1
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Srividya N, Kim H, Simone R, Lange BM. Chemical diversity in angiosperms - monoterpene synthases control complex reactions that provide the precursors for ecologically and commercially important monoterpenoids. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38565299 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Monoterpene synthases (MTSs) catalyze the first committed step in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoids, a class of specialized metabolites with particularly high chemical diversity in angiosperms. In addition to accomplishing a rate enhancement, these enzymes manage the formation and turnover of highly reactive carbocation intermediates formed from a prenyl diphosphate substrate. At each step along the reaction path, a cationic intermediate can be subject to cyclization, migration of a proton, hydride, or alkyl group, or quenching to terminate the sequence. However, enzymatic control of ligand folding, stabilization of specific intermediates, and defined quenching chemistry can maintain the specificity for forming a signature product. This review article will discuss our current understanding of how angiosperm MTSs control the reaction environment. Such knowledge allows inferences about the origin and regulation of chemical diversity, which is pertinent for appreciating the role of monoterpenoids in plant ecology but also for aiding commercial efforts that harness the accumulation of these specialized metabolites for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayanan Srividya
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7411, USA
| | - Hoshin Kim
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Raugei Simone
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Bernd Markus Lange
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7411, USA
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2
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Lu X, Bai J, Tian Z, Li C, Ahmed N, Liu X, Cheng J, Lu L, Cai J, Jiang H, Wang W. Cyclization mechanism of monoterpenes catalyzed by monoterpene synthases in dipterocarpaceae. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2024; 9:11-18. [PMID: 38173809 PMCID: PMC10758623 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2023.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Monoterpenoids are typically present in the secretory tissues of higher plants, and their biosynthesis is catalyzed by the action of monoterpene synthases (MTSs). However, the knowledge about these enzymes is restricted in a few plant species. MTSs are responsible for the complex cyclization of monoterpene precursors, resulting in the production of diverse monoterpene products. These enzymatic reactions are considered exceptionally complex in nature. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the catalytic mechanism of MTSs to elucidate their ability to produce diverse or specific monoterpenoid products. In our study, we analyzed thirteen genomes of Dipterocarpaceae and identified 38 MTSs that generate a variety of monoterpene products. By focusing on four MTSs with different product spectra and analyzing the formation mechanism of acyclic, monocyclic and bicyclic products in MTSs, we observed that even a single amino acid mutation can change the specificity and diversity of MTS products, which is due to the synergistic effect between the shape of the active cavity and the stabilization of carbon-positive intermediates that the mutation changing. Notably, residues N340, I448, and phosphoric acid groups were found to be significant contributors to the stabilization of intermediate terpinyl and pinene cations. Alterations in these residues, either directly or indirectly, can impact the synthesis of single monoterpenes or their mixtures. By revealing the role of key residues in the catalytic process and establishing the interaction model between specific residues and complex monoterpenes in MTSs, it will be possible to reasonably design and engineer different catalytic activities into existing MTSs, laying a foundation for the artificial design and industrial application of MTSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Lu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710072, China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Zunzhe Tian
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710072, China
| | - Congyu Li
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Nida Ahmed
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Lina Lu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jing Cai
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710072, China
| | - Huifeng Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Wen Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710072, China
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3
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Whitehead J, Leferink NGH, Johannissen LO, Hay S, Scrutton NS. Decoding Catalysis by Terpene Synthases. ACS Catal 2023; 13:12774-12802. [PMID: 37822860 PMCID: PMC10563020 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c03047] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The review by Christianson, published in 2017 on the twentieth anniversary of the emergence of the field, summarizes the foundational discoveries and key advances in terpene synthase/cyclase (TS) biocatalysis (Christianson, D. W. Chem Rev2017, 117 (17), 11570-11648. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00287). Here, we review the TS literature published since then, bringing the field up to date and looking forward to what could be the near future of TS rational design. Many revealing discoveries have been made in recent years, building on the knowledge and fundamental principles uncovered during those initial two decades of study. We use these to explore TS reaction chemistry and see how a combined experimental and computational approach helps to decipher the complexities of TS catalysis. Revealed are a suite of catalytic motifs which control product outcome in TSs, some obvious, some more subtle. We examine each in detail, using the most recent papers and insights to illustrate how exactly this fascinating class of enzymes takes a single acyclic substrate and turns it into the many thousands of complex terpenoids found in Nature. We then explore some of the recent strategies for TS engineering, including machine learning and other data-driven approaches. From this, rational and predictive engineering of TSs, "designer terpene synthases", will begin to emerge as a realistic goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua
N. Whitehead
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole G. H. Leferink
- Future
Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology,
Department of Chemistry, The University
of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Linus O. Johannissen
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
- Future
Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology,
Department of Chemistry, The University
of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
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4
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Zhang F, Zeng T, Wu R. QM/MM Modeling Aided Enzyme Engineering in Natural Products Biosynthesis. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:5018-5034. [PMID: 37556841 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Natural products and their derivatives are widely used across various industries, particularly pharmaceuticals. Modern engineered biosynthesis provides an alternative way of producing and meeting the growing need for diverse natural products. Natural enzymes, on the other hand, often exhibit unsatisfactory catalytic characteristics and necessitate further enzyme engineering modifications. QM/MM, as a powerful and extensively used computational tool in the field of enzyme catalysis, has been increasingly applied in rational enzyme engineering over the past decade. In this review, we summarize recent advances in QM/MM computational investigation on enzyme catalysis and enzyme engineering for natural product biosynthesis. The challenges and perspectives for future QM/MM applications aided enzyme engineering in natural product biosynthesis will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Tao Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Ruibo Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
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5
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Geng X, Tang R, Zhang A, Du Z, Yang L, Xu Y, Zhong Y, Yang R, Chen W, Pu C. Mining, expression, and phylogenetic analysis of volatile terpenoid biosynthesis-related genes in different tissues of ten Elsholtzia species based on transcriptomic analysis. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 203:113419. [PMID: 36055426 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We sequenced the leaf and inflorescence transcriptomes of 10 Elsholtzia species to mine genes related to the volatile terpenoid metabolic pathway. A total of 184.68 GB data and 1,231,162,678 clean reads were obtained from 20 Elsholtzia samples, and 333,848 unigenes with an average length of at least 1440 bp were obtained by Trinity assembly. KEGG pathway analysis showed that there were three pathways related to volatile terpene metabolism: terpenoid backbone biosynthesis (No. ko00900), monoterpenoid biosynthesis (No. ko00902), and sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis (No. ko00909), with 437, 125, and 121 related unigenes, respectively. The essential oil content and composition in 20 Elsholtzia samples were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that there were obvious interspecific differences among the 10 Elsholtzia species, but there were no significant differences between the different tissues among species. The expression levels of seven candidate genes involved in volatile terpenoid biosynthesis in Elsholtzia were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that HMGS had the highest expression among all genes, followed by GGPS4. In addition, there was not a significant correlation between the seven genes and the components with high essential oil contents. Combined with the essential oil components detected in this study, the possible biosynthetic pathway of the characteristic components in Elsholtzia plants was speculated to be a metabolic pathway with geraniol as the starting point and elsholtzione as the end product. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the nucleotide sequences of the geranyl diphosphate synthase candidate genes, and the results showed that genes related to the volatile terpenoid biosynthetic pathway may be more suitable gene fragments for resolving the Elsholtzia phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuwen Geng
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Renhua Tang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Aili Zhang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhizhi Du
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Lipan Yang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuqi Xu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Yiling Zhong
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Run Yang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Wenyun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Chunxia Pu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China.
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6
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Whitehead JN, Leferink NGH, Komati Reddy G, Levy CW, Hay S, Takano E, Scrutton NS. How a 10- epi-Cubebol Synthase Avoids Premature Reaction Quenching to Form a Tricyclic Product at High Purity. ACS Catal 2022; 12:12123-12131. [PMID: 36249875 PMCID: PMC9552170 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c03155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Terpenes are the largest class of natural products and
are attractive
targets in the fuel, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and flavor industries.
Harvesting terpenes from natural sources is environmentally intensive
and often gives low yields and purities, requiring further downstream
processing. Engineered terpene synthases (TSs) offer a solution to
these problems, but the low sequence identity and high promiscuity
among TSs are major challenges for targeted engineering. Rational
design of TSs requires identification of key structural and chemical
motifs that steer product outcomes. Producing the sesquiterpenoid
10-epi-cubebol from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP)
requires many steps and some of Nature’s most difficult chemistry.
10-epi-Cubebol synthase from Sorangium
cellulosum (ScCubS) guides a highly reactive carbocationic
substrate through this pathway, preventing early quenching and ensuring
correct stereochemistry at every stage. The cyclizations carried out
by ScCubS potentially represent significant evolutionary expansions
in the chemical space accessible by TSs. Here, we present the high-resolution
crystal structure of ScCubS in complex with both a trinuclear magnesium
cluster and pyrophosphate. Computational modeling, experiment, and
bioinformatic analysis identified residues important in steering the
reaction chemistry. We show that S206 is crucial in 10-epi-cubebol synthesis by enlisting the nearby F211 to shape the active
site contour and prevent the formation of early escape cadalane products.
