1
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Fiesel PD, Kerwin RE, Jones AD, Last RL. Trading acyls and swapping sugars: metabolic innovations in Solanum trichomes. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 196:1231-1253. [PMID: 38748602 PMCID: PMC11444299 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Solanaceae (nightshade family) species synthesize a remarkable array of clade- and tissue-specific specialized metabolites. Protective acylsugars, one such class of structurally diverse metabolites, are produced by ACYLSUGAR ACYLTRANSFERASE (ASAT) enzymes from sugars and acyl-coenzyme A esters. Published research has revealed trichome acylsugars composed of glucose and sucrose cores in species across the family. In addition, acylsugars have been analyzed across a small fraction of the >1,200 species in the phenotypically megadiverse Solanum genus, with a handful containing inositol and glycosylated inositol cores. The current study sampled several dozen species across subclades of Solanum to get a more detailed view of acylsugar chemodiversity. In depth characterization of acylsugars from the clade II species brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena) led to the identification of eight unusual structures with inositol or inositol glycoside cores and hydroxyacyl chains. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 31 additional species in the Solanum genus revealed striking acylsugar diversity, with some traits restricted to specific clades and species. Acylinositols and inositol-based acyldisaccharides were detected throughout much of the genus. In contrast, acylglucoses and acylsucroses were more restricted in distribution. Analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes and interspecific acylsugar acetylation differences led to the identification of the brinjal eggplant ASAT 3-LIKE 1 (SmASAT3-L1; SMEL4.1_12g015780) enzyme. This enzyme is distinct from previously characterized acylsugar acetyltransferases, which are in the ASAT4 clade, and appears to be a functionally divergent ASAT3. This study provides a foundation for investigating the evolution and function of diverse Solanum acylsugar structures and harnessing this diversity in breeding and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Rachel E Kerwin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
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2
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Bai Y, Liu X, Baldwin IT. Using Synthetic Biology to Understand the Function of Plant Specialized Metabolites. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 75:629-653. [PMID: 38424065 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-060223-013842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Plant specialized metabolites (PSMs) are variably distributed across taxa, tissues, and ecological contexts; this variability has inspired many theories about PSM function, which, to date, remain poorly tested because predictions have outpaced the available data. Advances in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics have enabled unbiased PSM profiling, and molecular biology techniques have produced PSM-free plants; the combination of these methods has accelerated our understanding of the complex ecological roles that PSMs play in plants. Synthetic biology techniques and workflows are producing high-value, structurally complex PSMs in quantities and purities sufficient for both medicinal and functional studies. These workflows enable the reengineering of PSM transport, externalization, structural diversity, and production in novel taxa, facilitating rigorous tests of long-standing theoretical predictions about why plants produce so many different PSMs in particular tissues and ecological contexts. Plants use their chemical prowess to solve ecological challenges, and synthetic biology workflows are accelerating our understanding of these evolved functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuechen Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; ,
| | - Xinyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; ,
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany;
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3
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Kerwin RE, Hart JE, Fiesel PD, Lou YR, Fan P, Jones AD, Last RL. Tomato root specialized metabolites evolved through gene duplication and regulatory divergence within a biosynthetic gene cluster. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn3991. [PMID: 38657073 PMCID: PMC11094762 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn3991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Tremendous plant metabolic diversity arises from phylogenetically restricted specialized metabolic pathways. Specialized metabolites are synthesized in dedicated cells or tissues, with pathway genes sometimes colocalizing in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). However, the mechanisms by which spatial expression patterns arise and the role of BGCs in pathway evolution remain underappreciated. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms driving acylsugar evolution in the Solanaceae. Previously thought to be restricted to glandular trichomes, acylsugars were recently found in cultivated tomato roots. We demonstrated that acylsugars in cultivated tomato roots and trichomes have different sugar cores, identified root-enriched paralogs of trichome acylsugar pathway genes, and characterized a key paralog required for root acylsugar biosynthesis, SlASAT1-LIKE (SlASAT1-L), which is nested within a previously reported trichome acylsugar BGC. Last, we provided evidence that ASAT1-L arose through duplication of its paralog, ASAT1, and was trichome-expressed before acquiring root-specific expression in the Solanum genus. Our results illuminate the genomic context and molecular mechanisms underpinning metabolic diversity in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Kerwin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jaynee E. Hart
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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4
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Fiesel PD, Kerwin RE, Daniel Jones A, Last RL. Trading acyls and swapping sugars: metabolic innovations in Solanum trichomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.05.542877. [PMID: 37333341 PMCID: PMC10274652 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.542877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Solanaceae (nightshade family) species synthesize a remarkable array of clade- and tissue-specific specialized metabolites. Protective acylsugars, one such class of structurally diverse metabolites, are produced by AcylSugar AcylTransferases from sugars and acyl-coenzyme A esters. Published research revealed trichome acylsugars composed of glucose and sucrose cores in species across the family. In addition, acylsugars were analyzed across a small fraction of the >1200 species in the phenotypically megadiverse Solanum genus, with a handful containing inositol and glycosylated inositol cores. The current study sampled several dozen species across subclades of the Solanum to get a more detailed view of acylsugar chemodiversity. In depth characterization of acylsugars from the Clade II species Solanum melongena (brinjal eggplant) led to the identification of eight unusual structures with inositol or inositol glycoside cores, and hydroxyacyl chains. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 31 additional species in the Solanum genus revealed striking acylsugar diversity with some traits restricted to specific clades and species. Acylinositols and inositol-based acyldisaccharides were detected throughout much of the genus. In contrast, acylglucoses and acylsucroses were more restricted in distribution. Analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes and interspecific acylsugar acetylation differences led to the identification of the S. melongena AcylSugar AcylTransferase 3-Like 1 (SmASAT3-L1; SMEL4.1_12g015780) enzyme. This enzyme is distinct from previously characterized acylsugar acetyltransferases, which are in the ASAT4 clade, and appears to be a functionally divergent ASAT3. This study provides a foundation for investigating the evolution and function of diverse Solanum acylsugar structures and harnessing this diversity in breeding and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - Rachel E. Kerwin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
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5
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Moghe G, Irfan M, Sarmah B. Dangerous sugars: Structural diversity and functional significance of acylsugar-like defense compounds in flowering plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 73:102348. [PMID: 36842412 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102348] [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: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars constitute a diverse class of secondary metabolites found in many flowering plant families. Comprising sugar cores and acyl groups connected by ester and/or ether linkages, acylsugar structures vary considerably at all taxonomic levels - from populations of the same species to across species of the same family and across flowering plants, with some species producing hundreds of acylsugars in a single organ. Acylsugars have been most well-studied in the Solanaceae family, but structurally analogous compounds have also been reported in the Convolvulaceae, Martyniaceae, Geraniaceae, Rubiaceae, Rosaceae and Caryophyllaceae families. Focusing on Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae acylsugars, this review highlights their structural diversity, the potential biosynthetic mechanisms that produce this diversity, and its functional significance. Finally, we also discuss the possibility that some of this diversity is merely "noise", arising out of enzyme promiscuity and/or non-adaptive evolutionary mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Mohammad Irfan
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Bhaswati Sarmah
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam 785013, India
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Zhong J, Wu S, Chen WJ, Huang Y, Lei Q, Mishra S, Bhatt P, Chen S. Current insights into the microbial degradation of nicosulfuron: Strains, metabolic pathways, and molecular mechanisms. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 326:138390. [PMID: 36935058 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138390] [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: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nicosulfuron is among the sulfonylurea herbicides that are widely used to control annual and perennial grass weeds in cornfields. However, nicosulfuron residues in the environment are likely to cause long-lasting harmful environmental and biological effects. Nicosulfuron degrades via photo-degradation, chemical hydrolysis, and microbial degradation. The latter is crucial for pesticide degradation and has become an essential strategy to remove nicosulfuron residues from the environment. Most previous studies have focused on the screening, degradation characteristics, and degradation pathways of biodegrader microorganisms. The isolated nicosulfuron-degrading strains include Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Alcaligenes, Rhodopseudomonas, Ochrobactrum, Micrococcus, Serratia, Penicillium, Aspergillus, among others, all of which have good degradation efficiency. Two main intermediates, 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine (ADMP) and 2-aminosulfonyl-N,N-dimethylnicotinamide (ASDM), are produced during microbial degradation and are derived from the C-N, C-S, and S-N bond breaks on the sulfonylurea bridge, covering almost every bacterial degradation pathway. In addition, enzymes related to the degradation of nicosulfuron have been identified successively, including the manganese ABC transporter (hydrolase), Flavin-containing monooxygenase (oxidase), and E3 (esterase). Further in-depth studies based on molecular biology and genetics are needed to elaborate on their role in the evolution of novel catabolic pathways and the microbial degradation of nicosulfuron. To date, few reviews have focused on the microbial degradation and degradation mechanisms of nicosulfuron. This review summarizes recent advances in nicosulfuron degradation and comprehensively discusses the potential of nicosulfuron-degrading microorganisms for bioremediating contaminated environments, providing a reference for further research development on nicosulfuron biodegradation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Siyi Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Wen-Juan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yaohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qiqi Lei
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Sandhya Mishra
- Environmental Technologies Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - Pankaj Bhatt
- Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47906, USA.
