1
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Barnum C, Cho MJ, Markel K, Shih PM. Engineering Brassica Crops to Optimize Delivery of Bioactive Products Postcooking. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:736-744. [PMID: 38412618 PMCID: PMC10949231 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Glucosinolates are plant-specialized metabolites that can be hydrolyzed by glycosyl hydrolases, called myrosinases, creating a variety of hydrolysis products that benefit human health. While cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of glucosinolates, they are often cooked before consumption, limiting the conversion of glucosinolates to hydrolysis products due to the denaturation of myrosinases. Here we screen a panel of glycosyl hydrolases for high thermostability and engineer the Brassica crop, broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.), for the improved conversion of glucosinolates to chemopreventive hydrolysis products. Our transgenic broccoli lines enabled glucosinolate hydrolysis to occur at higher cooking temperatures, 20 °C higher than in wild-type broccoli. The process of cooking fundamentally transforms the bioavailability of many health-relevant bioactive compounds in our diet. Our findings demonstrate the promise of leveraging genetic engineering to tailor crops with novel traits that cannot be achieved through conventional breeding and improve the nutritional properties of the plants we consume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin
R. Barnum
- Department
of Plant and Microbial Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94270, United States
- Department
of Plant Biology, University of California
Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
- Biochemistry,
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Myeong-Je Cho
- Innovative
Genomics Institute, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Kasey Markel
- Department
of Plant and Microbial Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94270, United States
- Environmental
Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Department
of Plant and Microbial Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94270, United States
- Innovative
Genomics Institute, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Environmental
Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
- Feedstocks
Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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2
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Kruse LH, Sunstrum FG, Garcia D, López Pérez G, Jancsik S, Bohlmann J, Irmisch S. Improved production of the antidiabetic metabolite montbretin A in Nicotiana benthamiana: discovery, characterization, and use of Crocosmia shikimate shunt genes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 117:766-785. [PMID: 37960967 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The plant-specialized metabolite montbretin A (MbA) is being developed as a new treatment option for type-2 diabetes, which is among the ten leading causes of premature death and disability worldwide. MbA is a complex acylated flavonoid glycoside produced in small amounts in below-ground organs of the perennial plant Montbretia (Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora). The lack of a scalable production system limits the development and potential application of MbA as a pharmaceutical or nutraceutical. Previous efforts to reconstruct montbretin biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana (Nb) resulted in low yields of MbA and higher levels of montbretin B (MbB) and montbretin C (MbC). MbA, MbB, and MbC are nearly identical metabolites differing only in their acyl moieties, derived from caffeoyl-CoA, coumaroyl-CoA, and feruloyl-CoA, respectively. In contrast to MbA, MbB and MbC are not pharmaceutically active. To utilize the montbretia caffeoyl-CoA biosynthesis for improved MbA engineering in Nb, we cloned and characterized enzymes of the shikimate shunt of the general phenylpropanoid pathway, specifically hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA: shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (CcHCT), p-coumaroylshikimate 3'-hydroxylase (CcC3'H), and caffeoylshikimate esterase (CcCSE). Gene expression patterns suggest that CcCSE enables the predominant formation of MbA, relative to MbB and MbC, in montbretia. This observation is supported by results from in vitro characterization of CcCSE and reconstruction of the shikimate shunt in yeast. Using CcHCT together with montbretin biosynthetic genes in multigene constructs resulted in a 30-fold increase of MbA in Nb. This work advances our understanding of the phenylpropanoid pathway and features a critical step towards improved MbA production in bioengineered Nb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H Kruse
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Frederick G Sunstrum
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Daniela Garcia
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Guillermo López Pérez
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sharon Jancsik
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Joerg Bohlmann
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Forest and Conservation Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sandra Irmisch
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, Netherlands
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3
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Sokolova N, Peng B, Haslinger K. Design and engineering of artificial biosynthetic pathways-where do we stand and where do we go? FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2897-2907. [PMID: 37777818 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14745] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
The production of commodity and specialty chemicals relies heavily on fossil fuels. The negative impact of this dependency on our environment and climate has spurred a rising demand for more sustainable methods to obtain such chemicals from renewable resources. Herein, biotransformations of these renewable resources facilitated by enzymes or (micro)organisms have gained significant attention, since they can occur under mild conditions and reduce waste. These biotransformations typically leverage natural metabolic processes, which limits the scope and production capacity of such processes. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of advancements made in the past 5 years to expand the repertoire of biotransformations in engineered microorganisms. This ranges from redesign of existing pathways driven by retrobiosynthesis and computational design to directed evolution of enzymes and de novo pathway design to unlock novel routes for the synthesis of desired chemicals. We highlight notable examples of pathway designs for the production of commodity and specialty chemicals, showcasing the potential of these approaches. Lastly, we provide an outlook on future pathway design approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nika Sokolova
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bo Peng
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kristina Haslinger
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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4
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Bui VH, Rodríguez-López CE, Dang TTT. Integration of discovery and engineering in plant alkaloid research: Recent developments in elucidation, reconstruction, and repurposing biosynthetic pathways. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 74:102379. [PMID: 37182414 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Plants synthesize tens of thousands of bioactive nitrogen-containing compounds called alkaloids, including some clinically important drugs in modern medicine. The discovery of new alkaloid structures and their metabolism in plants have provided ways to access these rich sources of bioactivities including new-to-nature compounds relevant to therapeutic and industrial applications. This review discusses recent advances in alkaloid biosynthesis discovery, including complete pathway elucidations. Additionally, the latest developments in the production of new and established plant alkaloids based on either biosynthesis or semisynthesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van-Hung Bui
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Carlos Eduardo Rodríguez-López
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico.