We also show that N327 and F104 control the distribution between several
early-stage cations and whether the final product is derived from
the germacrane, cadalane, or cubebane hydrocarbon scaffold. Using
these insights, we reengineered ScCubS so that its main product was
germacradien-4-ol, which derives from the germacrane, rather than
the cubebane, scaffold. Our work emphasizes that mechanistic understanding
of cation stabilization in TSs can be used to guide catalytic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua N. Whitehead
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Nicole G. H. Leferink
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Gajendar Komati Reddy
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Colin W. Levy
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Eriko Takano
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
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7
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Kim H, Srividya N, Lange I, Huchala EW, Ginovska B, Lange BM, Raugei S. Determinants of Selectivity for the Formation of Monocyclic and Bicyclic Products in Monoterpene Synthases. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c01836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hoshin Kim
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Narayanan Srividya
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7411, United States
| | - Iris Lange
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7411, United States
| | - Eden W. Huchala
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Bojana Ginovska
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - B. Markus Lange
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7411, United States
| | - Simone Raugei
- Physical and Computational Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and M. J. Murdock Metabolomics Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7411, United States
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8
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Yan X, Zhou J, Ge J, Li W, Liang D, Singh W, Black G, Nie S, Liu J, Sun M, Qiao J, Huang M. Computer-Informed Engineering: A New Class I Sesquiterpene Synthase JeSTS4 for the Synthesis of an Unusual C10-( S)-Bicyclogermacrene. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguang Yan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Jiahui Zhou
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jianjun Ge
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Weiguo Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Dongmei Liang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Warispreet Singh
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Black
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
| | - Shengxin Nie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Jian Liu
- Wuqing District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 301700, P. R. China
| | - Meiqing Sun
- Wuqing District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 301700, P. R. China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
- Institute of Shaoxing, Tianjin University, Zhejiang 312300, P. R. China
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Meilan Huang
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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9
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Leferink NGH, Escorcia AM, Ouwersloot BR, Johanissen LO, Hay S, van der Kamp MW, Scrutton NS. Molecular Determinants of Carbocation Cyclisation in Bacterial Monoterpene Synthases. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202100688. [PMID: 35005823 PMCID: PMC9303655 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Monoterpene synthases are often promiscuous enzymes, yielding product mixtures rather than pure compounds due to the nature of the branched reaction mechanism involving reactive carbocations. Two previously identified bacterial monoterpene synthases, a linalool synthase (bLinS) and a cineole synthase (bCinS), produce nearly pure linalool and cineole from geranyl diphosphate, respectively. We used a combined experimental and computational approach to identify critical residues involved in bacterial monoterpenoid synthesis. Phe77 is essential for bCinS activity, guiding the linear carbocation intermediate towards the formation of the cyclic α-terpinyl intermediate; removal of the aromatic ring results in variants that produce acyclic products only. Computational chemistry confirmed the importance of Phe77 in carbocation stabilisation. Phe74, Phe78 and Phe179 are involved in maintaining the active site shape in bCinS without a specific role for the aromatic ring. Phe295 in bLinS, and the equivalent Ala301 in bCinS, are essential for linalool and cineole formation, respectively. Where Phe295 places steric constraints on the carbocation intermediates, Ala301 is essential for bCinS initial cyclisation and activity. Our multidisciplinary approach gives unique insights into how carefully placed amino acid residues in the active site can direct carbocations down specific paths, by placing steric constraints or offering stabilisation via cation-π interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole G H Leferink
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Andrés M Escorcia
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Bodi R Ouwersloot
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Linus O Johanissen
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Marc W van der Kamp
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Nigel S Scrutton
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
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10
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Fordjour E, Mensah EO, Hao Y, Yang Y, Liu X, Li Y, Liu CL, Bai Z. Toward improved terpenoids biosynthesis: strategies to enhance the capabilities of cell factories. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:6. [PMID: 38647812 PMCID: PMC10992668 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00493-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpenoids form the most diversified class of natural products, which have gained application in the pharmaceutical, food, transportation, and fine and bulk chemical industries. Extraction from naturally occurring sources does not meet industrial demands, whereas chemical synthesis is often associated with poor enantio-selectivity, harsh working conditions, and environmental pollutions. Microbial cell factories come as a suitable replacement. However, designing efficient microbial platforms for isoprenoid synthesis is often a challenging task. This has to do with the cytotoxic effects of pathway intermediates and some end products, instability of expressed pathways, as well as high enzyme promiscuity. Also, the low enzymatic activity of some terpene synthases and prenyltransferases, and the lack of an efficient throughput system to screen improved high-performing strains are bottlenecks in strain development. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology seek to overcome these issues through the provision of effective synthetic tools. This review sought to provide an in-depth description of novel strategies for improving cell factory performance. We focused on improving transcriptional and translational efficiencies through static and dynamic regulatory elements, enzyme engineering and high-throughput screening strategies, cellular function enhancement through chromosomal integration, metabolite tolerance, and modularization of pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Fordjour
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Emmanuel Osei Mensah
