1
|
Ye Y, Huang JC. Defining the biosynthesis of ketocarotenoids in Chromochloris zofingiensis. PLANT DIVERSITY 2020; 42:61-66. [PMID: 32140638 PMCID: PMC7046508 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids are important pigments in photosynthetic organisms where they play essential roles in photoreception and photoprotection. Chromochloris zofingiensis is a unicellular green alga that is able to accumulate high amounts of ketocarotenoids including astaxanthin, canthaxanthin and ketolutein when growing heterotrophically or mixotrophically with glucose as a carbon source. Here we elucidate the ketocarotenoid biosynthesis pathway in C. zofingiensis by analyzing five algal mutants. The mutants were shown to have a single nucleotide insertion or substitution in β-carotene ketolase (BKT) gene 1, which resulted in a lack of ketocarotenoid production in Cz-bkt1-1, and decreased ketocarotenoid content in the other four mutants. These mutants accumulated much higher amounts of non-ketocarotenoids (β-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein). Interestingly, the Cz-bkt1-5 mutant synthesized 2-fold the ketolutein and only 1/30 of the canthaxanthin and astaxanthin as its parent strain, suggesting that the mutated BKT1 exhibits much higher activity in catalyzing lutein to ketolutein but lower activity in ketolating β-carotene and zeaxanthin. Mutant and WT BKT2 gene sequences did not differ. Taken together, we conclude that BKT1 is the key gene involved in ketocarotenoid biosynthesis in C. zofingiensis. Our study provides insight into the biosynthesis of ketocarotenoids in green algae. Furthermore, Cz-bkt1 mutants may serve as a natural source for the production of zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ye
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Chao Huang
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Berman J, Zorrilla-López U, Medina V, Farré G, Sandmann G, Capell T, Christou P, Zhu C. The Arabidopsis ORANGE (AtOR) gene promotes carotenoid accumulation in transgenic corn hybrids derived from parental lines with limited carotenoid pools. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2017; 36:933-945. [PMID: 28314904 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-017-2126-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The AtOR gene enhances carotenoid levels in corn by promoting the formation of plastoglobuli when the carotenoid pool is limited, but has no further effect when carotenoids are already abundant. The cauliflower orange (or) gene mutation influences carotenoid accumulation in plants by promoting the transition of proplastids into chromoplasts, thus creating intracellular storage compartments that act as metabolic sink. We overexpressed the Arabidopsis OR gene under the control of the endosperm-specific wheat LMW glutenin promoter in a white corn variety that normally accumulates only trace amounts of carotenoids. The total endosperm carotenoid content in the best-performing AtOR transgenic corn line was 32-fold higher than wild-type controls (~25 µg/g DW at 30 days after pollination) but the principal carotenoids remained the same, suggesting that AtOR increases the abundance of existing carotenoids without changing the metabolic composition. We analyzed the expression of endogenous genes representing the carotenoid biosynthesis and MEP pathways, as well as the plastid fusion/translocation factor required for chromoplast formation, but only the DXS1 gene was upregulated in the transgenic corn plants. The line expressing AtOR at the highest level was crossed with four transgenic corn lines expressing different carotenogenic genes and accumulating different carotenoids. The introgression of AtOR increased the carotenoid content of the hybrids when there was a limited carotenoid pool in the parental line, but had no effect when carotenoids were already abundant in the parent. The AtOR gene therefore appears to enhance carotenoid levels by promoting the formation of carotenoid-sequestering plastoglobuli when the carotenoid pool is limited, but has no further effect when carotenoids are already abundant because high levels of carotenoids can induce the formation of carotenoid-sequestering plastoglobuli even in the absence of AtOR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judit Berman
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Uxue Zorrilla-López
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Vicente Medina
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Gemma Farré
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Gerhard Sandmann
- Biosynthesis Group, Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität, 60054, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain
- ICREA, Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Maoka T, Otani M, Khan MZ, Takemura M, Hattan JI, Misawa N. Novel carotenoids produced on the interaction of the foreign carotenoid ketolase CrtW and endogenous epoxycarotenoids unique to sweetpotato tubers. Tetrahedron Lett 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2016.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
5
|
Zhai S, Xia X, He Z. Carotenoids in Staple Cereals: Metabolism, Regulation, and Genetic Manipulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1197. [PMID: 27559339 PMCID: PMC4978713 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids play a critical role in animal and human health. Animals and humans are unable to synthesize carotenoids de novo, and therefore rely upon diet as sources of these compounds. However, major staple cereals often contain only small amounts of carotenoids in their grains. Consequently, there is considerable interest in genetic manipulation of carotenoid content in cereal grain. In this review, we focus on carotenoid metabolism and regulation in non-green plant tissues, as well as genetic manipulation in staple cereals such as rice, maize, and wheat. Significant progress has been made in three aspects: (1) seven carotenogenes play vital roles in carotenoid regulation in non-green plant tissues, including 1-deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate synthase influencing isoprenoid precursor supply, phytoene synthase, β-cyclase, and ε-cyclase controlling biosynthesis, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases responsible for degradation, and orange gene conditioning sequestration sink; (2) provitamin A-biofortified crops, such as rice and maize, were developed by either metabolic engineering or marker-assisted breeding; (3) quantitative trait loci for carotenoid content on chromosomes 3B, 7A, and 7B were consistently identified, eight carotenogenes including 23 loci were detected, and 10 gene-specific markers for carotenoid accumulation were developed and applied in wheat improvement. A comprehensive and deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid metabolism in crops will be beneficial in improving our precision in improving carotenoid contents. Genomic selection and gene editing are emerging as transformative technologies for provitamin A biofortification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Zhai