| | - Thu-Thuy T Dang
- Department of Chemistry, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
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5
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Chen L, Ma Y, He T, Chen T, Pan Y, Zhou D, Li X, Lu Y, Wu Q, Wang L. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis unveil the response mechanism in wild rice ( Zizania latifolia griseb.) against sheath rot infection. Front Genet 2023; 14:1163464. [PMID: 37359383 PMCID: PMC10289006 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1163464] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sheath rot disease (SRD) is one of the most devastating diseases of Manchurian wild rice (MWR) (Zizania latifolia Griseb). Pilot experiments in our laboratory have shown that an MWR cultivar "Zhejiao NO.7"exhibits signs of SRD tolerance. To explore the responses of Zhejiao No. 7 to SRD infection, we used a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis approach. A total of 136 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs, 114 up- and 22 down-accumulated in FA compared to CK) were detected. These up-accumulated metabolites were enriched in tryptophan metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, flavonoids, and phytohormone signaling. Transcriptome sequencing results showed the differential expression of 11,280 genes (DEGs, 5,933 up-, and 5,347 downregulated in FA compared to CK). The genes expressed in tryptophan metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling, and reactive oxygen species homeostasis confirmed the metabolite results. In addition, genes related to the cell wall, carbohydrate metabolism, and plant-pathogen interaction (especially hypersensitive response) showed changes in expression in response to SRD infection. These results provide a basis for understanding the response mechanisms in MWR to FA attack that can be used for breeding SRD-tolerant MWR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limin Chen
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yamin Ma
- Agricultural and Rural Bureau of Jinyun County, Jinyun, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tianjun He
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - TingTing Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yiming Pan
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dayun Zhou
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaobin Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Quancong Wu
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lailiang Wang
- Lishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
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6
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Liu X, Zhang P, Zhao Q, Huang AC. Making small molecules in plants: A chassis for synthetic biology-based production of plant natural products. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:417-443. [PMID: 35852486 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products have been extensively exploited in food, medicine, flavor, cosmetic, renewable fuel, and other industrial sectors. Synthetic biology has recently emerged as a promising means for the cost-effective and sustainable production of natural products. Compared with engineering microbes for the production of plant natural products, the potential of plants as chassis for producing these compounds is underestimated, largely due to challenges encountered in engineering plants. Knowledge in plant engineering is instrumental for enabling the effective and efficient production of valuable phytochemicals in plants, and also paves the way for a more sustainable future agriculture. In this manuscript, we briefly recap the biosynthesis of plant natural products, focusing primarily on industrially important terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids. We further summarize the plant hosts and strategies that have been used to engineer the production of natural products. The challenges and opportunities of using plant synthetic biology to achieve rapid and scalable production of high-value plant natural products are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiao Zhao
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ancheng C Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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7
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Singh G, Agrawal H, Bednarek P. Specialized metabolites as versatile tools in shaping plant-microbe associations. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:122-144. [PMID: 36503863 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants are rich repository of a large number of chemical compounds collectively referred to as specialized metabolites. These compounds are of importance for adaptive processes including responses against changing abiotic conditions and interactions with various co-existing organisms. One of the strikingly affirmed functions of these specialized metabolites is their involvement in plants' life-long interactions with complex multi-kingdom microbiomes including both beneficial and harmful microorganisms. Recent developments in genomic and molecular biology tools not only help to generate well-curated information about regulatory and structural components of biosynthetic pathways of plant specialized metabolites but also to create and screen mutant lines defective in their synthesis. In this review, we have comprehensively surveyed the function of these specialized metabolites and discussed recent research findings demonstrating the responses of various microbes on tested mutant lines having defective biosynthesis of particular metabolites. In addition, we attempt to provide key clues about the impact of these metabolites on the assembly of the plant microbiome by summarizing the major findings of recent comparative metagenomic analyses of available mutant lines under customized and natural microbial niches. Subsequently, we delineate benchmark initiatives that aim to engineer or manipulate the biosynthetic pathways to produce specialized metabolites in heterologous systems but also to diversify their immune function. While denoting the function of these metabolites, we also discuss the critical bottlenecks associated with understanding and exploiting their function in improving plant adaptation to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Singh
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Himani Agrawal
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Bednarek
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland.