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yunpeng Hao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yankun Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiuxia Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Ye Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Chun-Li Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Zhonghu Bai
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
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11
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Wang X, Wang Z, Zhu G, Jiang L, Zhang W, Huang Y, Cong Z, Zhao YL, Xu JH, Hsiang T, Zhang L, Chen Q, Liu X. Chemical control over the conversion between bicyclic and polycyclic terpenes by fungal bifunctional terpene synthases. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:9476-9479. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cc03644d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The mutation on site 89 in the BFTSs alters the carbocation transportation pathway, which changes the sesterterpene structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhixin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Weiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yiyi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhanren Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yi-Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, MOE-LSB & MOE-LSC, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jian-He Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Tom Hsiang
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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12
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Zev S, Gupta PK, Pahima E, Major DT. A Benchmark Study of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics-Molecular Mechanics Methods for Carbocation Chemistry. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 18:167-178. [PMID: 34905380 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Carbocations play key roles in classical organic reactions and have also been implicated in several enzyme families. A hallmark of carbocation chemistry is multitudes of competing reaction pathways, and to be able to distinguish between pathways with quantum chemical calculations, it is necessary to approach chemical accuracy for relative energies between carbocations. Here, we present an extensive study of the performance of selected density functional theory (DFT) methods in describing the thermochemistry and kinetics of carbocations and their corresponding neutral alkenes both in the gas-phase and within a hybrid quantum mechanics-molecular mechanics (QM/MM) framework. The density functionals are benchmarked against accurate ab initio methods such as CBS-QB3 and DLPNO-CCSD(T). Based on the findings in the gas-phase calculations of carbocations and alkenes, the best functionals are chosen and tested further for non-covalent interactions in model systems using QM and QM/MM methods. We compute the interaction energies between a model carbocation/alkane and model π, dipole, and hydrophobic systems using DFT and QM(DFT)/MM and compare with DLPNO-CCSD(T). These latter model systems are representative of side chains of amino acids such as phenylalanine/tyrosine, tryptophan, asparagine/glutamine, serine/threonine, methionine, and other hydrophobic groups. The Lennard-Jones parameters of the QM atoms in QM(DFT)/MM calculations are modified to obtain an optimal fit with the QM energies. Finally, a selected carbocation reaction is studied in the gas phase and in implicit chloroform solvent using QM and in explicit chloroform solvent using QM/MM and umbrella sampling simulations. This study highlights the highest accuracy possible with selected density functionals and QM/MM methods but also some limitations in using QM/MM methods for carbocation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Zev
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Prashant Kumar Gupta
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Efrat Pahima
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Dan Thomas Major
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
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13
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Leferink NGH, Scrutton NS. Predictive Engineering of Class I Terpene Synthases Using Experimental and Computational Approaches. Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100484. [PMID: 34669250 PMCID: PMC9298401 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Terpenoids are a highly diverse group of natural products with considerable industrial interest. Increasingly, engineered microbes are used for the production of terpenoids to replace natural extracts and chemical synthesis. Terpene synthases (TSs) show a high level of functional plasticity and are responsible for the vast structural diversity observed in natural terpenoids. Their relatively inert active sites guide intrinsically reactive linear carbocation intermediates along one of many cyclisation paths via exertion of subtle steric and electrostatic control. Due to the absence of a strong protein interaction with these intermediates, there is a remarkable lack of sequence‐function relationship within the TS family, making product‐outcome predictions from sequences alone challenging. This, in combination with the fact that many TSs produce multiple products from a single substrate hampers the design and use of TSs in the biomanufacturing of terpenoids. This review highlights recent advances in genome mining, computational modelling, high‐throughput screening, and machine‐learning that will allow more predictive engineering of these fascinating enzymes in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole G H Leferink
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Nigel S Scrutton
- Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
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14
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Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase ( VviTPS) Paralogues and Orthologues. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10081520. [PMID: 34451565 PMCID: PMC8401418 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gene families involved in specialised metabolism play a key role in a myriad of ecophysiological and biochemical functions. The Vitis vinifera sesquiterpene synthases represent the largest subfamily of grapevine terpene synthase (VviTPS) genes and are important volatile metabolites for wine flavour and aroma, as well as ecophysiological interactions. The functional characterisation of VviTPS genes is complicated by a reliance on a single reference genome that greatly underrepresents this large gene family, exacerbated by extensive duplications and paralogy. The recent release of multiple phased diploid grapevine genomes, as well as extensive whole-genome resequencing efforts, provide a wealth of new sequence information that can be utilised to overcome the limitations of the reference genome. A large cluster of sesquiterpene synthases, localised to chromosome 18, was explored by means of comparative sequence analyses using the publicly available grapevine reference genome, three PacBio phased diploid genomes and whole-genome resequencing data from multiple genotypes. Two genes, VviTPS04 and -10, were identified as putative paralogues and/or allelic variants. Subsequent gene isolation from multiple grapevine genotypes and characterisation by means of a heterologous in planta expression and volatile analysis resulted in the identification of genotype-specific structural variations and polymorphisms that impact the gene function. These results present novel insight into how grapevine domestication likely shaped the VviTPS landscape to result in genotype-specific functions.