| | - Shaohua Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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7
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Kruse LH, Fehr B, Chobirko JD, Moghe GD. Phylogenomic analyses across land plants reveals motifs and coexpression patterns useful for functional prediction in the BAHD acyltransferase family. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1067613. [PMID: 36844084 PMCID: PMC9950517 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1067613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The BAHD acyltransferase family is one of the largest enzyme families in flowering plants, containing dozens to hundreds of genes in individual genomes. Highly prevalent in angiosperm genomes, members of this family contribute to several pathways in primary and specialized metabolism. In this study, we performed a phylogenomic analysis of the family using 52 genomes across the plant kingdom to gain deeper insights into its functional evolution and enable function prediction. We found that BAHD expansion in land plants was associated with significant changes in various gene features. Using pre-defined BAHD clades, we identified clade expansions in different plant groups. In some groups, these expansions coincided with the prominence of metabolite classes such as anthocyanins (flowering plants) and hydroxycinnamic acid amides (monocots). Clade-wise motif-enrichment analysis revealed that some clades have novel motifs fixed on either the acceptor or the donor side, potentially reflecting historical routes of functional evolution. Co-expression analysis in rice and Arabidopsis further identified BAHDs with similar expression patterns, however, most co-expressed BAHDs belonged to different clades. Comparing BAHD paralogs, we found that gene expression diverges rapidly after duplication, suggesting that sub/neo-functionalization of duplicate genes occurs quickly via expression diversification. Analyzing co-expression patterns in Arabidopsis in conjunction with orthology-based substrate class predictions and metabolic pathway models led to the recovery of metabolic processes of most of the already-characterized BAHDs as well as definition of novel functional predictions for some uncharacterized BAHDs. Overall, this study provides new insights into the evolution of BAHD acyltransferases and sets up a foundation for their functional characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H. Kruse
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Benjamin Fehr
- Computational Biology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Jason D. Chobirko
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Gaurav D. Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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8
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Shen S, Zhan C, Yang C, Fernie AR, Luo J. Metabolomics-centered mining of plant metabolic diversity and function: Past decade and future perspectives. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:43-63. [PMID: 36114669 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants are natural experts in organic synthesis, being able to generate large numbers of specific metabolites with widely varying structures that help them adapt to variable survival challenges. Metabolomics is a research discipline that integrates the capabilities of several types of research including analytical chemistry, statistics, and biochemistry. Its ongoing development provides strategies for gaining a systematic understanding of quantitative changes in the levels of metabolites. Metabolomics is usually performed by targeting either a specific cell, a specific tissue, or the entire organism. Considerable advances in science and technology over the last three decades have propelled us into the era of multi-omics, in which metabolomics, despite at an earlier developmental stage than genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, offers the distinct advantage of studying the cellular entities that have the greatest influence on end phenotype. Here, we summarize the state of the art of metabolite detection and identification, and illustrate these techniques with four case study applications: (i) comparing metabolite composition within and between species, (ii) assessing spatio-temporal metabolic changes during plant development, (iii) mining characteristic metabolites of plants in different ecological environments and upon exposure to various stresses, and (iv) assessing the performance of metabolomics as a means of functional gene identification , metabolic pathway elucidation, and metabolomics-assisted breeding through analyzing plant populations with diverse genetic variations. In addition, we highlight the prominent contributions of joint analyses of plant metabolomics and other omics datasets, including those from genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, phenomics, microbiomes, and ion-omics studies. Finally, we discuss future directions and challenges exploiting metabolomics-centered approaches in understanding plant metabolic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangqian Shen
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Chuansong Zhan
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Chenkun Yang
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
| | - Jie Luo
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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9
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Schenck CA, Anthony TM, Jacobs M, Jones AD, Last RL. Natural variation meets synthetic biology: Promiscuous trichome-expressed acyltransferases from Nicotiana. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:146-164. [PMID: 35477794 PMCID: PMC9434288 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars are defensive, trichome-synthesized sugar esters produced in plants across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Although assembled from simple metabolites and synthesized by a relatively short core biosynthetic pathway, tremendous within- and across-species acylsugar structural variation is documented across the family. To advance our understanding of the diversity and the synthesis of acylsugars within the Nicotiana genus, trichome extracts were profiled across the genus coupled with transcriptomics-guided enzyme discovery and in vivo and in vitro analysis. Differences in the types of sugar cores, numbers of acylations, and acyl chain structures contributed to over 300 unique annotated acylsugars throughout Nicotiana. Placement of acyl chain length into a phylogenetic context revealed that an unsaturated acyl chain type was detected in a few closely related species. A comparative transcriptomics approach identified trichome-enriched Nicotiana acuminata acylsugar biosynthetic candidate enzymes. More than 25 acylsugar variants could be produced in a single enzyme assay with four N. acuminata acylsugar acyltransferases (NacASAT1-4) together with structurally diverse acyl-CoAs and sucrose. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry screening of in vitro products revealed the ability of these enzymes to make acylsugars not present in Nicotiana plant extracts. In vitro acylsugar production also provided insights into acyltransferase acyl donor promiscuity and acyl acceptor specificity as well as regiospecificity of some ASATs. This study suggests that promiscuous Nicotiana acyltransferases can be used as synthetic biology tools to produce novel and potentially useful metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A Schenck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Thilani M Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - MacKenzie Jacobs
- Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia 26074, USA
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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10
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Fiesel PD, Parks HM, Last RL, Barry CS. Fruity, sticky, stinky, spicy, bitter, addictive, and deadly: evolutionary signatures of metabolic complexity in the Solanaceae. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1438-1464. [PMID: 35332352 PMCID: PMC9308699 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00003b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 2000-2022Plants collectively synthesize a huge repertoire of metabolites. General metabolites, also referred to as primary metabolites, are conserved across the plant kingdom and are required for processes essential to growth and development. These include amino acids, sugars, lipids, and organic acids. In contrast, specialized metabolites, historically termed secondary metabolites, are structurally diverse, exhibit lineage-specific distribution and provide selective advantage to host species to facilitate reproduction and environmental adaptation. Due to their potent bioactivities, plant specialized metabolites attract considerable attention for use as flavorings, fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and bio-pesticides. The Solanaceae (Nightshade family) consists of approximately 2700 species and includes crops of significant economic, cultural, and scientific importance: these include potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant, tobacco, and petunia. The Solanaceae has emerged as a model family for studying the biochemical evolution of plant specialized metabolism and multiple examples exist of lineage-specific metabolites that influence the senses and physiology of commensal and harmful organisms, including humans. These include, alcohols, phenylpropanoids, and carotenoids that contribute to fruit aroma and color in tomato (fruity), glandular trichome-derived terpenoids and acylsugars that contribute to plant defense (stinky & sticky, respectively), capsaicinoids in chilli-peppers that influence seed dispersal (spicy), and steroidal glycoalkaloids (bitter) from Solanum, nicotine (addictive) from tobacco, as well as tropane alkaloids (deadly) from Deadly Nightshade that deter herbivory. Advances in genomics and metabolomics, coupled with the adoption of comparative phylogenetic approaches, resulted in deeper knowledge of the biosynthesis and evolution of these metabolites. This review highlights recent progress in this area and outlines opportunities for - and challenges of-developing a more comprehensive understanding of Solanaceae metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Hannah M Parks