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8
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Synthesis of natural product hybrids by the Ugi reaction in complex media containing plant extracts. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15568. [PMID: 36114212 PMCID: PMC9481608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19579-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant extracts are rich in a wide variety of molecules with diverse biological activities. Chemical engineering of plant extracts has provided a straightforward and simultaneous synthetic route for artificial molecules derived from plant products. This study achieved the synthesis of 13 natural product-like molecules by the Ugi multicomponent reaction using plant extracts as substrates. In particular, the engineering of a mixture of plant extracts demonstrated a unique synthetic route to a series of natural product hybrids, whereby otherwise unencountered naturally occurring molecules of different origins were chemically hybridized in complex media. Even though these reactions took place in complex media containing plant extracts, the well-designed process achieved a good conversion efficiency (~ 60%), chemoselectivity, and reproducibility. Additionally, some of the Ugi adducts exhibited promising inhibitory activity toward protease.
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9
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Plaszkó T, Szűcs Z, Vasas G, Gonda S. Interactions of fungi with non-isothiocyanate products of the plant glucosinolate pathway: A review on product formation, antifungal activity, mode of action and biotransformation. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 200:113245. [PMID: 35623473 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The glucosinolate pathway, which is present in the order Brassicales, is one of the most researched defensive natural product biosynthesis pathways. Its core molecules, the glucosinolates are broken down upon pathogen challenge or tissue damage to yield an array of natural products that may help plants defend against the stressor. Though the most widely known glucosinolate decomposition products are the antimicrobial isothiocyanates, there is a wide range of other volatile and non-volatile natural products that arise from this biosynthetic pathway. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the interaction of these much less examined, non-isothiocyanate products with fungi. It deals with compounds including (1) glucosinolates and their biosynthesis precursors; (2) glucosinolate-derived nitriles (e.g. derivatives of 1H-indole-3-acetonitrile), thiocyanates, epithionitriles and oxazolidine-2-thiones; (3) putative isothiocyanate downstream products such as raphanusamic acid, 1H-indole-3-methanol (= indole-3-carbinol) and its oligomers, 1H-indol-3-ylmethanamine and ascorbigen; (4) 1H-indole-3-acetonitrile downstream products such as 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (indole-3-carboxaldehyde), 1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid and their derivatives; and (5) indole phytoalexins including brassinin, cyclobrassinin and brassilexin. Herein, a literature review on the following aspects is provided: their direct antifungal activity and the proposed mechanisms of antifungal action, increased biosynthesis after fungal challenge, as well as data on their biotransformation/detoxification by fungi, including but not limited to fungal myrosinase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Plaszkó
- Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary; Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Zsolt Szűcs
- Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary; Healthcare Industry Institute, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Vasas
- Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Sándor Gonda
- Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
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10
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Sirirungruang S, Markel K, Shih PM. Plant-based engineering for production of high-valued natural products. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1492-1509. [PMID: 35674317 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00017b] [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
Covering: up to March 2022Plants are a unique source of complex specialized metabolites, many of which play significant roles in human society. In many cases, however, the availability of these metabolites from naturally occurring sources fails to meet current demands. Thus, there is much interest in expanding the production capacity of target plant molecules. Traditionally, plant breeding, chemical synthesis, and microbial fermentation are considered the primary routes towards large scale production of natural products. Here, we explore the advances, challenges, and future of plant engineering as a complementary path. Although plants are an integral part of our food and agricultural systems and sustain an extensive array of chemical constituents, their complex genetics and physiology have prevented the optimal exploitation of plants as a production chassis. We highlight emerging engineering tools and scientific advances developed in recent years that have improved the prospects of using plants as a sustainable and scalable production platform. We also discuss technological limitations and overall economic outlook of plant-based production of natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasilada Sirirungruang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.,Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Center for Biomolecular Structure, Function and Application, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Kasey Markel
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.,Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Patrick M Shih
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.,Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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11
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Angelovici R, Kliebenstein D. A plant balancing act: Meshing new and existing metabolic pathways towards an optimized system. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 66:102173. [PMID: 35144143 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102173] [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: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Specialized metabolic pathways evolve from existing pathways, creating new functionality potentially boosting fitness. However, how these pathways are integrated into a pre-existing working and well-balanced metabolic system is unclear. They could be integrated to the system as a functional appendage, or they could be fully embedded into primary metabolism by establishing new biochemical and regulatory connections. A full integration into the primary metabolic system requires substantial system re-wiring and because of this complexity, the latter is often not experimentally pursued. New studies provide evidence that some specialized metabolic pathways are fully embedded in primary metabolism with extensive new regulatory and biochemical connections. This suggests, that we should consider whether other specialized metabolic pathways could be fully integrated rather than being simple appendages. In this mini review, we survey compelling evidence supporting that some specialized metabolic pathways are fully integrated and ask if these metabolites now act as de-facto primary metabolites?