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15
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Ferraz CA, Leferink NGH, Kosov I, Scrutton NS. Isopentenol Utilization Pathway for the Production of Linalool in Escherichia coli Using an Improved Bacterial Linalool/Nerolidol Synthase. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2325-2334. [PMID: 33938632 PMCID: PMC8362072 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Linalool is a monoterpenoid used as a fragrance ingredient, and is a promising source for alternative fuels. Synthetic biology offers attractive alternative production methods compared to extraction from natural sources and chemical synthesis. Linalool/nerolidol synthase (bLinS) from Streptomyces clavuligerus is a bifunctional enzyme, producing linalool as well as the sesquiterpenoid nerolidol when expressed in engineered Escherichia coli harbouring a precursor terpenoid pathway such as the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. Here we identified two residues important for substrate selection by bLinS, L72 and V214, where the introduction of bulkier residues results in variants with reduced nerolidol formation. Terpenoid production using canonical precursor pathways is usually limited by numerous and highly regulated enzymatic steps. Here we compared the canonical MVA pathway to the non-canonical isopentenol utilization (IU) pathway to produce linalool using the optimised bLinS variant. The IU pathway uses isoprenol and prenol to produce linalool in only five steps. Adjusting substrate, plasmid system, inducer concentration, and cell strain directs the flux towards monoterpenoids. Our integrated approach, combining enzyme engineering with flux control using the artificial IU pathway, resulted in high purity production of the commercially attractive monoterpenoid linalool, and will guide future efforts towards efficient optimisation of terpenoid production in engineered microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara A. Ferraz
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Nicole G. H. Leferink
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
- Future Biomanufacturing Research HubManchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Iaroslav Kosov
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
- Future Biomanufacturing Research HubManchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of ChemistrySchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
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16
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Lei D, Qiu Z, Qiao J, Zhao GR. Plasticity engineering of plant monoterpene synthases and application for microbial production of monoterpenoids. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:147. [PMID: 34193244 PMCID: PMC8247113 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01998-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant monoterpenoids with structural diversities have extensive applications in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Due to the strong dependence on the geographical locations and seasonal annual growth of plants, agricultural production for monoterpenoids is less effective. Chemical synthesis is also uneconomic because of its high cost and pollution. Recently, emerging synthetic biology enables engineered microbes to possess great potential for the production of plant monoterpenoids. Both acyclic and cyclic monoterpenoids have been synthesized from fermentative sugars through heterologously reconstructing monoterpenoid biosynthetic pathways in microbes. Acting as catalytic templates, plant monoterpene synthases (MTPSs) take elaborate control of the monoterpenoids production. Most plant MTPSs have broad substrate or product properties, and show functional plasticity. Thus, the substrate selectivity, product outcomes, or enzymatic activities can be achieved by the active site mutations and domain swapping of plant MTPSs. This makes plasticity engineering a promising way to engineer MTPSs for efficient production of natural and non-natural monoterpenoids in microbial cell factories. Here, this review summarizes the key advances in plasticity engineering of plant MTPSs, including the fundamental aspects of functional plasticity, the utilization of natural and non-natural substrates, and the outcomes from product isomers to complexity-divergent monoterpenoids. Furthermore, the applications of plasticity engineering for improving monoterpenoids production in microbes are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengwei Lei
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zetian Qiu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Guang-Rong Zhao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China.
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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17
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Lei D, Qiu Z, Wu J, Qiao B, Qiao J, Zhao GR. Combining Metabolic and Monoterpene Synthase Engineering for de Novo Production of Monoterpene Alcohols in Escherichia coli. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1531-1544. [PMID: 34100588 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The monoterpene alcohols acyclic nerol and bicyclic borneol are widely applied in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The emerging synthetic biology enables microbial production to be a promising alternative for supplying monoterpene alcohols in an efficient and sustainable approach. In this study, we combined metabolic and plant monoterpene synthase engineering to improve the de novo production of nerol and borneol in prene-overproducing Escherichia coli. We engineered the growth-orthogonal neryl diphosphate (NPP) as the universal precursor of monoterpene alcohol biosynthesis and coexpressed nerol synthase (GmNES) from Glycine max to generate nerol or coexpressed the truncated bornyl diphosphate synthase (LdtBPPS) from Lippia dulcis for borneol production. Further, through site-directed mutation of LdtBPPS based on the structural simulation, we screened multiple variants that markedly elevated the production of acyclic nerol or bicyclic borneol, of which the LdtBPPSS488T mutant outperformed the wild-type LdtBPPS on borneol synthesis and the LdtBPPSF612A variant was superior to GmNES on nerol production. Subsequently, we overexpressed the endogenous Nudix hydrolase NudJ to facilitate the dephosphorylation of precursors and boosted the production of nerol and borneol from glucose. Finally, after the optimization of the fermentation process, the engineered strain ENO2 produced 966.55 mg/L nerol, and strain ENB57 generated 87.20 mg/L borneol in a shake flask, achieving the highest reported titers of nerol and borneol in microbes to date. This work shows a combinatorial engineering strategy for microbial production of natural terpene alcohols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengwei Lei
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zetian Qiu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jihua Wu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Bin Qiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Guang-Rong Zhao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
- Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University, Tangxing Road 133, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518071, China
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18
