1
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Geissler M, Neubauer C, Sheludko YV, Brückner A, Warzecha H. Nepeta cataria L. (catnip) can serve as a chassis for the engineering of secondary metabolic pathways. Biotechnol Lett 2024; 46:843-850. [PMID: 38717662 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-024-03489-w] [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] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evaluation of Nepeta cataria as a host with specific endogenous metabolite background for transient expression and metabolic engineering of secondary biosynthetic sequences. RESULTS The reporter gene gfp::licBM3 as well as three biosynthetic genes leading to the formation of the cannabinoid precursor olivetolic acid were adopted to the modular cloning standard GoldenBraid, transiently expressed in two chemotypes of N. cataria and compared to Nicotiana benthamiana. To estimate the expression efficiency in both hosts, quantification of the reporter activity was carried out with a sensitive and specific lichenase assay. While N. benthamiana exhibited lichenase activity of 676 ± 94 μmol g-1 s-1, N. cataria cultivar '1000', and the cultivar 'Citriodora' showed an activity of 37 ± 8 μmol g-1 s-1 and 18 ± 4 μmol g-1 s-1, respectively. Further, combinatorial expression of genes involved in cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway acyl-activating enzyme 1 (aae1), olivetol synthase (ols) and olivetolic acid cyclase (oac) in N. cataria cv. resulted presumably in the in vivo production of olivetolic acid glycosides. CONCLUSION Nepeta cataria is amenable to Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression and could serve as a novel chassis for the engineering of secondary metabolic pathways and transient evaluation of heterologous genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Geissler
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christoph Neubauer
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Yuriy V Sheludko
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Adrian Brückner
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Invizyne Technologies Inc, 750 Royal Oaks Drive, Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Heribert Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
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2
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Hancock J, Livingston SJ, Samuels L. Building a biofactory: Constructing glandular trichomes in Cannabis sativa. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 80:102549. [PMID: 38761520 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102549] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Flowers of Cannabis sativa L. are densely covered with glandular trichomes containing cannabis resin that is used for medicinal and recreational purposes. The highly productive glandular trichomes have been described as 'biofactories.' In this review, we use this analogy to highlight recent advances in cannabis cell biology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics. The biofactory is built by epidermal outgrowths that differentiate into peltate-like glandular trichome heads, consisting of a disc of interconnected secretory cells with unique cellular structures. Cannabinoid and terpenoid products are warehoused in the extracellular storage cavity. Finally, multicellular stalks raise the glandular heads above the epidermis, giving cannabis flower their frosty appearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hancock
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Samuel J Livingston
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Lacey Samuels
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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3
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Wang F, Zang Z, Zhao Q, Xiaoyang C, Lei X, Wang Y, Ma Y, Cao R, Song X, Tang L, Deyholos MK, Zhang J. Advancement of Research Progress on Synthesis Mechanism of Cannabidiol (CBD). ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:2008-2018. [PMID: 38900848 PMCID: PMC11264327 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00239] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Cannabis sativa L. is a multipurpose crop with high value for food, textiles, and other industries. Its secondary metabolites, including cannabidiol (CBD), have potential for broad application in medicine. With the CBD market expanding, traditional production may not be sufficient. Here we review the potential for the production of CBD using biotechnology. We describe the chemical and biological synthesis of cannabinoids, the associated enzymes, and the application of metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and heterologous expression to increasing production of CBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Wang
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Zhenyuan Zang
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Chunxiao Xiaoyang
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Xiujuan Lei
- College
of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural
University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yingping Wang
- College
of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural
University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yiqiao Ma
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Rongan Cao
- College
of Food Science, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural
University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Xixia Song
- Institute
of Industrial Crops of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haerbin 150000, China
| | - Lili Tang
- Institute
of Industrial Crops of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haerbin 150000, China
| | - Michael K. Deyholos
- Department
of Biology, University of British Columbia,
Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Jian Zhang
- Faculty
of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Department
of Biology, University of British Columbia,
Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
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4
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Stasiłowicz-Krzemień A, Szymanowska D, Szulc P, Cielecka-Piontek J. Antimicrobial, Probiotic, and Immunomodulatory Potential of Cannabis sativa Extract and Delivery Systems. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:369. [PMID: 38667045 PMCID: PMC11047504 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The compounds present in hemp show multidirectional biological activity. It is related to the presence of secondary metabolites, mainly cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, and the synergy of their biological activity. The aim of this study was to assess the activity of the Henola Cannabis sativae extract and its combinations with selected carriers (polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer, magnesium aluminometasilicate, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) in terms of antimicrobial, probiotic, and immunobiological effects. As a result of the conducted research, the antimicrobial activity of the extract was confirmed in relation to the following microorganisms: Clostridium difficile, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyrogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aereuginosa, and Candida albicans (microorganism count was reduced from ~102 CFU mL-1 to <10 CFU mL-1 in most cases). Additionally, for the system with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, a significant probiotic potential against bacterial strains was established for strains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Streptococcus thermophilus (microorganism count was increased from ~102 to 104-107). In terms of immunomodulatory properties, it was determined that the tested extract and the systems caused changes in IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Stasiłowicz-Krzemień
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Biomaterials, Faculty of Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Daria Szymanowska
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Biomaterials, Faculty of Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 48 Wojska Polskiego Street, 60-627 Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Szulc
- Department of Agronomy, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Dojazd 11, 60-632 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Judyta Cielecka-Piontek
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Biomaterials, Faculty of Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
- Department of Pharmacology and Phytochemistry, Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, Wojska Polskiego 71b, 60-630 Poznan, Poland
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5
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Jordan EN, Schmidt C, Kayser O. Foldseek reveals a CBGA prenylating enzyme GlyMa_02G168000 from Glycine max. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 696:149471. [PMID: 38219483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149471] [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] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The present research provides an application for an aromatic prenyltransferase from Glycine max for use in heterologous microorganism expression to generate cannabinoids. The known cannabinoid prenyltransferase CsPT04 was queried in FoldSeek. An enzyme derived from Glycine max known as GLYMA_02G168000, which is a predicted homogentisate solanyltransferase, was identified and found to have affinity for the prenylation of geranyldiphosphate (GPP) and olivetolic acid (OA) to produce cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and cannabigerol (CBG). The in vitro production of CBGA was accomplished through the heterologous expression of this prenyltransferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After growing the yeast cells, a purified microsomal fraction was harvested, which was rich in the membrane-bound prenyltransferase GlyMa_02G168000. Addition of purified microsomal fraction to a reaction matrix facilitated the successful prenylation of externally supplied OA with GPP, culminating in the production of CBGA. Structural comparisons revealed a notably closer similarity between GLYMA_02G168000 and CsPT04, compared to the similarity of other cannabinoid prenyltransferases with CsPT04. Herein, a novel application for a homogentisate solanyltransferase has been established towards the production of cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Noel Jordan
- Technical Biochemistry, TU Dortmund University, Emil-Figge-Straße 66, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Christina Schmidt
- Technical Biochemistry, TU Dortmund University, Emil-Figge-Straße 66, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Oliver Kayser
- Technical Biochemistry, TU Dortmund University, Emil-Figge-Straße 66, 44227, Dortmund, Germany.