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthie Angelovici
- Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Dan Kliebenstein
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; DynaMo Center of Excellence, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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12
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Wu XM, Guan QY, Han YB, Wang XC, Zhuang WY, Tan RX. Regeneration of Phytochemicals by Structure‐Driven Organization of Microbial Biosynthetic Steps. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202114919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Ming Wu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy School of Pharmacy Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine No. 138 Xianlin Avenue Nanjing Jiangsu 210023 China
| | - Qiu Yan Guan
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy School of Pharmacy Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine No. 138 Xianlin Avenue Nanjing Jiangsu 210023 China
| | - Yun Bin Han
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy School of Pharmacy Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine No. 138 Xianlin Avenue Nanjing Jiangsu 210023 China
| | - Xin Cun Wang
- Insitute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 China
| | - Wen Ying Zhuang
- Insitute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 China
| | - Ren Xiang Tan
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy School of Pharmacy Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine No. 138 Xianlin Avenue Nanjing Jiangsu 210023 China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules, School of Life Sciences Nanjing University No. 163 Xianlin Avenue Nanjing Jiangsu 210023 China
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13
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Wu XM, Guan QY, Han YB, Wang XC, Zhuang WY, Tan RX. Regeneration of Phytochemicals by Structure-Driven Organization of Microbial Biosynthetic Steps. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 61:e202114919. [PMID: 34931419 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202114919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Medicinal phytochemicals, such as artemisinin and taxol, have impacted the world, and hypericin might do so if its availability issue could be addressed. Hypericin is the hallmark component of Saint John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), an approved depression alleviator documented in the US, European, and British pharmacopoeias with its additional effectiveness against diverse cancers and viruses. However, the academia-to-industry transition of hypericin remain hampered by its low in planta abundance, unfeasible bulk chemical synthesis, and unclear biosynthetic mechanism. Here, we present a strategy consisting of the hypericin-structure-centered modification and reorganization of microbial biosynthetic steps in the repurposed cells that have been tamed to enable the designed consecutive reactions to afford hypericin (43.1 mg L-1 ), without acquiring its biosynthetic knowledge in native plants. The study provides a synthetic biology route to hypericin and establishes a platform for biosustainable access to medicinal phytochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Ming Wu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Qiu Yan Guan
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Yun Bin Han
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Xin Cun Wang
- Insitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Wen Ying Zhuang
- Insitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ren Xiang Tan
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Functional Biomolecules, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
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14
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Zhu X, Liu X, Liu T, Wang Y, Ahmed N, Li Z, Jiang H. Synthetic biology of plant natural products: From pathway elucidation to engineered biosynthesis in plant cells. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:100229. [PMID: 34746761 PMCID: PMC8553972 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products (PNPs) are the main sources of drugs, food additives, and new biofuels and have become a hotspot in synthetic biology. In the past two decades, the engineered biosynthesis of many PNPs has been achieved through the construction of microbial cell factories. Alongside the rapid development of plant physiology, genetics, and plant genetic modification techniques, hosts have now expanded from single-celled microbes to complex plant systems. Plant synthetic biology is an emerging field that combines engineering principles with plant biology. In this review, we introduce recent advances in the biosynthetic pathway elucidation of PNPs and summarize the progress of engineered PNP biosynthesis in plant cells. Furthermore, a future vision of plant synthetic biology is proposed. Although we are still a long way from overcoming all the bottlenecks in plant synthetic biology, the ascent of this field is expected to provide a huge opportunity for future agriculture and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- Life Science and Technology College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Yina Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Nida Ahmed
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Huifeng Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
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15
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Ding Y, Northen TR, Khalil A, Huffaker A, Schmelz EA. Getting back to the grass roots: harnessing specialized metabolites for improved crop stress resilience. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 70:174-186. [PMID: 34129999 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Roots remain an understudied site of complex and important biological interactions mediating plant productivity. In grain and bioenergy crops, grass root specialized metabolites (GRSM) are central to key interactions, yet our basic knowledge of the chemical language remains fragmentary. Continued improvements in plant genome assembly and metabolomics are enabling large-scale advances in the discovery of specialized metabolic pathways as a means of regulating root-biotic interactions. Metabolomics, transcript coexpression analyses, forward genetic studies, gene synthesis and heterologous expression assays drive efficient pathway discoveries. Functional genetic variants identified through genome wide analyses, targeted CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, and both native and non-native overexpression studies critically inform novel strategies for bioengineering metabolic pathways to improve plant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezhang Ding