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Cornelius S Barry
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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11
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Schenck CA, Busta L. Using interdisciplinary, phylogeny-guided approaches to understand the evolution of plant metabolism. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:355-367. [PMID: 34816350 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-021-01220-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To cope with relentless environmental pressures, plants produce an arsenal of structurally diverse chemicals, often called specialized metabolites. These lineage-specific compounds are derived from the simple building blocks made by ubiquitous core metabolic pathways. Although the structures of many specialized metabolites are known, the underlying metabolic pathways and the evolutionary events that have shaped the plant chemical diversity landscape are only beginning to be understood. However, with the advent of multi-omics data sets and the relative ease of studying pathways in previously intractable non-model species, plant specialized metabolic pathways are now being systematically identified. These large datasets also provide a foundation for comparative, phylogeny-guided studies of plant metabolism. Comparisons of metabolic traits and features like chemical abundances, enzyme activities, or gene sequences from phylogenetically diverse plants provide insights into how metabolic pathways evolved. This review highlights the power of studying evolution through the lens of comparative biochemistry, particularly how placing metabolism into a phylogenetic context can help a researcher identify the metabolic innovations enabling the evolution of structurally diverse plant metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A Schenck
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Lucas Busta
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, USA
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Chang A, Hu Z, Chen B, Vanderschuren H, Chen M, Qu Y, Yu W, Li Y, Sun H, Cao J, Vasudevan K, Li C, Cao Y, Zhang J, Shen Y, Yang A, Wang Y. Characterization of trichome-specific BAHD acyltransferases involved in acylsugar biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:3913-3928. [PMID: 35262703 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac095] [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: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) produce blends of acylsucroses that contribute to defence against pathogens and herbivorous insects, but the mechanism of assembly of these acylsugars has not yet been determined. In this study, we isolated and characterized two trichome-specific acylsugar acyltransferases that are localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, NtASAT1 and NtASAT2. They sequentially catalyse two additive steps of acyl donors to sucrose to produce di-acylsucrose. Knocking out of NtASAT1 or NtASAT2 resulted in deficiency of acylsucrose; however, there was no effect on acylsugar accumulation in plants overexpressing NtASAT1 or NtASAT2. Genomic analysis and profiling revealed that NtASATs originated from the T subgenome, which is derived from the acylsugar-producing diploid ancestor N. tomentosiformis. Our identification of NtASAT1 and NtASAT2 as enzymes involved in acylsugar assembly in tobacco potentially provides a new approach and target genes for improving crop resistance against pathogens and insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Chang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Zhongyi Hu
- Jiangxi Food Inspection and Testing Research Institute, Nanchang, 330001, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Herve Vanderschuren
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
- Tropical Crop Improvement Lab, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Ming Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yafang Qu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Weisong Yu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yangyang Li
- Hunan Tobacco Research Institute, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Huiqing Sun
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Jianmin Cao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Kumar Vasudevan
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Chenying Li
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yanan Cao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Jianye Zhang
- Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yeming Shen
- Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Aiguo Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yuanying Wang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
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13
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Leong BJ, Hurney S, Fiesel P, Anthony TM, Moghe G, Jones AD, Last RL. Identification of BAHD acyltransferases associated with acylinositol biosynthesis in Solanum quitoense (naranjilla). PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e415. [PMID: 35774622 PMCID: PMC9219006 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants make a variety of specialized metabolites that can mediate interactions with animals, microbes, and competitor plants. Understanding how plants synthesize these compounds enables studies of their biological roles by manipulating their synthesis in vivo as well as producing them in vitro. Acylsugars are a group of protective metabolites that accumulate in the trichomes of many Solanaceae family plants. Acylinositol biosynthesis is of interest because it appears to be restricted to a subgroup of species within the Solanum genus. Previous work characterized a triacylinositol acetyltransferase involved in acylinositol biosynthesis in the Andean fruit plant Solanum quitoense (lulo or naranjilla). We characterized three additional S. quitoense trichome expressed enzymes and found that virus-induced gene silencing of each caused changes in acylinositol accumulation. pH was shown to influence the stability and rearrangement of the product of ASAT1H and could potentially play a role in acylinositol biosynthesis. Surprisingly, the in vitro triacylinositol products of these enzymes are distinct from those that accumulate in planta. This suggests that additional enzymes are required in acylinositol biosynthesis. These characterized S. quitoense enzymes, nonetheless, provide opportunities to test the biological impact and properties of these triacylinositols in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Leong
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Horticultural Sciences DepartmentUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Steven Hurney
- Department of ChemistryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Paul Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Thilani M. Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Gaurav Moghe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Arthur Daniel Jones
- Department of ChemistryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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14
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Lou YR, Anthony TM, Fiesel PD, Arking RE, Christensen EM, Jones AD, Last RL. It happened again: Convergent evolution of acylglucose specialized metabolism in black nightshade and wild tomato. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj8726. [PMID: 34757799 PMCID: PMC8580325 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj8726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Plants synthesize myriad phylogenetically restricted specialized (aka “secondary”) metabolites with diverse structures. Metabolism of acylated sugar esters in epidermal glandular secreting trichomes across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family is ideal for investigating the mechanisms of evolutionary metabolic diversification. We developed methods to structurally analyze acylhexose mixtures by 2D NMR, which led to the insight that the Old World species black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) accumulates acylglucoses and acylinositols in the same tissue. Detailed in vitro biochemistry, cross-validated by in vivo virus-induced gene silencing, revealed two unique features of the four-step acylglucose biosynthetic pathway: A trichome-expressed, neofunctionalized invertase-like enzyme, SnASFF1, converts BAHD-produced acylsucroses to acylglucoses, which, in turn, are substrates for the acylglucose acyltransferase, SnAGAT1. This biosynthetic pathway evolved independently from that recently described in the wild tomato Solanum pennellii, reinforcing that acylsugar biosynthesis is evolutionarily dynamic with independent examples of primary metabolic enzyme cooption and additional variation in BAHD acyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Thilani M. Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | | | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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15