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6
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Sator C, Lico C, Pannucci E, Marchetti L, Baschieri S, Warzecha H, Santi L. Plant-Produced Viral Nanoparticles as a Functionalized Catalytic Support for Metabolic Engineering. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:503. [PMID: 38498408 PMCID: PMC10893517 DOI: 10.3390/plants13040503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Substrate channeling could be very useful for plant metabolic engineering; hence, we propose that functionalized supramolecular self-assembly scaffolds can act as enzymatic hubs able to perform reactions in close contiguity. Virus nanoparticles (VNPs) offer an opportunity in this context, and we present a functionalization strategy to display different enzymes on the outer surface of three different VNPs produced in plants. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and Potato virus X (PVX) plant viruses were functionalized by the genetic fusion of the E-coil peptide coding sequence to their respective coat proteins genes, while the enzyme lichenase was tagged with the K-coil peptide. Immobilized E-coil VNPs were able to interact in vitro with the plant-produced functionalized lichenase, and catalysis was demonstrated by employing a lichenase assay. To prove this concept in planta, the Hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) were similarly functionalized by genetic fusion with the E-coil sequence, while acyl-activating enzyme 1, olivetolic acid synthase, and olivetolic acid cyclase enzymes were tagged with the K-coil. The transient co-expression of the K-coil-enzymes together with E-coil-VLPs allowed the establishment of the heterologous cannabinoid precursor biosynthetic pathway. Noteworthy, a significantly higher yield of olivetolic acid glucoside was achieved when the scaffold E-coil-VLPs were employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sator
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Elisa Pannucci
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Heribert Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
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7
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Schmidt C, Aras M, Kayser O. Engineering cannabinoid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300507. [PMID: 38403455 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300507] [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: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Phytocannabinoids are natural products with highly interesting pharmacological properties mainly produced by plants. The production of cannabinoids in a heterologous host system has gained interest in recent years as a promising alternative to production from plant material. However, the systems reported so far do not achieve industrially relevant titers, highlighting the need for alternative systems. Here, we show the production of the cannabinoids cannabigerolic acid and cannabigerol from glucose and hexanoic acid in a heterologous yeast system using the aromatic prenyltransferase NphB from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190. The production was significantly increased by introducing a fusion protein consisting of ERG20WW and NphB. Furthermore, we improved the production of the precursor olivetolic acid to a titer of 56 mg L-1 . The implementation of the cannabinoid synthase genes enabled the production of Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, cannabidiolic acid as well as cannabichromenic acid, where the heterologous biosynthesis of cannabichromenic acid in a yeast system was demonstrated for the first time. In addition, we found that the product spectrum of the cannabinoid synthases localized to the vacuoles of the yeast cells was highly dependent on extracellular pH, allowing for easy manipulation. Finally, using a fed-batch approach, we showed cannabigerolic acid and olivetolic acid titers of up to 18.2 mg L-1 and 117 mg L-1 , respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Schmidt
- Technical Biochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Marco Aras
- Technical Biochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Oliver Kayser
- Technical Biochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
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8
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Al-Khazaleh AK, Zhou X, Bhuyan DJ, Münch GW, Al-Dalabeeh EA, Jaye K, Chang D. The Neurotherapeutic Arsenal in Cannabis sativa: Insights into Anti-Neuroinflammatory and Neuroprotective Activity and Potential Entourage Effects. Molecules 2024; 29:410. [PMID: 38257323 PMCID: PMC10821245 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020410] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabis, renowned for its historical medicinal use, harbours various bioactive compounds-cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. While major cannabinoids like delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have received extensive scrutiny for their pharmacological properties, emerging evidence underscores the collaborative interactions among these constituents, suggesting a collective therapeutic potential. This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationships and synergies between cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in cannabis. Cannabinoids, pivotal in cannabis's bioactivity, exhibit well-documented analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. Terpenes, aromatic compounds imbuing distinct flavours, not only contribute to cannabis's sensory profile but also modulate cannabinoid effects through diverse molecular mechanisms. Flavonoids, another cannabis component, demonstrate anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, particularly relevant to neuroinflammation. The entourage hypothesis posits that combined cannabinoid, terpene, and flavonoid action yields synergistic or additive effects, surpassing individual compound efficacy. Recognizing the nuanced interactions is crucial for unravelling cannabis's complete therapeutic potential. Tailoring treatments based on the holistic composition of cannabis strains allows optimization of therapeutic outcomes while minimizing potential side effects. This review underscores the imperative to delve into the intricate roles of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, offering promising prospects for innovative therapeutic interventions and advocating continued research to unlock cannabis's full therapeutic potential within the realm of natural plant-based medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad K. Al-Khazaleh
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
| | - Xian Zhou
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
| | - Deep Jyoti Bhuyan
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Gerald W. Münch
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Elaf Adel Al-Dalabeeh
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan;
| | - Kayla Jaye
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
| | - Dennis Chang
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (X.Z.); (D.J.B.); (G.W.M.); (K.J.)