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Trent R Northen
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Ahmed Khalil
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alisa Huffaker
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric A Schmelz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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16
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Courdavault V, O'Connor SE, Jensen MK, Papon N. Metabolic engineering for plant natural products biosynthesis: new procedures, concrete achievements and remaining limits. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:2145-2153. [PMID: 33969366 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00092b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms and plants represent major sources of natural compounds with a plethora of bioactive properties. Among these, plant natural products (PNPs) remain indispensable to human health. With few exceptions, PNP-based pharmaceuticals come from plant specialized metabolisms and display a structure far too complex for a profitable production by total chemical synthesis. Accordingly, their industrial processes of supply are still mostly based on the extraction of final products or precursors directly from plant materials. This implies that particular contexts (e.g. pandemics, climate changes) and natural resource overexploitation are main drivers for the high production cost and recurrent supply shortages. Recently, biotechnological manufacturing alternatives gave rise to a multitude of benchmark studies implementing the production of important PNPs in various heterologous hosts. Here, we spotlight unprecedented advancements in the field of metabolic engineering dedicated to the heterologous production of a prominent series of PNPs that were achieved during the year 2020. We also discuss how the knowledge accumulated in recent years could pave the way for a broader manufacturing palette of natural products from a wide range of natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah E O'Connor
- Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael K Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène, GEIHP, EA3142, UNIV Angers, SFR 4208 ICAT, Angers, France
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17
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Barnum CR, Endelman BJ, Shih PM. Utilizing Plant Synthetic Biology to Improve Human Health and Wellness. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:691462. [PMID: 34504505 PMCID: PMC8421571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.691462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants offer a vast source of bioactive chemicals with the potential to improve human health through the prevention and treatment of disease. However, many potential therapeutics are produced in small amounts or in species that are difficult to cultivate. The rapidly evolving field of plant synthetic biology provides tools to capitalize on the inventive chemistry of plants by transferring metabolic pathways for therapeutics into far more tenable plants, increasing our ability to produce complex pharmaceuticals in well-studied plant systems. Plant synthetic biology also provides methods to enhance the ability to fortify crops with nutrients and nutraceuticals. In this review, we discuss (1) the potential of plant synthetic biology to improve human health by generating plants that produce pharmaceuticals, nutrients, and nutraceuticals and (2) the technological challenges hindering our ability to generate plants producing health-promoting small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin R. Barnum
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Endelman
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Patrick M. Shih,
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18
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Eljounaidi K, Lichman BR. Nature's Chemists: The Discovery and Engineering of Phytochemical Biosynthesis. Front Chem 2020; 8:596479. [PMID: 33240856 PMCID: PMC7680914 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.596479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants produce a diverse array of natural products, many of which have high pharmaceutical value or therapeutic potential. However, these compounds often occur at low concentrations in uncultivated species. Producing phytochemicals in heterologous systems has the potential to address the bioavailability issues related to obtaining these molecules from their natural source. Plants are suitable heterologous systems for the production of valuable phytochemicals as they are autotrophic, derive energy and carbon from photosynthesis, and have similar cellular context to native producer plants. In this review we highlight the methods that are used to elucidate natural product biosynthetic pathways, including the approaches leading to proposing the sequence of enzymatic steps, selecting enzyme candidates and characterizing gene function. We will also discuss the advantages of using plant chasses as production platforms for high value phytochemicals. In addition, through this report we will assess the emerging metabolic engineering strategies that have been developed to enhance and optimize the production of natural and novel bioactive phytochemicals in heterologous plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaouthar Eljounaidi
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin R Lichman
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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