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Goodger JQD, Sargent D, Humphries J, Woodrow IE. Monoterpene synthases responsible for the terpene profile of anther glands in Eucalyptus polybractea R.T. Baker (Myrtaceae). TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:849-864. [PMID: 33219374 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Research on terpene biosynthesis in the genus Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) is poorly developed, but recently large numbers of terpene synthase (TPS) genes have been identified. Few of these have been characterized or their expression localized to specific tissues. A prime candidate for detailed examination of TPS gene expression is the bisexual eucalypt flower-composed of male and female reproductive organs, and vegetative tissues that may express different TPS genes. We aimed to characterize and compare the terpene profile and TPS genes expressed in anthers and gynoecia in the high oil-yielding Eucalyptus polybractea R.T. Baker. We hypothesized that gynoecia will produce greater amounts of defensive terpenes, whereas anthers will have a terpene profile that is biased towards a role in pollination. Microscopy of isolated anthers showed them to possess a single, prominent oil gland. Chemical analysis of whole floral structures at different stages of development showed total oil per unit dry mass increased as flower buds expanded, with highest concentrations in mature flower buds just prior to flower opening. The oil profile of gynoecia was dominated by the monoterpene 1,8-cineole, whereas that of isolated anthers were enriched with the monoterpene α-pinene. Through transcriptomic analysis and recombinant protein expression, we were able to identify monoterpene synthases responsible for the different profiles. Synthases for α-pinene and 1,8-cineole were expressed in each tissue type, but the relative expression of the former was higher in anthers. Sequence comparison and site-directed mutagenesis of the α-pinene synthase allowed us to identify amino acids that influence the α-pinene to β-pinene ratio of the product profile. We suggest the terpene constituents of anthers may have multiple roles including attracting pollinators through emission of volatile α-pinene, deterrence of palynivores through emission of volatile 1,8-cineole and adhesion of pollen to pollinators via the release of sticky α-pinene onto the anther surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Q D Goodger
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Demi Sargent
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - John Humphries
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ian E Woodrow
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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19
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Schlick T, Portillo-Ledesma S, Myers CG, Beljak L, Chen J, Dakhel S, Darling D, Ghosh S, Hall J, Jan M, Liang E, Saju S, Vohr M, Wu C, Xu Y, Xue E. Biomolecular Modeling and Simulation: A Prospering Multidisciplinary Field. Annu Rev Biophys 2021; 50:267-301. [PMID: 33606945 PMCID: PMC8105287 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-091720-102019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We reassess progress in the field of biomolecular modeling and simulation, following up on our perspective published in 2011. By reviewing metrics for the field's productivity and providing examples of success, we underscore the productive phase of the field, whose short-term expectations were overestimated and long-term effects underestimated. Such successes include prediction of structures and mechanisms; generation of new insights into biomolecular activity; and thriving collaborations between modeling and experimentation, including experiments driven by modeling. We also discuss the impact of field exercises and web games on the field's progress. Overall, we note tremendous success by the biomolecular modeling community in utilization of computer power; improvement in force fields; and development and application of new algorithms, notably machine learning and artificial intelligence. The combined advances are enhancing the accuracy andscope of modeling and simulation, establishing an exemplary discipline where experiment and theory or simulations are full partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Schlick
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA;
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, New York 10012, USA
- New York University-East China Normal University Center for Computational Chemistry, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai 200122, China
| | | | - Christopher G Myers
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA;
| | - Lauren Beljak
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Justin Chen
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Sami Dakhel
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Daniel Darling
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Sayak Ghosh
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Joseph Hall
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Mikaeel Jan
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Emily Liang
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Sera Saju
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Mackenzie Vohr
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Chris Wu
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Yifan Xu
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Eva Xue
- College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
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20
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Li ZJ, Wang YZ, Wang LR, Shi TQ, Sun XM, Huang H. Advanced Strategies for the Synthesis of Terpenoids in Yarrowia lipolytica. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:2367-2381. [PMID: 33595318 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids are an important class of secondary metabolites that play an important role in food, agriculture, and other fields. Microorganisms are rapidly emerging as a promising source for the production of terpenoids. As an oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica contains a high lipid content which indicates that it must produce high amounts of acetyl-CoA, a necessary precursor for the biosynthesis of terpenoids. Y. lipolytica has a complete eukaryotic mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway but it has not yet seen commercial use due to its low productivity. Several metabolic engineering strategies have been developed to improve the terpenoids production of Y. lipolytica, including developing the orthogonal pathway for terpenoid synthesis, increasing the catalytic efficiency of terpenoids synthases, enhancing the supply of acetyl-CoA and NADPH, expressing rate-limiting genes, and modifying the branched pathway. Moreover, most of the acetyl-CoA is used to produce lipid, so it is an effective strategy to strike a balance of precursor distribution by rewiring the lipid biosynthesis pathway. Lastly, the latest developed non-homologous end-joining strategy for improving terpenoid production is introduced. This review summarizes the status and metabolic engineering strategies of terpenoids biosynthesis in Y. lipolytica and proposes new insights to move the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jia Li
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Zhou Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling-Ru Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Qiong Shi
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Man Sun
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - He Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, 2 Xuelin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Srivastava PL, Escorcia AM, Huynh F, Miller DJ, Allemann RK, van der Kamp MW. Redesigning the Molecular Choreography to Prevent Hydroxylation in Germacradien-11-ol Synthase Catalysis. ACS Catal 2021; 11:1033-1041. [PMID: 33614194 PMCID: PMC7886051 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c04647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
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Natural sesquiterpene synthases have evolved to make complex terpenoids by quenching
reactive carbocations either by proton transfer or by hydroxylation (water capture),
depending on their active site. Germacradien-11-ol synthase (Gd11olS) from
Streptomyces coelicolor catalyzes the cyclization of farnesyl