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9
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Zhang Y, Guo J, Gao P, Yan W, Shen J, Luo X, Keasling JD. Development of an efficient yeast platform for cannabigerolic acid biosynthesis. Metab Eng 2023; 80:232-240. [PMID: 37890610 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoids are important therapeutical molecules for human ailments, cancer treatment, and SARS-CoV-2. The central cannabinoid, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), is generated from geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid by Cannabis sativa prenyltransferase (CsPT4). Despite efforts to engineer microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) for CBGA production, their titers remain suboptimal because of the low conversion of hexanoate into olivetolic acid and the limited activity and stability of the CsPT4. To address the low hexanoate conversion, we eliminated hexanoate consumption by the beta-oxidation pathway and reduced its incorporation into fatty acids. To address CsPT4 limitations, we expanded the endoplasmic reticulum and fused an auxiliary protein to CsPT4. Consequently, the engineered S. cerevisiae chassis showed a marked improvement of 78.64-fold in CBGA production, reaching a titer of 510.32 ± 10.70 mg l-1 from glucose and hexanoate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfeng Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicines, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jiulong Guo
- Synceres Biosciences (Shenzhen) CO., LTD, China
| | - PeiZhen Gao
- Synceres Biosciences (Shenzhen) CO., LTD, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Synceres Biosciences (Shenzhen) CO., LTD, China
| | - Junfeng Shen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicines, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiaozhou Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicines, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Jay D Keasling
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China; Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA; Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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10
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Xie Z, Mi Y, Kong L, Gao M, Chen S, Chen W, Meng X, Sun W, Chen S, Xu Z. Cannabis sativa: origin and history, glandular trichome development, and cannabinoid biosynthesis. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad150. [PMID: 37691962 PMCID: PMC10485653 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Is Cannabis a boon or bane? Cannabis sativa has long been a versatile crop for fiber extraction (industrial hemp), traditional Chinese medicine (hemp seeds), and recreational drugs (marijuana). Cannabis faced global prohibition in the twentieth century because of the psychoactive properties of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol; however, recently, the perspective has changed with the recognition of additional therapeutic values, particularly the pharmacological potential of cannabidiol. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanism of cannabinoid biosynthesis is necessary to cultivate and promote globally the medicinal application of Cannabis resources. Here, we comprehensively review the historical usage of Cannabis, biosynthesis of trichome-specific cannabinoids, regulatory network of trichome development, and synthetic biology of cannabinoids. This review provides valuable insights into the efficient biosynthesis and green production of cannabinoids, and the development and utilization of novel Cannabis varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yaolei Mi
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Lingzhe Kong
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Maolun Gao
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiangxiao Meng
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Wei Sun
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Shilin Chen
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Institute of Herbgenomics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
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11
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Bolaños-Martínez OC, Malla A, Rosales-Mendoza S, Vimolmangkang S. Harnessing the advances of genetic engineering in microalgae for the production of cannabinoids. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:823-834. [PMID: 35762029 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2071672] [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] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is widely recognized as a medicinal plant owing to bioactive cannabinoids. However, it is still considered a narcotic plant, making it hard to be accessed. Since the biosynthetic pathway of cannabinoids is disclosed, biotechnological methods can be employed to produce cannabinoids in heterologous systems. This would pave the way toward biosynthesizing any cannabinoid compound of interest, especially minor substances that are less produced by a plant but have a high medicinal value. In this context, microalgae have attracted increasing scientific interest given their unique potential for biopharmaceutical production. In the present review, the current knowledge on cannabinoid production in different hosts is summarized and the biotechnological potential of microalgae as an emerging platform for synthetic production is put in perspective. A critical survey of genetic requirements and various transformation approaches are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omayra C Bolaños-Martínez
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ashwini Malla
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Sornkanok Vimolmangkang
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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12
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Sands LB, Haiden SR, Ma Y, Berkowitz GA. Hormonal control of promoter activities of Cannabis sativa prenyltransferase 1 and 4 and salicylic acid mediated regulation of cannabinoid biosynthesis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8620. [PMID: 37244890 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35303-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa aromatic prenyltransferase 4 (CsPT4) and 1 (CsPT1) have been shown to catalyze cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) biosynthesis, a step that rate-limits the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway; both genes are highly expressed in flowers. CsPT4 and CsPT1 promoter driven β-glucuronidase (GUS) activities were detected in leaves of cannabis seedlings, and strong CsPT4 promoter activities were associated with glandular trichomes. Hormonal regulation of cannabinoid biosynthetic genes is poorly understood. An in silico analysis of the promoters identified putative hormone responsive elements. Our work examines hormone-responsive elements in the promoters of CsPT4 and CsPT1 in the context of physiological responses of the pathway to the hormone in planta. Dual luciferase assays confirmed the regulation of promoter activities by the hormones. Further studies with salicylic acid (SA) demonstrated that SA pretreatment increased the expression of genes located downstream of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway. The results from all aspects of this study demonstrated an interaction between certain hormones and cannabinoid synthesis. The work provides information relevant to plant biology, as we present evidence demonstrating correlations between molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression and influence plant chemotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren B Sands
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-4163, USA
- SafeTiva Labs, Westfield, MA, 01085, USA
| | - Samuel R Haiden
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-4163, USA
| | - Yi Ma
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-4163, USA.
| | - Gerald A Berkowitz
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-4163, USA.
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13
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Berman P, de Haro LA, Jozwiak A, Panda S, Pinkas Z, Dong Y, Cveticanin J, Barbole R, Livne R, Scherf T, Shimoni E, Levin-Zaidman S, Dezorella N, Petrovich-Kopitman E, Meir S, Rogachev I, Sonawane PD, Aharoni A. Parallel evolution of cannabinoid biosynthesis. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:817-831. [PMID: 37127748 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01402-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Modulation of the endocannabinoid system is projected to have therapeutic potential in almost all human diseases. Accordingly, the high demand for novel cannabinoids stimulates the discovery of untapped sources and efficient manufacturing technologies. Here we explored Helichrysum umbraculigerum, an Asteraceae species unrelated to Cannabis sativa that produces Cannabis-type cannabinoids (for example, 4.3% cannabigerolic acid). In contrast to Cannabis, cannabinoids in H. umbraculigerum accumulate in leaves' glandular trichomes rather than in flowers. The integration of de novo whole-genome sequencing data with unambiguous chemical structure annotation, enzymatic assays and pathway reconstitution in Nicotiana benthamiana and in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has uncovered the molecular and chemical features of this plant. Apart from core biosynthetic enzymes, we reveal tailoring ones producing previously unknown cannabinoid metabolites. Orthology analyses demonstrate that cannabinoid synthesis evolved in parallel in H. umbraculigerum and Cannabis. Our discovery provides a currently unexploited source of cannabinoids and tools for engineering in heterologous hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Berman
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Luis Alejandro de Haro
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Adam Jozwiak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sayantan Panda
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Zoe Pinkas
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Younghui Dong
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jelena Cveticanin
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ranjit Barbole
- Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Rotem Livne
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Scherf
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eyal Shimoni