- National Wheat Improvement Center, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xianchun Xia
- National Wheat Improvement Center, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Zhonghu He
- National Wheat Improvement Center, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing, China
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Arendt P, Pollier J, Callewaert N, Goossens A. Synthetic biology for production of natural and new-to-nature terpenoids in photosynthetic organisms. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 87:16-37. [PMID: 26867713 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
With tens of thousands of characterized members, terpenoids constitute the largest class of natural compounds that are synthesized by all living organisms. Several terpenoids play primary roles in the maintenance of cell membrane fluidity, as pigments or as phytohormones, but most of them function as specialized metabolites that are involved in plant resistance to herbivores or plant-environment interactions. Terpenoids are an essential component of human nutrition, and many are economically important pharmaceuticals, aromatics and potential next-generation biofuels. Because of the often low abundance in their natural source, as well as the demand for novel terpenoid structures with new or improved bioactivities, terpenoid biosynthesis has become a prime target for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology projects. In this review we focus on the creation of new-to-nature or tailor-made plant-derived terpenoids in photosynthetic organisms, in particular by means of combinatorial biosynthesis and the activation of silent metabolism. We reflect on the characteristics of different potential photosynthetic host organisms and recent advances in synthetic biology and discuss their utility for the (heterologous) production of (novel) terpenoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Arendt
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Laboratory for Protein Biochemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nico Callewaert
- Laboratory for Protein Biochemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Takemura M, Maoka T, Misawa N. Biosynthetic routes of hydroxylated carotenoids (xanthophylls) in Marchantia polymorpha, and production of novel and rare xanthophylls through pathway engineering in Escherichia coli. PLANTA 2015; 241:699-710. [PMID: 25467956 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-014-2213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/23/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
MpBHY codes for a carotene β-ring 3(,3')-hydroxylase responsible for both zeaxanthin and lutein biosynthesis in liverwort. MpCYP97C functions as an ε-ring hydroxylase (zeinoxanthin 3'-hydroxylase) to produce lutein in liverwort. Xanthophylls are oxygenated or hydroxylated carotenes that are most abundant in the light-harvesting complexes of plants. The plant-type xanthophylls consist of α-xanthophyll (lutein) and β-xanthophylls (zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, violaxanthin and neoxanthin). The α-xanthophyll and β-xanthophylls are derived from α-carotene and β-carotene by carotene hydroxylase activities, respectively. β-Ring 3,3'-hydroxylase that mediates the route of zeaxanthin from β-carotene via β-cryptoxanthin is present in higher plants and is encoded by the BHY (BCH) gene. On the other hand, CYP97A (or BHY) and CYP97C genes are responsible for β-ring 3-hydroxylation and ε-ring 3'-hydroxylation, respectively, in routes from α-carotene to lutein. To elucidate the evolution of the biosynthetic routes of such hydroxylated carotenoids from carotenes in land plants, we identified and functionally analyzed carotenoid hydroxylase genes of liverwort Marchantia polymorpha L. Three genes homologous to higher plants, BHY, CYP97A, and CYP97C, were isolated and named MpBHY, MpCYP97A, and MpCYP97C, respectively. MpBHY was found to code for β-ring hydroxylase, which is responsible for both routes starting from β-carotene and α-carotene. MpCYP97C functioned as an ε-ring hydroxylase not for α-carotene but for zeinoxanthin, while MpCYP97A showed no hydroxylation activity for β-carotene or α-carotene. These findings suggest the original functions of the hydroxylation enzymes of carotenes in land plants, which are thought to diversify in higher plants. In addition, we generated recombinant Escherichia coli cells, which produced rare and novel carotenoids such as α-echinenone and 4-ketozeinoxanthin, through pathway engineering using bacterial carotenogenic genes that include crtW, in addition to the liverwort MpLCYb, MpLCYe and MpBHY genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miho Takemura
- Research Institute for Bioresources and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectural University, 1-308, Suematsu, Nonoichi, Ishikawa, 921-8836, Japan,
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Maoka T, Takemura M, Tokuda H, Suzuki N, Misawa N. 4-Ketozeinoxanthin, a novel carotenoid produced in Escherichia coli through metabolic engineering using carotenogenic genes of bacterium and liverwort. Tetrahedron Lett 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2014.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
9
|
Wilson SA, Cummings EM, Roberts SC. Multi-scale engineering of plant cell cultures for promotion of specialized metabolism. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2014; 29:163-70. [PMID: 25063984 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2014.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
To establish plant culture systems for product synthesis, a multi-scale engineering approach is necessary. At the intracellular level, the influx of 'omics' data has necessitated development of new methods to properly annotate and establish useful metabolic models that can be applied to elucidate unknown steps in specialized metabolite biosynthesis, define effective metabolic engineering strategies and increase enzyme diversity available for synthetic biology platforms. On an intercellular level, the presence of aggregates in culture leads to distinct metabolic sub-populations. Recent advances in flow cytometric analyses and mass spectrometry imaging allow for resolution of metabolites on the single cell level, providing an increased understanding of culture heterogeneity. Finally, extracellular engineering can be used to enhance culture performance through media manipulation, co-culture with bacteria, the use of exogenous elicitors or modulation of shear stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Wilson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 159 Goessmann Laboratory, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Cummings
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 159 Goessmann Laboratory, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Susan C Roberts
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 159 Goessmann Laboratory, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
| |
Collapse
|