diphosphate (FDP) into the hydroxylated sesquiterpene germacradien-11-ol. Here, we
combine experiment and simulation to guide the redesign of its active site pocket to
avoid hydroxylation of the product. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate two regions
between which water molecules can flow that are responsible for hydroxylation. Point
mutations of selected residues result in variants that predominantly form a complex
nonhydroxylated product, which we identify as isolepidozene. Our results indicate how
these mutations subtly change the molecular choreography in the Gd11olS active site and
thereby pave the way for the engineering of terpene synthases to make complex terpenoid
products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhakar L. Srivastava
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Andrés M. Escorcia
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Florence Huynh
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Miller
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Rudolf K. Allemann
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Marc W. van der Kamp
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
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22
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Gao Q, Wang L, Zhang M, Wei Y, Lin W. Recent Advances on Feasible Strategies for Monoterpenoid Production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:609800. [PMID: 33335897 PMCID: PMC7736617 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.609800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Terpenoids are a large diverse group of natural products which play important roles in plant metabolic activities. Monoterpenoids are the main components of plant essential oils and the active components of some traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Some monoterpenoids are widely used in medicine, cosmetics and other industries, and they are mainly obtained by plant biomass extraction methods. These plant extraction methods have some problems, such as low efficiency, unstable quality, and high cost. Moreover, the monoterpenoid production from plant cannot satisfy the growing monoterpenoids demand. The development of metabolic engineering, protein engineering and synthetic biology provides an opportunity to produce large amounts of monoterpenoids eco-friendly using microbial cell factories. This mini-review covers current monoterpenoids production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The monoterpenoids biosynthetic pathways, engineering of key monoterpenoids biosynthetic enzymes, and current monoterpenoids production using S. cerevisiae were summarized. In the future, metabolically engineered S. cerevisiae may provide one possible green and sustainable strategy for monoterpenoids supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyu Gao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing, China
| | - Luan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Maosen Zhang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjun Wei
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing, China
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23
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Microbial production of limonene and its derivatives: Achievements and perspectives. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 44:107628. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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24
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Ding G, Zhang S, Ma B, Liang J, Li H, Luo Y, He N. Origin and functional differentiation of (E)-β-ocimene synthases reflect the expansion of monoterpenes in angiosperms. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:6571-6586. [PMID: 32720987 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The acquisition of new metabolic activities is a major force driving evolution. We explored, from the perspectives of gene family expansion and the evolutionary adaptability of proteins, how new functions have arisen in which terpene synthases diverged. Monoterpenoids are diverse natural compounds that can be divided into cyclic and acyclic skeleton forms according to their chemical structure. We demonstrate, through phylogenetic reconstructions and genome synteny analyses, that the (E)-β-ocimene synthases, which are acyclic monoterpene synthases (mTPSs), appear to have arisen several times in independent lineages during plant evolution. Bioinformatics analyses and classical mutation experiments identified four sites (I388, F420, S446, and F485) playing important roles in the neofunctionalization of mTPSs. Incubation of neryl diphosphate with Salvia officinalis 1,8-cineole synthase (SCS) and mutated proteins show that these four sites obstruct the isomerization of geranyl diphosphate. Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical molecular dynamics simulations of models of SCS, SCSY420F/I446S, and SCSN338I/Y420F/I446S/L485F with (3R)-linalyl diphosphate suggest that mutations changed the configuration of the intermediate to obtain new activities. These results provide new perspectives on the evolution of mTPSs, explain the convergent evolution of (E)-β-ocimene synthases at the molecular level, and identify key residues to control the specificity of engineered mTPSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shaoyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiubo Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Han Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiwei Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ningjia He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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25
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Raz K, Levi S, Gupta PK, Major DT. Enzymatic control of product distribution in terpene synthases: insights from multiscale simulations. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 65:248-258. [PMID: 32679412 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this opinion, we review some recent work on terpene biosynthesis using multiscale simulation approaches, with special focus on contributions from our group. Terpene synthases generate terpenes employing rich carbocation chemistry, including highly specific ring formations, proton, hydride, methyl, and methylene migrations, followed by reaction quenching. In these enzymes, the main catalytic challenge is not rate enhancement, but rather control of intrinsically reactive carbocations and the resulting product distribution. Herein, we review multiscale simulations of selected mono-, sesqui-, and diterpene synthases. We point to the many tools adopted by terpene synthases to achieve correct substrate fold, carbocation formation, carbocation reaction environment, and reaction quenching. A better understanding of the toolbox employed by terpene synthases is expected to aid in the search for new enzymatic and biomimetic synthetic routes to natural and unnatural terpenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Raz
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Shani Levi
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Prashant Kumar Gupta
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Dan Thomas Major
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
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26