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Smadar Levin-Zaidman
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Nili Dezorella
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Sagit Meir
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ilana Rogachev
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Prashant D Sonawane
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
- Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
| | - Asaph Aharoni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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14
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Kosalková K, Barreiro C, Sánchez-Orejas IC, Cueto L, García-Estrada C. Biotechnological Fungal Platforms for the Production of Biosynthetic Cannabinoids. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9020234. [PMID: 36836348 PMCID: PMC9963667 DOI: 10.3390/jof9020234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids are bioactive meroterpenoids comprising prenylated polyketide molecules that can modulate a wide range of physiological processes. Cannabinoids have been shown to possess various medical/therapeutic effects, such as anti-convulsive, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, antinausea, and anti-microbial properties. The increasing interest in their beneficial effects and application as clinically useful drugs has promoted the development of heterologous biosynthetic platforms for the industrial production of these compounds. This approach can help circumvent the drawbacks associated with extraction from naturally occurring plants or chemical synthesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the fungal platforms developed by genetic engineering for the biosynthetic production of cannabinoids. Different yeast species, such as Komagataella phaffii (formerly P. pastoris) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been genetically modified to include the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway and to improve metabolic fluxes in order to increase cannabinoid titers. In addition, we engineered the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum for the first time as a host microorganism for the production of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid from intermediates (cannabigerolic acid and olivetolic acid), thereby showing the potential of filamentous fungi as alternative platforms for cannabinoid biosynthesis upon optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Kosalková
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Av. Real 1, 24006 León, Spain
| | - Carlos Barreiro
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Av. Real 1, 24006 León, Spain
- Área de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Departamento de Biología Molecular, Campus de Vegazana, Universidad de León, 24007 León, Spain
| | | | - Laura Cueto
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Av. Real 1, 24006 León, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Av. Real 1, 24006 León, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana, Universidad de León, 24007 León, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-987-293-693
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15
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Grzech D, Hong B, Caputi L, Sonawane PD, O’Connor SE. Engineering the Biosynthesis of Late-Stage Vinblastine Precursors Precondylocarpine Acetate, Catharanthine, Tabersonine in Nicotiana benthamiana. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:27-34. [PMID: 36516122 PMCID: PMC9872167 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Vinblastine is a chemotherapy agent produced by the plant Catharanthus roseus in small quantities. Currently, vinblastine is sourced by isolation or semisynthesis. Nicotiana benthamiana is a plant heterologous host that can be used for reconstitution of biosynthetic pathways as an alternative natural product sourcing strategy. Recently, the biosynthesis of the late-stage vinblastine precursors precondylocarpine acetate, catharanthine, and tabersonine have been fully elucidated. However, the large number of enzymes involved in the pathway and the unstable nature of intermediates make the reconstitution of late-stage vinblastine precursor biosynthesis challenging. We used the N. benthamiana chassis and a state-of-art modular vector assembly to optimize the six biosynthetic steps leading to production of precondylocarpine acetate from the central intermediate strictosidine (∼2.7 mg per 1 g frozen tissue). After selecting the optimal regulatory element combination, we constructed four transcriptional unit assemblies and tested their efficiency. Finally, we successfully reconstituted the biosynthetic steps leading to production of catharanthine and tabersonine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagny Grzech
- Department
of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Benke Hong
- Department
of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Lorenzo Caputi
- Department
of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Prashant D. Sonawane
- Department
of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sarah E. O’Connor
- Department
of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
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16
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Peng Q, Yang J, Wang Q, Suo H, Hamdy AM, Song J. Antifungal Effect of Metabolites from a New Strain Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum LPP703 Isolated from Naturally Fermented Yak Yogurt. Foods 2023; 12:foods12010181. [PMID: 36613401 PMCID: PMC9818598 DOI: 10.3390/foods12010181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The antifungal effect of metabolites produced by a new strain of Lactiplantibacillus (Lpb.) plantarum LPP703, isolated from naturally fermented yak yogurt, was investigated. The results showed that Lpb. plantarum LPP703 significantly inhibited four fungal species, including Penicillium sp., Rhizopus delemar, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger. The metabolites produced after 20 h of Lpb. plantarum LPP703 fermentation showed the highest antifungal activity against Penicillium sp. Compared with the control group, the Lpb. plantarum LPP703 metabolites-treated Penicillium sp. spores were stained red by propidium iodide, indicating that the cell membrane of the fungal spores was damaged. Moreover, the antifungal effect of the Lpb. plantarum LPP703 metabolites on Penicillium sp. was not changed after heating or treatment with various proteases, but showed a sharp decrease when the pH value was regulated to 5.0 or above. The oleamide, trans-cinnamic acid, and citric acid were the three most abundant in the Lpb. plantarum LPP703 metabolites. Molecular docking predicated that the oleamide interacted with the active site of lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase (CYP51, a crucial enzyme for fungal membrane integrity) through hydrogen bonds and had the lowest docking score, representing the strongest binding affinity to CYP51. Taken together, the metabolites from a new strain of Lpb. plantarum, LPP703, had potent antifungal activity against Penicillium sp., which might be associated with the damage of the active ingredient to fungal membrane integrity. This study indicated that Lpb. plantarum LPP703 and its metabolites might act as biological control agents to prevent fungal growth in the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Peng
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Agricultural Product Processing Technology Innovation Platform, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Processing & Storage of Distinct Agricultural Products, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Agricultural Product Processing Technology Innovation Platform, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Huayi Suo
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Agricultural Product Processing Technology Innovation Platform, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ahmed Mahmoud Hamdy
- Dairy Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Jiajia Song
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Agricultural Product Processing Technology Innovation Platform, Chongqing 400715, China
- Correspondence:
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17
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Current status and future prospects in cannabinoid production through in vitro culture and synthetic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 62:108074. [PMID: 36481387 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, cannabis has been a rich source of fibrous, pharmaceutical, and recreational ingredients. Phytocannabinoids are the most important and well-known class of cannabis-derived secondary metabolites and display a broad range of health-promoting and psychoactive effects. The unique characteristics of phytocannabinoids (e.g., metabolite likeness, multi-target spectrum, and safety profile) have resulted in the development and approval of several cannabis-derived drugs. While most work has focused on the two main cannabinoids produced in the plant, over 150 unique cannabinoids have been identified. To meet the rapidly growing phytocannabinoid demand, particularly many of the minor cannabinoids found in low amounts in planta, biotechnology offers promising alternatives for biosynthesis through in vitro culture and heterologous systems. In recent years, the engineered production of phytocannabinoids has been obtained through synthetic biology both in vitro (cell suspension culture and hairy root culture) and heterologous systems. However, there are still several bottlenecks (e.g., the complexity of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway and optimizing the bioprocess), hampering biosynthesis and scaling up the biotechnological process. The current study reviews recent advances related to in vitro culture-mediated cannabinoid production. Additionally, an integrated overview of promising conventional approaches to cannabinoid production is presented. Progress toward cannabinoid production in heterologous systems and possible avenues for avoiding autotoxicity are also reviewed and highlighted. Machine learning is then introduced as a powerful tool to model, and optimize bioprocesses related to cannabinoid production. Finally, regulation and manipulation of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway using CRISPR- mediated metabolic engineering is discussed.