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Kortbeek RWJ, Galland MD, Muras A, van der Kloet FM, André B, Heilijgers M, van Hijum SAFT, Haring MA, Schuurink RC, Bleeker PM. Natural variation in wild tomato trichomes; selecting metabolites that contribute to insect resistance using a random forest approach. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:315. [PMID: 34215189 PMCID: PMC8252294 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03070-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant-produced specialised metabolites are a powerful part of a plant's first line of defence against herbivorous insects, bacteria and fungi. Wild ancestors of present-day cultivated tomato produce a plethora of acylsugars in their type-I/IV trichomes and volatiles in their type-VI trichomes that have a potential role in plant resistance against insects. However, metabolic profiles are often complex mixtures making identification of the functionally interesting metabolites challenging. Here, we aimed to identify specialised metabolites from a wide range of wild tomato genotypes that could explain resistance to vector insects whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). We evaluated plant resistance, determined trichome density and obtained metabolite profiles of the glandular trichomes by LC-MS (acylsugars) and GC-MS (volatiles). Using a customised Random Forest learning algorithm, we determined the contribution of specific specialised metabolites to the resistance phenotypes observed. RESULTS The selected wild tomato accessions showed different levels of resistance to both whiteflies and thrips. Accessions resistant to one insect can be susceptible to another. Glandular trichome density is not necessarily a good predictor for plant resistance although the density of type-I/IV trichomes, related to the production of acylsugars, appears to correlate with whitefly resistance. For type VI-trichomes, however, it seems resistance is determined by the specific content of the glands. There is a strong qualitative and quantitative variation in the metabolite profiles between different accessions, even when they are from the same species. Out of 76 acylsugars found, the random forest algorithm linked two acylsugars (S3:15 and S3:21) to whitefly resistance, but none to thrips resistance. Out of 86 volatiles detected, the sesquiterpene α-humulene was linked to whitefly susceptible accessions instead. The algorithm did not link any specific metabolite to resistance against thrips, but monoterpenes α-phellandrene, α-terpinene and β-phellandrene/D-limonene were significantly associated with susceptible tomato accessions. CONCLUSIONS Whiteflies and thrips are distinctly targeted by certain specialised metabolites found in wild tomatoes. The machine learning approach presented helped to identify features with efficacy toward the insect species studied. These acylsugar metabolites can be targets for breeding efforts towards the selection of insect-resistant cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruy W J Kortbeek
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marc D Galland
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra Muras
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frans M van der Kloet
- Data Analysis Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart André
- Enza Zaden Research & Development B.V, Haling 1E, 1602 DB, Enkhuizen, The Netherlands
| | - Maurice Heilijgers
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sacha A F T van Hijum
- Radboud University Medical Center, Bacterial Genomics Group, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 26-28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michel A Haring
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert C Schuurink
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Petra M Bleeker
- Green Life Science Research Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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16
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Wang L, Chen K, Zhang M, Ye M, Qiao X. Catalytic function, mechanism, and application of plant acyltransferases. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:125-144. [PMID: 34151663 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1931015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Acyltransferases (ATs) are important tailoring enzymes that contribute to the diversity of natural products. They catalyze the transfer of acyl groups to the skeleton, which improves the lipid solubility, stability, and pharmacological activity of natural compounds. In recent years, a number of ATs have been isolated from plants. In this review, we have summarized 141 biochemically characterized ATs during the period July 1997 to October 2020, including their function, heterologous expression systems, and catalytic mechanisms. Their catalytic performance and application potential has been further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Min Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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17
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Landis JB, Miller CM, Broz AK, Bennett AA, Carrasquilla-Garcia N, Cook DR, Last RL, Bedinger PA, Moghe GD. Migration through a Major Andean Ecogeographic Disruption as a Driver of Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity in a Wild Tomato Species. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:3202-3219. [PMID: 33822137 PMCID: PMC8321546 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary dynamics at the population level play a central role in creating the diversity of life on our planet. In this study, we sought to understand the origins of such population-level variation in mating systems and defensive acylsugar chemistry in Solanum habrochaites—a wild tomato species found in diverse Andean habitats in Ecuador and Peru. Using Restriction-site-Associated-DNA-Sequencing (RAD-seq) of 50 S. habrochaites accessions, we identified eight population clusters generated via isolation and hybridization dynamics of 4–6 ancestral populations. Detailed characterization of mating systems of these clusters revealed emergence of multiple self-compatible (SC) groups from progenitor self-incompatible populations in the northern part of the species range. Emergence of these SC groups was also associated with fixation of deleterious alleles inactivating acylsugar acetylation. The Amotape-Huancabamba Zone—a geographical landmark in the Andes with high endemism and isolated microhabitats—was identified as a major driver of differentiation in the northern species range, whereas large geographical distances contributed to population structure and evolution of a novel SC group in the central and southern parts of the range, where the species was also inferred to have originated. Findings presented here highlight the role of the diverse ecogeography of Peru and Ecuador in generating population differentiation, and enhance our understanding of the microevolutionary processes that create biological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob B Landis
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.,Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Amanda K Broz
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Alexandra A Bennett
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Douglas R Cook
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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18
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An Integrated Analytical Approach Reveals Trichome Acylsugar Metabolite Diversity in the Wild Tomato Solanum pennellii. Metabolites 2020; 10:metabo10100401. [PMID: 33050231 PMCID: PMC7599763 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10100401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acylsugars constitute an abundant class of pest- and pathogen-protective Solanaceae family plant-specialized metabolites produced in secretory glandular trichomes. Solanum pennellii produces copious triacylated sucrose and glucose esters, and the core biosynthetic pathway producing these compounds was previously characterized. We performed untargeted metabolomic analysis of S. pennellii surface metabolites from accessions spanning the species range, which indicated geographic trends in the acylsugar profile and revealed two compound classes previously undescribed from this species, tetraacylglucoses and flavonoid aglycones. A combination of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC–HR-MS) and NMR spectroscopy identified variations in the number, length, and branching pattern of acyl chains, and the proportion of sugar cores in acylsugars among accessions. The new dimensions of acylsugar variation revealed by this analysis further indicate variation in the biosynthetic and degradative pathways responsible for acylsugar accumulation. These findings provide a starting point for deeper investigation of acylsugar biosynthesis, an understanding of which can be exploited through crop breeding or metabolic engineering strategies to improve the endogenous defenses of crop plants.