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Leferink NGH, Ranaghan KE, Battye J, Johannissen LO, Hay S, van der Kamp MW, Mulholland AJ, Scrutton NS. Taming the Reactivity of Monoterpene Synthases To Guide Regioselective Product Hydroxylation. Chembiochem 2020; 21:985-990. [PMID: 31682055 PMCID: PMC7187147 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Monoterpenoids are industrially important natural products with applications in the flavours, fragrances, fuels and pharmaceutical industries. Most monoterpenoids are produced by plants, but recently two bacterial monoterpene synthases have been identified, including a cineole synthase (bCinS). Unlike plant cineole synthases, bCinS is capable of producing nearly pure cineole from geranyl diphosphate in a complex cyclisation cascade that is tightly controlled. Here we have used a multidisciplinary approach to show that Asn305 controls water attack on the α-terpinyl cation and subsequent cyclisation and deprotonation of the α-terpineol intermediate, key steps in the cyclisation cascade which direct product formation towards cineole. Mutation of Asn305 results in variants that no longer produce α-terpineol or cineole. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that water coordination is disrupted in all variants tested. Quantum mechanics calculations indicate that Asn305 is most likely a (transient) proton acceptor for the final deprotonation step. Our synergistic approach gives unique insight into how a single residue, Asn305, tames the promiscuous chemistry of monoterpene synthase cyclisation cascades. It does this by tightly controlling the final steps in cineole formation catalysed by bCinS to form a single hydroxylated monoterpene product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole G. H. Leferink
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of ChemistryUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Kara E. Ranaghan
- Centre for Computational ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, University of BristolCantock's CloseBristolBS8 1TSUK
| | - Jaime Battye
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of ChemistryUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Linus O. Johannissen
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of ChemistryUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of ChemistryUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
| | - Marc W. van der Kamp
- Centre for Computational ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, University of BristolCantock's CloseBristolBS8 1TSUK
- School of BiochemistryUniversity of BristolUniversity WalkBristolBS8 1TDUK
| | - Adrian J. Mulholland
- Centre for Computational ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, University of BristolCantock's CloseBristolBS8 1TSUK
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of ChemistryUniversity of Manchester131 Princess StreetManchesterM1 7DNUK
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27
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Zhang Q, Catti L, Syntrivanis LD, Tiefenbacher K. En route to terpene natural products utilizing supramolecular cyclase mimetics. Nat Prod Rep 2019; 36:1619-1627. [PMID: 31021352 DOI: 10.1039/c9np00003h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Covering: literature up to 2018 Terpenes are a class of natural products characterized by remarkable structural diversity. Much of this diversity arises biosynthetically from a handful of linear precursors through the so-called tail-to-head terpene cyclization reaction. This reaction is one of the most complex observed in nature, and historically attempts to replicate it with non-enzymatic means have met with little success. In recent years, however, the development of manmade binding pockets that allow such reactions to take place has been reported. This Highlight provides an overview of this nascent field, and outlines the challenges that need to be overcome moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, China
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28
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Driller R, Garbe D, Mehlmer N, Fuchs M, Raz K, Major DT, Brück T, Loll B. Current understanding and biotechnological application of the bacterial diterpene synthase CotB2. Beilstein J Org Chem 2019; 15:2355-2368. [PMID: 31666870 PMCID: PMC6808215 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.15.228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
CotB2 catalyzes the first committed step in cyclooctatin biosynthesis of the soil bacterium Streptomyces melanosporofaciens. To date, CotB2 represents the best studied bacterial diterpene synthase. Its reaction mechanism has been addressed by isoptope labeling, targeted mutagenesis and theoretical computations in the gas phase, as well as full enzyme molecular dynamic simulations. By X-ray crystallography different snapshots of CotB2 from the open, inactive, to the closed, active conformation have been obtained in great detail, allowing us to draw detailed conclusions regarding the catalytic mechanism at the molecular level. Moreover, numerous alternative geranylgeranyl diphosphate cyclization products obtained by CotB2 mutagenesis have exciting applications for the sustainable production of high value bioactive substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronja Driller
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,present address: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,present address: Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel Garbe
- Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology, Dept. of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Norbert Mehlmer
- Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology, Dept. of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Monika Fuchs
- Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology, Dept. of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Keren Raz
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Dan Thomas Major
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Thomas Brück
- Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology, Dept. of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Bernhard Loll
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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29
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An automated pipeline for the screening of diverse monoterpene synthase libraries. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11936. [PMID: 31417136 PMCID: PMC6695433 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48452-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoterpenoids are a structurally diverse group of natural products with applications as pharmaceuticals, flavourings, fragrances, pesticides, and biofuels. Recent advances in synthetic biology offer new routes to this chemical diversity through the introduction of heterologous isoprenoid production pathways into engineered microorganisms. Due to the nature of the branched reaction mechanism, monoterpene synthases often produce multiple products when expressed in monoterpenoid production platforms. Rational engineering of terpene synthases is challenging due to a lack of correlation between protein sequence and cyclisation reaction catalysed. Directed evolution offers an attractive alternative protein engineering strategy as limited prior sequence-function knowledge is required. However, directed evolution of terpene synthases is hampered by the lack of a convenient high-throughput screening assay for the detection of multiple volatile terpene products. Here we applied an automated pipeline for the screening of diverse monoterpene synthase libraries, employing robotic liquid handling platforms coupled to GC-MS, and automated data extraction. We used the pipeline to screen pinene synthase variant libraries, with mutations in three areas of plasticity, capable of producing multiple monoterpene products. We successfully identified variants with altered product profiles and demonstrated good agreement between the results of the automated screen and traditional shake-flask cultures. In addition, useful insights into the cyclisation reaction catalysed by pinene synthase were obtained, including the identification of positions with the highest level of plasticity, and the significance of region 2 in carbocation cyclisation. The results obtained will aid the prediction and design of novel terpene synthase activities towards clean monoterpenoid products.
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