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18
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Livingston SJ, Chou EY, Quilichini TD, Page JE, Samuels AL. Overcoming the challenges of preserving lipid-rich Cannabis sativa L. glandular trichomes for transmission electron microscopy. J Microsc 2022. [PMID: 36542368 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13165] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis glandular trichomes produce and store an abundance of lipidic specialised metabolites (e.g. cannabinoids and terpenes) that are consumed by humans for medicinal and recreational purposes. Due to a lack of genetic resources and inherent autofluorescence of cannabis glandular trichomes, our knowledge of cannabinoid trafficking and secretion is limited to transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Advances in cryofixation methods has resulted in ultrastructural observations closer to the 'natural state' of the living cell, and recent reports of cryofixed cannabis trichome ultrastructure challenge the long-standing model of cannabinoid trafficking proposed by ultrastructural reports using chemically fixed samples. Here, we compare the ultrastructural morphology of cannabis glandular trichomes preserved using conventional chemical fixation and ultrarapid cryofixation. We show that chemical fixation results in amorphous metabolite inclusions surrounding the organelles of glandular trichomes that were not present in cryofixed samples. Vacuolar morphology in cryofixed samples exhibited homogenous electron density, while chemically fixed samples contained a flocculent electron dense periphery and electron lucent lumen. In contrast to the apparent advantages of cryopreservation, fine details of cell wall fibre orientation could be observed in chemically fixed glandular trichomes that were not seen in cryofixed samples. Our data suggest that chemical fixation results in intracellular artefacts that impact the interpretation of lipid production and trafficking, while enabling greater detail of extracellular polysaccharide organisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Livingston
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eva Yi Chou
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Teagen D Quilichini
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jonathan E Page
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Lacey Samuels
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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19
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Perrin J, Besseau S, Papon N, Courdavault V. Boosting lignan-precursor synthesis in yeast cell factories through co-factor supply optimization. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1079801. [DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1079801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
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20
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Metabolic Engineering of Nicotiana benthamiana to Produce Cannabinoid Precursors and Their Analogues. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12121181. [PMID: 36557219 PMCID: PMC9786632 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12121181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the perspective towards the use of cannabis has slowly shifted from being an illicit drug to a medicinal plant. The pathway and enzymes involved in the production of cannabinoids are known; however, studies evaluating the production of cannabinoids in heterologous plants and cell cultures are still limited. In this study, we assessed the potential use of N. benthamiana (Nicotiana benthamiana) plants as a heterologous host for producing natural and novel cannabinoids. Transgenic N. benthamiana plants expressing genes encoding cannabis acyl-activating enzyme and olivetol synthase were generated, which were then used for transiently expressing other downstream pathway genes. Production of olivetolic acid and divarinic acid, the universal precursors for major and minor cannabinoids, respectively, was observed in transgenic N. benthamiana plants. To produce novel cannabinoid precursors with different side chains, various fatty acids were infiltrated into the transgenic N. benthamiana plants and the production of novel derivatives was observed. Although we were not able to derive the core intermediate, cannabigerolic acid, from our transgenic plants, possibly due to the low production levels of the precursors, our transgenics plants still serve as a high-potential platform for further development and exploring the N. benthamiana chemical space for generating novel cannabinoids.
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21
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Wiles D, Shanbhag BK, O'Brien M, Doblin MS, Bacic A, Beddoe T. Heterologous production of Cannabis sativa-derived specialised metabolites of medicinal significance - Insights into engineering strategies. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 203:113380. [PMID: 36049526 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis sativa L. has been known for at least 2000 years as a source of important, medically significant specialised metabolites and several bio-active molecules have been enriched from multiple chemotypes. However, due to the many levels of complexity in both the commercial cultivation of cannabis and extraction of its specialised metabolites, several heterologous production approaches are being pursued in parallel. In this review, we outline the recent achievements in engineering strategies used for heterologous production of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids along with their strength and weakness. We provide an overview of the specialised metabolism pathway in C. sativa and a comprehensive list of the specialised metabolites produced along with their medicinal significance. We highlight cannabinoid-like molecules produced by other species. We discuss the key biosynthetic enzymes and their heterologous production using various hosts such as microbial and eukaryotic systems. A brief discussion on complementary production strategies using co-culturing and cell-free systems is described. Various approaches to optimise specialised metabolite production through co-expression, enzyme engineering and pathway engineering are discussed. We derive insights from recent advances in metabolic engineering of hosts with improved precursor supply and suggest their application for the production of C. sativa speciality metabolites. We present a collation of non-conventional hosts with speciality traits that can improve the feasibility of commercial heterologous production of cannabis-based specialised metabolites. We provide a perspective of emerging research in synthetic biology, allied analytical techniques and plant heterologous platforms as focus areas for heterologous production of cannabis specialised metabolites in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Wiles
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Bhuvana K Shanbhag
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Martin O'Brien
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Monika S Doblin
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia; La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Antony Bacic
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia; La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Travis Beddoe
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences and AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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22
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Wang S, Cao X, Meng X, Aili M, Dou Q, Wang Y, Wahab AT, Chen S, Sun W, Wan H, Chen W. Characterization and expression analysis of MATEs in Cannabis sativa L. reveals genes involving in cannabinoid synthesis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1021088. [PMID: 36311070 PMCID: PMC9606718 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1021088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The medicinal plant Cannabis sativa L. (C. sativa) accumulates plant cytotoxic but medicinally important cannabinoids in glandular trichomes and flowers of female plants. Although the major biosynthetic pathway of cannabinoids has been revealed, their transportation mechanism is still unknown. Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion proteins (MATEs) can transport plant metabolites, ions and phytohormones intra and inter-cellularly. MATEs could have the potential to translocate cannabinoids or their synthetic intermediates to cellular compartment, thus protecting them from unwanted modifications and cytotoxicity. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and expression analysis of Cannabis sativa MATEs (CsMATEs) and revealed 42 CsMATEs that were classified phylogenetically into four conserved subfamilies. Forty-two CsMATEs were unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes, with 50% CsMATEs were physically adjacent to at least one another CsMATEs and 83% CsMATEs localized on plasma membrane. Tandem duplication is the major evolutionary driving force for CsMATEs expansion. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed CsMATE23, CsMATE28 and CsMATE34 mainly expressed in flower, whereas CsMATE17 and CsMATE27 showed strong transcription in root. Light responsive cis-acting element was most abundant in promoters of CsMATE23, CsMATE28 and CsMATE34. Finally, the contents of cannabinoids and corresponding biosynthetic intermediates as well as expressions of CsMATE28 and CsMATE34 were determined under UV-B treatment, among which strong correlation was found. Our results indicates that CsMATEs might involve in biosynthesis of cannabinoids and has the potential to be used in heterologous production of cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sifan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Cao
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangxiao Meng
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Maimaiti Aili
- Xinjiang Institute of Traditional Uyghur Medicine, Urumqi, China
| | - Qin Dou
- Xinjiang Institute of Traditional Uyghur Medicine, Urumqi, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Atia Tul Wahab
- Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shilin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huihua Wan
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Identification and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xinjiang Institute of Traditional Uyghur Medicine, Urumqi, China
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23
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Yao X, Wuzhang K, Peng B, Chen T, Zhang Y, Liu H, Li L, Fu X, Tang K. Engineering the expression of plant secondary metabolites-genistein and scutellarin through an efficient transient production platform in Nicotiana benthamiana L. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:994792. [PMID: 36147222 PMCID: PMC9485999 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.994792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products (PNPs) are active substances indispensable to human health with a wide range of medical and commercial applications. However, excessive population growth, overexploitation of natural resources, and expensive total chemical synthesis have led to recurrent supply shortages. Despite the fact that the microbial production platform solved these challenges, the platform still has drawbacks such as environmental pollution, high costs, and non-green production. In this study, an efficient platform for the production of PNPs based on the transient expression system of Nicotiana benthamiana L. combined with synthetic biology strategies was developed. Subsequently, the feasibility of the platform was verified by a simple "test unit." This platform was used to synthesize two high-value PNPs: genistein (5.51 nmol g-1 FW) and scutellarin (11.35 nmol g-1 FW). Importantly, this is the first report on the synthesis of scutellarin in heterologous plants. The platform presented here will possibly be adopted for the heterologous production of genistein and scutellarin in tobacco plants as a novel and sustainable production strategy.