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19
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Oshikiri H, Watanabe B, Yamamoto H, Yazaki K, Takanashi K. Two BAHD Acyltransferases Catalyze the Last Step in the Shikonin/Alkannin Biosynthetic Pathway. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 184:753-761. [PMID: 32727911 PMCID: PMC7536692 DOI: 10.1104/pp.20.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Several Boraginaceae plants produce biologically active red naphthoquinone pigments, derivatives of the enantiomers shikonin and alkannin, which vary in acyl groups on their side chains. Compositions of shikonin/alkannin derivatives vary in plant species, but the mechanisms generating the diversity of shikonin/alkannin derivatives are largely unknown. This study describes the identification and characterization of two BAHD acyltransferases, shikonin O-acyltransferase (LeSAT1) and alkannin O-acyltransferase (LeAAT1), from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a medicinal plant in the family Boraginaceae that primarily produces the shikonin/alkannin derivatives acetylshikonin and β-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin. Enzyme assays using Escherichia coli showed that the acylation activity of LeSAT1 was specific to shikonin, whereas the acylation activity of LeAAT1 was specific to alkannin. Both enzymes recognized acetyl-CoA, isobutyryl-CoA, and isovaleryl-CoA as acyl donors to produce their corresponding shikonin/alkannin derivatives, with both enzymes showing the highest activity for acetyl-CoA. These findings were consistent with the composition of shikonin/alkannin derivatives in intact L erythrorhizon plants and cell cultures. Genes encoding both enzymes were preferentially expressed in the roots and cell cultures in the dark in pigment production medium M9, conditions associated with shikonin/alkannin production. These results indicated that LeSAT1 and LeAAT1 are enantiomer-specific acyltransferases that generate various shikonin/alkannin derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Oshikiri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, Nagano 390-8621, Japan
| | - Bunta Watanabe
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hirobumi Yamamoto
- Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Toyo University, Gunma 374-0193, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Yazaki
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Kojiro Takanashi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, Nagano 390-8621, Japan
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20
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Tohge T, Scossa F, Wendenburg R, Frasse P, Balbo I, Watanabe M, Alseekh S, Jadhav SS, Delfin JC, Lohse M, Giavalisco P, Usadel B, Zhang Y, Luo J, Bouzayen M, Fernie AR. Exploiting Natural Variation in Tomato to Define Pathway Structure and Metabolic Regulation of Fruit Polyphenolics in the Lycopersicum Complex. MOLECULAR PLANT 2020; 13:1027-1046. [PMID: 32305499 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
While the structures of plant primary metabolic pathways are generally well defined and highly conserved across species, those defining specialized metabolism are less well characterized and more highly variable across species. In this study, we investigated polyphenolic metabolism in the lycopersicum complex by characterizing the underlying biosynthetic and decorative reactions that constitute the metabolic network of polyphenols across eight different species of tomato. For this purpose, GC-MS- and LC-MS-based metabolomics of different tissues of Solanum lycopersicum and wild tomato species were carried out, in concert with the evaluation of cross-hybridized microarray data for MapMan-based transcriptomic analysis, and publicly available RNA-sequencing data for annotation of biosynthetic genes. The combined data were used to compile species-specific metabolic networks of polyphenolic metabolism, allowing the establishment of an entire pan-species biosynthetic framework as well as annotation of the functions of decoration enzymes involved in the formation of metabolic diversity of the flavonoid pathway. The combined results are discussed in the context of the current understanding of tomato flavonol biosynthesis as well as a global view of metabolic shifts during fruit ripening. Our results provide an example as to how large-scale biology approaches can be used for the definition and refinement of large specialized metabolism pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Tohge
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Graduate School of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192 Japan
| | - Federico Scossa
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics, via Ardeatina 546 00178 Rome, Italy
| | - Regina Wendenburg
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Pierre Frasse
- Université de Toulouse, INP-ENSA Toulouse, Génomique et Biotechnologie des Fruits, Castanet-Tolosan 31326, France
| | - Ilse Balbo
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Mutsumi Watanabe
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Graduate School of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192 Japan
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Institute of Plant Systems Biology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Sagar Sudam Jadhav
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Jay C Delfin
- Graduate School of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192 Japan
| | - Marc Lohse
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Patrick Giavalisco
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph Stelzmann Strasse 9b, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bjoern Usadel
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Institute of Botany and Molecular Genetics, BioSC, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Youjun Zhang
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Institute of Plant Systems Biology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Jie Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Mondher Bouzayen
- Université de Toulouse, INP-ENSA Toulouse, Génomique et Biotechnologie des Fruits, Castanet-Tolosan 31326, France
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Institute of Plant Systems Biology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
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21
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Chang AX, Chen B, Yang AG, Hu RS, Feng QF, Chen M, Yang XN, Luo CG, Li YY, Wang YY. The trichome-specific acetolactate synthase NtALS1 gene, is involved in acylsugar biosynthesis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). PLANTA 2020; 252:13. [PMID: 32621079 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-020-03418-x] [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: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION NtALS1 is specifically expressed in glandular trichomes, and can improve the content of acylsugars in tobacco. ABTRACT The glandular trichomes of many species in the Solanaceae family play an important role in plant defense. These epidermal outgrowths exhibit specialized secondary metabolism, including the production of structurally diverse acylsugars that function in defense against insects and have substantial developmental potential for commercial uses. However, our current understanding of genes involved in acyl chain biosynthesis of acylsugars remains poor in tobacco. In this study, we identified three acetolactate synthase (ALS) genes in tobacco through homology-based gene prediction using Arabidopsis ALS. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and tissue distribution analyses suggested that NtALS1 was highly expressed in the tips of glandular trichomes. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the NtALS1 localized to the chloroplast. Moreover, in the wild-type K326 variety background, we generated two ntals1 loss-of-function mutants using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Acylsugars contents in the two ntals1 mutants were significantly lower than those in the wild type. Through phylogenetic tree analysis, we also identified NtALS1 orthologs that may be involved in acylsugar biosynthesis in other Solanaceae species. Taken together, these findings indicate a functional role for NtALS1 in acylsugar biosynthesis in tobacco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Xia Chang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ai-Guo Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ri-Sheng Hu
- Hunan Tobacco Research Institute, Changsha, China
| | - Quan-Fu Feng
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Ning Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Cheng-Gang Luo
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Yang-Yang Li
- Hunan Tobacco Research Institute, Changsha, China.
