic pathways. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 74:102379. [PMID: 37182414 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102379] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Plants synthesize tens of thousands of bioactive nitrogen-containing compounds called alkaloids, including some clinically important drugs in modern medicine. The discovery of new alkaloid structures and their metabolism in plants have provided ways to access these rich sources of bioactivities including new-to-nature compounds relevant to therapeutic and industrial applications. This review discusses recent advances in alkaloid biosynthesis discovery, including complete pathway elucidations. Additionally, the latest developments in the production of new and established plant alkaloids based on either biosynthesis or semisynthesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van-Hung Bui
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Carlos Eduardo Rodríguez-López
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico.
| | - Thu-Thuy T Dang
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
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10
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Chubatsu Nunes HH, Dang TTT. A booster for vaccines from plants. Science 2023; 379:1187-1188. [PMID: 36952422 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg8823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Reconstituting a plant biosynthetic pathway enables a sustainable supply of vaccine adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena H Chubatsu Nunes
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Thu-Thuy T Dang
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
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