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24
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Welling MT, Deseo MA, Bacic A, Doblin MS. Biosynthetic origins of unusual cannabimimetic phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa L: A review. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 201:113282. [PMID: 35718133 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants of Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) produce an array of more than 160 isoprenylated resorcinyl polyketides, commonly referred to as phytocannabinoids. These compounds represent molecules of therapeutic importance due to their modulation of the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). While understanding of the biosynthesis of the major phytocannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) has grown rapidly in recent years, the biosynthetic origin and genetic regulation of many potentially therapeutically relevant minor phytocannabinoids remain unknown, which limits the development of chemotypically elite varieties of C. sativa. This review provides an up-to-date inventory of unusual phytocannabinoids which exhibit cannabimimetic-like activities and proposes putative metabolic origins. Metabolic branch points exploitable for combinatorial biosynthesis and engineering of phytocannabinoids with augmented therapeutic activities are also described, as is the role of phytocannabinoid remodelling to accelerate the therapeutic portfolio expansion in C. sativa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Welling
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Myrna A Deseo
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Antony Bacic
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Monika S Doblin
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
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25
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Semple SJ, Staerk D, Buirchell BJ, Fowler RM, Gericke O, Kjaerulff L, Zhao Y, Pedersen HA, Petersen MJ, Rasmussen LF, Bredahl EK, Pedersen GB, McNair LM, Ndi CP, Hansen NL, Heskes AM, Bayly MJ, Loland CJ, Heinz N, Møller BL. Biodiscoveries within the Australian plant genus Eremophila based on international and interdisciplinary collaboration: results and perspectives on outstanding ethical dilemmas. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 111:936-953. [PMID: 35696314 PMCID: PMC9543726 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In a cross-continental research initiative, including researchers working in Australia and Denmark, and based on joint external funding by a 3-year grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, we have used DNA sequencing, extensive chemical profiling and molecular networking analyses across the entire Eremophila genus to provide new knowledge on the presence of natural products and their bioactivities using polypharmocological screens. Sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids and dimers of branched-chain fatty acids with previously unknown chemical structures were identified. The collection of plant material from the Eremophila genus was carried out according to a 'bioprospecting agreement' with the Government of Western Australia. We recognize that several Eremophila species hold immense cultural significance to Australia's First Peoples. In spite of our best intentions to ensure that new knowledge gained about the genus Eremophila and any potential future benefits are shared in an equitable manner, in accordance with the Nagoya Protocol, we encounter serious dilemmas and potential conflicts in making benefit sharing with Australia's First Peoples a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J. Semple
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health SciencesUniversity of South AustraliaAdelaide5000Australia
| | - Dan Staerk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Rachael M. Fowler
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoria3010Australia
| | - Oliver Gericke
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
- Present address:
Carlsberg Research LaboratoryJ.C. Jacobsens Gade 4DK‐1799CopenhagenValbyDenmark.
| | - Louise Kjaerulff
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Yong Zhao
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Hans Albert Pedersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Malene J. Petersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Line Fentz Rasmussen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Emilie Kold Bredahl
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Gustav Blichfeldt Pedersen
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
| | - Laura Mikél McNair
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Chi P. Ndi
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health SciencesUniversity of South AustraliaAdelaide5000Australia
| | - Nikolaj Lervad Hansen
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
| | - Allison M. Heskes
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
| | - Michael J. Bayly
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoria3010Australia
| | - Claus J. Loland
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐2100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Nanna Heinz
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
| | - Birger Lindberg Møller
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenDK‐1871Frederiksberg CDenmark
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26
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Livingston SJ, Rensing KH, Page JE, Samuels AL. A polarized supercell produces specialized metabolites in cannabis trichomes. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4040-4047.e4. [PMID: 35917819 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.014] [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: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, humans have cultivated cannabis for the pharmacological properties that result from consuming its specialized metabolites, primarily cannabinoids and terpenoids. Today, cannabis is a multi-billion-dollar industry whose existence rests on the biological activity of tiny cell clusters, called glandular trichomes, found mainly on flowers. Cannabinoids are toxic to cannabis cells,1 and how the trichome cells can produce and secrete massive quantities of lipophilic metabolites is not known.1 To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated cannabis glandular trichomes using ultra-rapid cryofixation, quantitative electron microscopy, and immuno-gold labeling of cannabinoid pathway enzymes. We demonstrate that the metabolically active cells in cannabis form a "supercell," with extensive cytoplasmic bridges across the cell walls and a polar distribution of organelles adjacent to the apical surface where metabolites are secreted. The predicted metabolic role of the non-photosynthetic plastids is supported by unusual membrane arrays in the plastids and the localization of the start of the cannabinoid/terpene pathway in the stroma of the plastids. Abundant membrane contact sites connected plastid paracrystalline cores with the plastid envelope, plastid with endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and ER with plasma membrane. The final step of cannabinoid biosynthesis, catalyzed by tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase (THCAS), was localized in the cell-surface wall facing the extracellular storage cavity. We propose a new model of how the cannabis cells can support abundant metabolite production, with emphasis on the key role of membrane contact sites and extracellular THCA biosynthesis. This new model can inform synthetic biology approaches for cannabinoid production in yeast or cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Livingston
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | | | - Jonathan E Page
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - A Lacey Samuels
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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27
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Deguchi M, Dhir S, Potlakayala S, Dhir S, Curtis WR, Rudrabhatla S. In planta Female Flower Agroinfiltration Alters the Cannabinoid Composition in Industrial Hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:921970. [PMID: 35941940 PMCID: PMC9356322 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.921970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Industrial hemp is a diploid (2n = 20), dioecious plant, and an essential source of various phytochemical productions. More than 540 phytochemicals have been described, some of which proved helpful in the remedial treatment of human diseases. Therefore, further study of hemp phytochemicals in medicine is highly anticipated. Previously, we developed the vacuum agroinfiltration method, which allows the transient gene expression in hemp tissues including female flowers, where cannabinoids are produced and accumulated. In this study, we attempted to alter the composition of total CBD and THC. The RT-PCR and sanger sequence identified eleven copies of the CBDAS gene, two copies of the THCAS gene, and one CBCAS gene. Binary vectors were constructed to overexpress the CBDAS gene and silence the THCAS gene via RNA interference. The Transcript level of the CBDAS gene was increased by more than 10 times than the plants used as a control, which led to a 54% higher total CBD content. The silencing of the THCAS gene led to downregulation of the THCAS gene, with an 80% reduction in transcript levels, and total THC content was reduced to 43% compared with mock plant. These results suggest that hemp vacuum infiltration is highly effective for metabolic engineering of cannabinoids in hemp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michihito Deguchi
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
| | - Seema Dhir
- Biology Department, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA, United States
| | - Shobha Potlakayala
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
| | - Sarwan Dhir
- Family Sciences and Technology, College of Agriculture, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA, United States