| | - Yuan-Ying Wang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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22
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Leong BJ, Hurney SM, Fiesel PD, Moghe GD, Jones AD, Last RL. Specialized Metabolism in a Nonmodel Nightshade: Trichome Acylinositol Biosynthesis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 183:915-924. [PMID: 32354879 PMCID: PMC7333698 DOI: 10.1104/pp.20.00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants make many biologically active, specialized metabolites, which vary in structure, biosynthesis, and the processes they influence. An increasing number of these compounds are documented to protect plants from insects, pathogens, or herbivores or to mediate interactions with beneficial organisms, including pollinators and nitrogen-fixing microbes. Acylsugars, one class of protective compounds, are made in glandular trichomes of plants across the Solanaceae family. While most described acylsugars are acylsucroses, published examples also include acylsugars with hexose cores. The South American fruit crop naranjilla (lulo; Solanum quitoense) produces acylsugars containing a myoinositol core. We identified an enzyme that acetylates triacylinositols, a function homologous to the last step in the acylsucrose biosynthetic pathway of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Our analysis reveals parallels between S. lycopersicum acylsucrose and S. quitoense acylinositol biosynthesis, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Leong
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Steven M Hurney
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Paul D Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
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23
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Zhang Z, Yang D, Wang J, Huo J, Zhang J. Studies on the interactions between nicosulfuron and degradation enzymes. Process Biochem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2019.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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24
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Brückner A, Parker J. Molecular evolution of gland cell types and chemical interactions in animals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/Suppl_1/jeb211938. [PMID: 32034048 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.211938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Across the Metazoa, the emergence of new ecological interactions has been enabled by the repeated evolution of exocrine glands. Specialized glands have arisen recurrently and with great frequency, even in single genera or species, transforming how animals interact with their environment through trophic resource exploitation, pheromonal communication, chemical defense and parental care. The widespread convergent evolution of animal glands implies that exocrine secretory cells are a hotspot of metazoan cell type innovation. Each evolutionary origin of a novel gland involves a process of 'gland cell type assembly': the stitching together of unique biosynthesis pathways; coordinated changes in secretory systems to enable efficient chemical release; and transcriptional deployment of these machineries into cells constituting the gland. This molecular evolutionary process influences what types of compound a given species is capable of secreting, and, consequently, the kinds of ecological interactions that species can display. Here, we discuss what is known about the evolutionary assembly of gland cell types and propose a framework for how it may happen. We posit the existence of 'terminal selector' transcription factors that program gland function via regulatory recruitment of biosynthetic enzymes and secretory proteins. We suggest ancestral enzymes are initially co-opted into the novel gland, fostering pleiotropic conflict that drives enzyme duplication. This process has yielded the observed pattern of modular, gland-specific biosynthesis pathways optimized for manufacturing specific secretions. We anticipate that single-cell technologies and gene editing methods applicable in diverse species will transform the study of animal chemical interactions, revealing how gland cell types are assembled and functionally configured at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Brückner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Joseph Parker
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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25
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Mandal S, Ji W, McKnight TD. Candidate Gene Networks for Acylsugar Metabolism and Plant Defense in Wild Tomato Solanum pennellii. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:81-99. [PMID: 31628166 PMCID: PMC6961621 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.19.00552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Many solanaceous plants secrete acylsugars, which are branched-chain and straight-chain fatty acids esterified to Glu or Suc. These compounds have important roles in plant defense and potential commercial applications. However, several acylsugar metabolic genes remain unidentified, and little is known about regulation of this pathway. Comparative transcriptomics between low- and high-acylsugar-producing accessions of Solanum pennellii revealed that expression levels of known and novel candidate genes (putatively encoding beta-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) synthases, peroxisomal acyl-activating enzymes, ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and central carbon metabolic proteins) were positively correlated with acylsugar accumulation, except two genes previously reported to be involved in acylglucose biosynthesis. Genes putatively encoding oxylipin metabolic proteins, subtilisin-like proteases, and other antimicrobial defense proteins were upregulated in low-acylsugar-producing accessions. Transcriptome analysis after biochemical inhibition of biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids (precursors to branched-chain fatty acids) by imazapyr showed concentration-dependent downregulation of known and most acylsugar candidate genes, but not defense genes. Weighted gene correlation network analysis identified separate coexpressed gene networks for acylsugar metabolism (including six transcription factor genes and flavonoid metabolic genes) and plant defense (including genes putatively encoding NB-ARC and leucine-rich repeat sequences, protein kinases and defense signaling proteins, and previously mentioned defense proteins). Additionally, virus-induced gene silencing of two trichomes preferentially expressed candidate genes for straight-chain fatty acid biosynthesis confirmed their role in acylsugar metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabyasachi Mandal
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Wangming Ji
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Thomas D McKnight
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
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26
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Schenck CA, Last RL. Location, location! cellular relocalization primes specialized metabolic diversification. FEBS J 2019; 287:1359-1368. [PMID: 31623016 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Specialized metabolites are structurally diverse and cell- or tissue-specific molecules produced in restricted plant lineages. In contrast, primary metabolic pathways are highly conserved in plants and produce metabolites essential for all of life, such as amino acids and nucleotides. Substrate promiscuity - the capacity to accept non-native substrates - is a common characteristic of enzymes, and its impact is especially apparent in generating specialized metabolite variation. However, promiscuity only leads to metabolic diversity when alternative substrates are available; thus, enzyme cellular and subcellular localization directly influence chemical phenotypes. We review a variety of mechanisms that modulate substrate availability for promiscuous plant enzymes. We focus on examples where evolution led to modification of the 'cellular context' through changes in cell-type expression, subcellular relocalization, pathway sequestration, and cellular mixing via tissue damage. These varied mechanisms contributed to the emergence of structurally diverse plant specialized metabolites and inform future metabolic engineering approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A Schenck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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27
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Levsh O, Pluskal T, Carballo V, Mitchell AJ, Weng JK. Independent evolution of rosmarinic acid biosynthesis in two sister families under the Lamiids clade of flowering plants. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:15193-15205. [PMID: 31481469 PMCID: PMC6802498 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
As a means to maintain their sessile lifestyle amid challenging environments, plants produce an enormous diversity of compounds as chemical defenses against biotic and abiotic insults. The underpinning metabolic pathways that support the biosynthesis of these specialized chemicals in divergent plant species provide a rich arena for understanding the molecular evolution of complex metabolic traits. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a phenolic natural product first discovered in plants of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is recognized for its wide range of medicinal properties and potential applications in human dietary and medical interventions. Interestingly, the RA chemotype is present sporadically in multiple taxa of flowering plants as well as some hornworts and ferns, prompting the question whether its biosynthesis arose independently across different lineages. Here we report the elucidation of the RA biosynthetic pathway in Phacelia campanularia (desert bells). This species represents the borage family (Boraginaceae), an RA-producing family closely related to the Lamiaceae within the Lamiids clade. Using a multi-omics approach in combination with functional characterization of candidate genes both in vitro and in vivo, we found that RA biosynthesis in P. campanularia involves specific activities of a BAHD acyltransferase and two cytochrome P450 hydroxylases. Further phylogenetic and comparative structure-function analyses of the P. campanularia RA biosynthetic enzymes clearly indicate that RA biosynthesis has evolved independently at least twice in the Lamiids, an exemplary case of chemotypic convergence through disparate evolutionary trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olesya Levsh
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Tomáš Pluskal
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Valentina Carballo