| | - Wayne R. Curtis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sairam Rudrabhatla
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
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28
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Apicella PV, Sands LB, Ma Y, Berkowitz GA. Delineating genetic regulation of cannabinoid biosynthesis during female flower development in Cannabis sativa. PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e412. [PMID: 35774623 PMCID: PMC9219008 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoids are predominantly produced in the glandular trichomes on cannabis female flowers. There is little known on how cannabinoid biosynthesis is regulated during female flower development. We aim to understand the rate-limiting step(s) in the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway. We investigated the transcript levels of cannabinoid biosynthetic genes together with cannabinoid contents during 7 weeks of female flower development. We demonstrated that the enzymatic steps for producing cannabigerol (CBG), which involve genes GPPS, PT, TKS, and OAC, could rate limit cannabinoid biosynthesis. Our findings further suggest that upregulation of cannabinoid synthases, CBDAS and THCAS in a commercial hemp and medical marijuana variety, respectively, is not critical for cannabinoid biosynthesis. The cannabinoid biosynthetic genes are generally upregulated during flower maturation; increased expression occurs coincident with glandular trichome development and cannabinoid production in the maturing flower. The results also suggest that different cannabis varieties may experience discrete transcriptional regulation of cannabinoid biosynthetic genes. In addition, we showed that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) can potentially increase cannabinoid production. We propose that biweekly applications of 100 μM MeJA starting from flower initiation would be efficacious for promoting cannabinoid biosynthesis. Our findings provide important genetic information for cannabis breeding to generate new varieties with favorable traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V. Apicella
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology LaboratoryUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | - Lauren B. Sands
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology LaboratoryUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | - Yi Ma
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology LaboratoryUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | - Gerald A. Berkowitz
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Biotechnology LaboratoryUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
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29
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Yap SHK, Pan J, Linh DV, Zhang X, Wang X, Teo WZ, Zamburg E, Tham CK, Yew WS, Poh CL, Thean AVY. Engineered Nucleotide Chemicapacitive Microsensor Array Augmented with Physics-Guided Machine Learning for High-Throughput Screening of Cannabidiol. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2107659. [PMID: 35521934 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202107659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The recent legalization of cannabidiol (CBD) to treat neurological conditions such as epilepsy has sparked rising interest across global pharmaceuticals and synthetic biology industries to engineer microbes for sustainable synthetic production of medicinal CBD. Since the process involves screening large amounts of samples, the main challenge is often associated with the conventional screening platform that is time consuming, and laborious with high operating costs. Here, a portable, high-throughput Aptamer-based BioSenSing System (ABS3 ) is introduced for label-free, low-cost, fully automated, and highly accurate CBD concentrations' classification in a complex biological environment. The ABS3 comprises an array of interdigitated microelectrode sensors, each functionalized with different engineered aptamers. To further empower the functionality of the ABS3 , unique electrochemical features from each sensor are synergized using physics-guided multidimensional analysis. The capabilities of this ABS3 are demonstrated by achieving excellent CBD concentrations' classification with a high prediction accuracy of 99.98% and a fast testing time of 22 µs per testing sample using the optimized random forest (RF) model. It is foreseen that this approach will be the key to the realistic transformation from fundamental research to system miniaturization for diagnostics of disease biomarkers and drug development in the field of chemical/bioanalytics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Hui Kit Yap
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Jieming Pan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Dao Viet Linh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Xinghua Wang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Wei Zhe Teo
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Evgeny Zamburg
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Chen-Khong Tham
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Wen Shan Yew
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Chueh Loo Poh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Aaron Voon-Yew Thean
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
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30
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Tan YS, Zhang RK, Liu ZH, Li BZ, Yuan YJ. Microbial Adaptation to Enhance Stress Tolerance. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:888746. [PMID: 35572687 PMCID: PMC9093737 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.888746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial cell factories have been widely used in the production of various chemicals. Although synthetic biology is useful in improving the cell factories, adaptation is still widely applied to enhance its complex properties. Adaptation is an important strategy for enhancing stress tolerance in microbial cell factories. Adaptation involves gradual modifications of microorganisms in a stressful environment to enhance their tolerance. During adaptation, microorganisms use different mechanisms to enhance non-preferred substrate utilization and stress tolerance, thereby improving their ability to adapt for growth and survival. In this paper, the progress on the effects of adaptation on microbial substrate utilization capacity and environmental stress tolerance are reviewed, and the mechanisms involved in enhancing microbial adaptive capacity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Shui Tan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Synthetic Biology Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ren-Kuan Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Synthetic Biology Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Synthetic Biology Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bing-Zhi Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Synthetic Biology Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Synthetic Biology Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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31
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Appendino G, Taglialatela-Scafati O, Muñoz E. Cannabidiol (CBD) From Non-Cannabis Plants: Myth or Reality? Nat Prod Commun 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x221098843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Reports on the occurrence of cannabidiol (CBD, 1) in non-cannabis plants are critically reviewed. The isolation of 1 from Humulus Kriya (sic) was fraudulent and from Trema orientalis and stevia dubious, while the occurrence of traces of 1 in flax needs additional confirmation. The presence of high concentration of cannabigerol (CBG, 3a) and its corresponding acidic precursor (GBGA, 3b) in Helichrysum umbraculigerum could not be confirmed, but this plant deserves additional attention due to the possible phytocannabinoids accumulation in selected chemotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eduardo Muñoz
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Fisiología e Inmunología, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, Spain Córdoba, Spain
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32
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Understanding Cannabis sativa L.: Current Status of Propagation, Use, Legalization, and Haploid-Inducer-Mediated Genetic Engineering. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11091236. [PMID: 35567237 PMCID: PMC9104644 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis sativa L. is an illegal plant in many countries. The worldwide criminalization of the plant has for many years limited its research. Consequently, understanding the full scope of its benefits and harm became limited too. However, in recent years the world has witnessed an increased pace in legalization and decriminalization of C. sativa. This has prompted an increase in scientific studies on various aspects of the plant’s growth, development, and use. This review brings together the historical and current information about the plant’s relationship with mankind. We highlight the important aspects of C. sativa classification and identification, carefully analyzing the supporting arguments for both monotypic (single species) and polytypic (multiple species) perspectives. The review also identifies recent studies on suitable conditions and methods for C. sativa propagation as well as highlighting the diverse uses of the plant. Specifically, we describe the beneficial and harmful effects of the prominent phytocannabinoids and provide status of the studies on heterologous synthesis of phytocannabinoids in different biological systems. With a historical view on C. sativa legality, the review also provides an up-to-date worldwide standpoint on its regulation. Finally, we present a summary of the studies on genome editing and suggest areas for future research.
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Remali J, Sahidin I, Aizat WM. Xanthone Biosynthetic Pathway in Plants: A Review. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:809497. [PMID: 35463410 PMCID: PMC9024401 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.809497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Xanthones are secondary metabolites rich in structural diversity and possess a broad array of pharmacological properties, such as antitumor, antidiabetic, and anti-microbes. These aromatic compounds are found in higher plants, such as Clusiaceae, Hypericaceae, and Gentianaceae, yet their biosynthetic pathways have not been comprehensively updated especially within the last decade (up to 2021). In this review, plant xanthone biosynthesis is detailed to illuminate their intricacies and differences between species. The pathway initially involves the shikimate pathway, either through L-phenylalanine-dependent or -independent pathway, that later forms an intermediate benzophenone, 2,3',4,6-tetrahydoxybenzophenone. This is followed by a regioselective intramolecular mediated oxidative coupling to form xanthone ring compounds, 1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone (1,3,5-THX) or 1,3,7-THX, the core precursors for xanthones in most plants. Recent evidence has shed some lights onto the enzymes and reactions involved in this xanthone pathway. In particular, several biosynthetic enzymes have been characterized at both biochemical and molecular levels from various organisms including Hypericum spp., Centaurium erythraea and Garcinia mangostana. Proposed pathways for a plethora of other downstream xanthone derivatives including swertianolin and gambogic acid (derived from 1,3,5-THX) as well as gentisin, hyperixanthone A, α-mangostin, and mangiferin (derived from 1,3,7-THX) have also been thoroughly covered. This review reports one of the most complete xanthone pathways in plants. In the future, the information collected here will be a valuable resource for a more directed molecular works in xanthone-producing plants as well as in synthetic biology application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juwairiah Remali
- Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
| | - Idin Sahidin
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Indonesia
| | - Wan Mohd Aizat
- Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
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Dastmalchi M. Elusive partners: a review of the auxiliary proteins guiding metabolic flux in flavonoid biosynthesis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:314-329. [PMID: 34318549 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Flavonoids are specialized metabolites widely distributed across the plant kingdom. They are involved in the growth and survival of plants, conferring the ability to filter ultra-violet rays, conduct symbiotic partnerships, and respond to stress. While many branches of flavonoid biosynthesis have been resolved, recent discoveries suggest missing auxiliary components. These overlooked elements can guide metabolic flux, enhance production, mediate stereoselectivity, transport intermediates, and exert regulatory functions. This review describes several families of auxiliary proteins from across the plant kingdom, including examples from specialized metabolism. In flavonoid biosynthesis, we discuss the example of chalcone isomerase-like (CHIL) proteins and their non-catalytic role. CHILs mediate the cyclization of tetraketides, forming the chalcone scaffold by interacting with chalcone synthase (CHS). Loss of CHIL activity leads to derailment of the CHS-catalyzed reaction and a loss of pigmentation in fruits and flowers. Similarly, members of the pathogenesis-related 10 (PR10) protein family have been found to differentially bind flavonoid intermediates, guiding the composition of anthocyanins. This role comes within a larger body of PR10 involvement in specialized metabolism, from outright catalysis (e.g., (S)-norcoclaurine synthesis) to controlling stereochemistry (e.g., enhancing cis-trans cyclization in catnip). Both CHILs and PR10s hail from larger families of ligand-binding proteins with a spectrum of activity, complicating the characterization of their enigmatic roles. Strategies for the discovery of auxiliary proteins are discussed, as well as mechanistic models for their function. Targeting such unanticipated components will be crucial in manipulating plants or engineering microbial systems for natural product synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Dastmalchi
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada
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Laursen T, Lam HYM, Sørensen KK, Tian P, Hansen CC, Groves JT, Jensen KJ, Christensen SM. Membrane anchoring facilitates colocalization of enzymes in plant cytochrome P450 redox systems. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1057. [PMID: 34504298 PMCID: PMC8429664 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02604-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant metabolism depends on cascade reactions mediated by dynamic enzyme assemblies known as metabolons. In this context, the cytochrome P450 (P450) superfamily catalyze key reactions underpinning the unique diversity of bioactive compounds. In contrast to their soluble bacterial counterparts, eukaryotic P450s are anchored to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and serve as metabolon nucleation sites. Hence, membrane anchoring appears to play a pivotal role in the evolution of complex biosynthetic pathways. Here, a model membrane assay enabled characterization of membrane anchor dynamics by single molecule microscopy. As a model system, we reconstituted the membrane anchor of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR), the ubiquitous electron donor to all microsomal P450s. The transmembrane segment in the membrane anchor of POR is relatively conserved, corroborating its functional importance. We observe dynamic colocalization of the POR anchors in our assay suggesting that membrane anchoring might promote intermolecular interactions and in this way impact assembly of metabolic multienzyme complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Laursen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Cecilie Cetti Hansen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jay T Groves
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Sune M Christensen
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,Enzyme Research, Lyngby, Denmark.
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Sørensen M, Møller BL. Metabolic Engineering of Photosynthetic Cells – in Collaboration with Nature. Metab Eng 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527823468.ch21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Lim KJH, Lim YP, Hartono YD, Go MK, Fan H, Yew WS. Biosynthesis of Nature-Inspired Unnatural Cannabinoids. Molecules 2021; 26:2914. [PMID: 34068935 PMCID: PMC8156804 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26102914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural products make up a large proportion of medicine available today. Cannabinoids from the plant Cannabis sativa is one unique class of meroterpenoids that have shown a wide range of bioactivities and recently seen significant developments in their status as therapeutic agents for various indications. Their complex chemical structures make it difficult to chemically synthesize them in efficient yields. Synthetic biology has presented a solution to this through metabolic engineering in heterologous hosts. Through genetic manipulation, rare phytocannabinoids that are produced in low yields in the plant can now be synthesized in larger quantities for therapeutic and commercial use. Additionally, an exciting avenue of exploring new chemical spaces is made available as novel derivatized compounds can be produced and investigated for their bioactivities. In this review, we summarized the biosynthetic pathways of phytocannabinoids and synthetic biology efforts in producing them in heterologous hosts. Detailed mechanistic insights are discussed in each part of the pathway in order to explore strategies for creating novel cannabinoids. Lastly, we discussed studies conducted on biological targets such as CB1, CB2 and orphan receptors along with their affinities to these cannabinoid ligands with a view to inform upstream diversification efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. H. Lim
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Yan Ping Lim
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Yossa D. Hartono
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Maybelle K. Go
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Hao Fan
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Wen Shan Yew
- Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore; (K.J.H.L.); (Y.P.L.); (Y.D.H.); (M.K.G.); (H.F.)
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
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Blatt-Janmaat K, Qu Y. The Biochemistry of Phytocannabinoids and Metabolic Engineering of Their Production in Heterologous Systems. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052454. [PMID: 33671077 PMCID: PMC7957758 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The medicinal properties of cannabis and the its legal status in several countries and jurisdictions has spurred the massive growth of the cannabis economy around the globe. The value of cannabis stems from its euphoric activity offered by the unique phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, this is rapidly expanding beyond THC owing to other non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids with new bioactivities that will contribute to their development into clinically useful drugs. The discovery of the biosynthesis of major phytocannabinoids has allowed the exploration of their heterologous production by synthetic biology, which may lead to the industrial production of rare phytocannabinoids or novel synthetic cannabinoid pharmaceuticals that are not easily offered by cannabis plants. This review summarizes the biosynthesis of major phytocannabinoids in detail, the most recent development of their metabolic engineering in various systems, and the engineering approaches and strategies used to increase the yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Blatt-Janmaat
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada;
| | - Yang Qu
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada;
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
- Correspondence:
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