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Andrew J Mitchell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Jing-Ke Weng
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
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28
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Maeda HA. Harnessing evolutionary diversification of primary metabolism for plant synthetic biology. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:16549-16566. [PMID: 31558606 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev119.006132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants produce numerous natural products that are essential to both plant and human physiology. Recent identification of genes and enzymes involved in their biosynthesis now provides exciting opportunities to reconstruct plant natural product pathways in heterologous systems through synthetic biology. The use of plant chassis, although still in infancy, can take advantage of plant cells' inherent capacity to synthesize and store various phytochemicals. Also, large-scale plant biomass production systems, driven by photosynthetic energy production and carbon fixation, could be harnessed for industrial-scale production of natural products. However, little is known about which plants could serve as ideal hosts and how to optimize plant primary metabolism to efficiently provide precursors for the synthesis of desirable downstream natural products or specialized (secondary) metabolites. Although primary metabolism is generally assumed to be conserved, unlike the highly-diversified specialized metabolism, primary metabolic pathways and enzymes can differ between microbes and plants and also among different plants, especially at the interface between primary and specialized metabolisms. This review highlights examples of the diversity in plant primary metabolism and discusses how we can utilize these variations in plant synthetic biology. I propose that understanding the evolutionary, biochemical, genetic, and molecular bases of primary metabolic diversity could provide rational strategies for identifying suitable plant hosts and for further optimizing primary metabolism for sizable production of natural and bio-based products in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi A Maeda
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
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29
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Fan P, Leong BJ, Last RL. Tip of the trichome: evolution of acylsugar metabolic diversity in Solanaceae. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 49:8-16. [PMID: 31009840 PMCID: PMC6688940 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars are insecticidal plant specialized metabolites produced in the Solanaceae (nightshade family). Despite having simple constituents, these compounds are unusually structurally diverse. Their structural variations in phylogenetically closely related species enable comparative biochemical approaches to understand acylsugar biosynthesis and pathway diversification. Thus far, varied enzyme classes contributing to their synthesis were characterized in cultivated and wild tomatoes, including from core metabolism - isopropylmalate synthase (Leu) and invertase (carbon) - and a group of evolutionarily related BAHD acyltransferases known as acylsucrose acyltransferases. Gene duplication and neofunctionalization of these enzymes drove acylsugar diversification both within and beyond tomato. The broad set of evolutionary mechanisms underlying acylsugar diversity in Solanaceae make this metabolic network an exemplar for detailed understanding of the evolution of metabolic form and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Bryan J Leong
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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30
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Günther J, Lackus ND, Schmidt A, Huber M, Stödtler HJ, Reichelt M, Gershenzon J, Köllner TG. Separate Pathways Contribute to the Herbivore-Induced Formation of 2-Phenylethanol in Poplar. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 180:767-782. [PMID: 30846485 PMCID: PMC6548255 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Upon herbivory, the tree species western balsam poplar (Populus trichocarpa) produces a variety of Phe-derived metabolites, including 2-phenylethylamine, 2-phenylethanol, and 2-phenylethyl-β-d-glucopyranoside. To investigate the formation of these potential defense compounds, we functionally characterized aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylases (AADCs) and aromatic aldehyde synthases (AASs), which play important roles in the biosynthesis of specialized aromatic metabolites in other plants. Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana benthamiana showed that all five AADC/AAS genes identified in the P trichocarpa genome encode active enzymes. However, only two genes, PtAADC1 and PtAAS1, were significantly upregulated after leaf herbivory. Despite a sequence similarity of ∼96%, PtAADC1 and PtAAS1 showed different enzymatic functions and converted Phe into 2-phenylethylamine and 2-phenylacetaldehyde, respectively. The activities of both enzymes were interconvertible by switching a single amino acid residue in their active sites. A survey of putative AADC/AAS gene pairs in the genomes of other plants suggests an independent evolution of this function-determining residue in different plant families. RNA interference -mediated-downregulation of AADC1 in gray poplar (Populus × canescens) resulted in decreased accumulation of 2-phenylethylamine and 2-phenylethyl-β-d-glucopyranoside, whereas the emission of 2-phenylethanol was not influenced. To investigate the last step of 2-phenylethanol formation, we identified and characterized two P trichocarpa short-chain dehydrogenases, PtPAR1 and PtPAR2, which were able to reduce 2-phenylacetaldehyde to 2-phenylethanol in vitro. In summary, 2-phenylethanol and its glucoside may be formed in multiple ways in poplar. Our data indicate that PtAADC1 controls the herbivore-induced formation of 2-phenylethylamine and 2-phenylethyl-β-d-glucopyranoside in planta, whereas PtAAS1 likely contributes to the herbivore-induced emission of 2-phenylethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Günther
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Axel Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Meret Huber
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Michael Reichelt
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Tobias G Köllner
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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31
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Leong BJ, Lybrand DB, Lou YR, Fan P, Schilmiller AL, Last RL. Evolution of metabolic novelty: A trichome-expressed invertase creates specialized metabolic diversity in wild tomato. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw3754. [PMID: 31032420 PMCID: PMC6482016 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw3754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plants produce a myriad of taxonomically restricted specialized metabolites. This diversity-and our ability to correlate genotype with phenotype-makes the evolution of these ecologically and medicinally important compounds interesting and experimentally tractable. Trichomes of tomato and other nightshade family plants produce structurally diverse protective compounds termed acylsugars. While cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) strictly accumulates acylsucroses, the South American wild relative Solanum pennellii produces copious amounts of acylglucoses. Genetic, transgenic, and biochemical dissection of the S. pennellii acylglucose biosynthetic pathway identified a trichome gland cell-expressed invertase-like enzyme that hydrolyzes acylsucroses (Sopen03g040490). This enzyme acts on the pyranose ring-acylated acylsucroses found in the wild tomato but not on the furanose ring-decorated acylsucroses of cultivated tomato. These results show that modification of the core acylsucrose biosynthetic pathway leading to loss of furanose ring acylation set the stage for co-option of a general metabolic enzyme to produce a new class of protective compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Leong
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Daniel B. Lybrand
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anthony L. Schilmiller
- Mass Spectrometry and Metabolomics Core, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Corresponding author.
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32
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Nunes-Nesi A, Alseekh S, de Oliveira Silva FM, Omranian N, Lichtenstein G, Mirnezhad M, González RRR, Sabio Y Garcia J, Conte M, Leiss KA, Klinkhamer PGL, Nikoloski Z, Carrari F, Fernie AR. Identification and characterization of metabolite quantitative trait loci in tomato leaves and comparison with those reported for fruits and seeds. Metabolomics 2019; 15:46. [PMID: 30874962 PMCID: PMC6420416 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-019-1503-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To date, most studies of natural variation and metabolite quantitative trait loci (mQTL) in tomato have focused on fruit metabolism, leaving aside the identification of genomic regions involved in the regulation of leaf metabolism. OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to identify leaf mQTL in tomato and to assess the association of leaf metabolites and physiological traits with the metabolite levels from other tissues. METHODS The analysis of components of leaf metabolism was performed by phenotypying 76 tomato ILs with chromosome segments of the wild species Solanum pennellii in the genetic background of a cultivated tomato (S. lycopersicum) variety M82. The plants were cultivated in two different environments in independent years and samples were harvested from mature leaves of non-flowering plants at the middle of the light period. The non-targeted metabolite profiling was obtained by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). With the data set obtained in this study and already published metabolomics data from seed and fruit, we performed QTL mapping, heritability and correlation analyses. RESULTS Changes in metabolite contents were evident in the ILs that are potentially important with respect to stress responses and plant physiology. By analyzing the obtained data, we identified 42 positive and 76 negative mQTL involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these findings allowed the identification of S. lycopersicum genome regions involved in the regulation of leaf primary carbon and nitrogen metabolism, as well as the association of leaf metabolites with metabolites from seeds and fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Nunes-Nesi
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Golm, OT, Germany.
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Golm, OT, Germany
- Center of Plant System Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | | | - Nooshin Omranian
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Golm, OT, Germany
- Center of Plant System Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Gabriel Lichtenstein
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaría, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B1712WAA, Castelar, Argentina
| | - Mohammad Mirnezhad
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roman R Romero González
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Sabio Y Garcia
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaría, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B1712WAA, Castelar, Argentina
| | - Mariana Conte
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaría, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B1712WAA, Castelar, Argentina
| | - Kirsten A Leiss
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Business Unit Horticulture, Wageningen University & Research, Postbus 20, 2665 ZG, Bleiswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Peter G L Klinkhamer
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Golm, OT, Germany
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Fernando Carrari
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaría, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B1712WAA, Castelar, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Genética, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Golm, OT, Germany
- Center of Plant System Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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Kreis W, Munkert J. Exploiting enzyme promiscuity to shape plant specialized metabolism. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:1435-1445. [PMID: 30715457 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The amazing variability of plant metabolism and its rapid divergence during evolution pose fundamental questions as to the driving forces, mechanisms, and players in metabolic differentiation. This review examines concepts that help us understand adaptive pathway evolution, with a particular emphasis on plant specialized metabolism, previously often termed secondary metabolism. Following a general introduction to pathway and metabolite evolution, the focus is directed to enzyme promiscuity and its classification. Promiscuous enzymes (or substrates), 'silent' elements of the metabolome, and the 'underground metabolism' may be used and combined to evolve 'new' metabolic pathways. It appears that new pathways rarely appear from scratch, but instead emerge from 'floppy' enzymes and elements of a 'messy' metabolism, and in this way a range of metabolites is generated, some of which may provide benefits to the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Munkert
- Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Erlangen, Germany
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34
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Smith SD, Angelovici R, Heyduk K, Maeda HA, Moghe GD, Pires JC, Widhalm JR, Wisecaver JH. The renaissance of comparative biochemistry. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:3-13. [PMID: 30629738 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey D Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Ruthie Angelovici
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Karolina Heyduk
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hiroshi A Maeda
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - J Chris Pires
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Joshua R Widhalm
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jennifer H Wisecaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Li B, Förster C, Robert CAM, Züst T, Hu L, Machado RAR, Berset JD, Handrick V, Knauer T, Hensel G, Chen W, Kumlehn J, Yang P, Keller B, Gershenzon J, Jander G, Köllner TG, Erb M. Convergent evolution of a metabolic switch between aphid and caterpillar resistance in cereals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaat6797. [PMID: 30525102 PMCID: PMC6281429 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat6797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Tailoring defense responses to different attackers is important for plant performance. Plants can use secondary metabolites with dual functions in resistance and defense signaling to mount herbivore-specific responses. To date, the specificity and evolution of this mechanism are unclear. Here, we studied the functional architecture, specificity, and genetic basis of defense regulation by benzoxazinoids in cereals. We document that DIMBOA-Glc induces callose as an aphid resistance factor in wheat. O-methylation of DIMBOA-Glc to HDMBOA-Glc increases plant resistance to caterpillars but reduces callose inducibility and resistance to aphids. DIMBOA-Glc induces callose in wheat and maize, but not in Arabidopsis, while the glucosinolate 4MO-I3M does the opposite. We identify a wheat O-methyltransferase (TaBX10) that is induced by caterpillar feeding and converts DIMBOA-Glc to HDMBOA-Glc in vitro. While the core pathway of benzoxazinoid biosynthesis is conserved between wheat and maize, the wheat genome does not contain close homologs of the maize DIMBOA-Glc O-methyltransferase genes, and TaBx10 is only distantly related. Thus, the functional architecture of herbivore-specific defense regulation is similar in maize and wheat, but the regulating biosynthetic genes likely evolved separately. This study shows how two different cereal species independently achieved herbivore-specific defense activation by regulating secondary metabolite production.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Li
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - C. Förster
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - C. A. M. Robert
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - T. Züst
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - L. Hu
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - R. A. R. Machado
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - J.-D. Berset
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - V. Handrick
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - T. Knauer
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - G. Hensel
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - W. Chen
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - J. Kumlehn
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - P. Yang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - B. Keller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - J. Gershenzon
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - G. Jander
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - T. G. Köllner
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - M. Erb
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Tian X, Ruan JX, Huang JQ, Yang CQ, Fang X, Chen ZW, Hong H, Wang LJ, Mao YB, Lu S, Zhang TZ, Chen XY. Characterization of gossypol biosynthetic pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E5410-E5418. [PMID: 29784821 PMCID: PMC6003316 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1805085115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gossypol and related sesquiterpene aldehydes in cotton function as defense compounds but are antinutritional in cottonseed products. By transcriptome comparison and coexpression analyses, we identified 146 candidates linked to gossypol biosynthesis. Analysis of metabolites accumulated in plants subjected to virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) led to the identification of four enzymes and their supposed substrates. In vitro enzymatic assay and reconstitution in tobacco leaves elucidated a series of oxidative reactions of the gossypol biosynthesis pathway. The four functionally characterized enzymes, together with (+)-δ-cadinene synthase and the P450 involved in 7-hydroxy-(+)-δ-cadinene formation, convert farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to hemigossypol, with two gaps left that each involves aromatization. Of six intermediates identified from the VIGS-treated leaves, 8-hydroxy-7-keto-δ-cadinene exerted a deleterious effect in dampening plant disease resistance if accumulated. Notably, CYP71BE79, the enzyme responsible for converting this phytotoxic intermediate, exhibited the highest catalytic activity among the five enzymes of the pathway assayed. In addition, despite their dispersed distribution in the cotton genome, all of the enzyme genes identified show a tight correlation of expression. Our data suggest that the enzymatic steps in the gossypol pathway are highly coordinated to ensure efficient substrate conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu Tian
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Ju-Xin Ruan
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Quan Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Chang-Qing Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Wen Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Hong
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Jian Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Ying-Bo Mao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Shan Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Tian-Zhen Zhang
- Department of Agronomy, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China;
| | - Xiao-Ya Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032 Shanghai, China;
- Plant Science Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 201602 Shanghai, China
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Fan P, Miller AM, Jones AD, Liu X, Last RL. The Rising of Acylsugar Diversity: Metabolic Innovation in Tomato Trichomes through BAHD Enzyme Promiscuity and Pathway Evolution. FASEB J 2018. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.537.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
| | - Abigail M. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
| | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
- Department of ChemistryMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
| | - Xiaoxiao Liu
- Department of ChemistryMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
- Department of Plant BiologyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYEAST LANSINGMI
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