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Wenger ES, Schultz K, Marmorstein R, Christianson DW. Engineering substrate channeling in a bifunctional terpene synthase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408064121. [PMID: 39365814 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408064121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Fusicoccadiene synthase from Phomopsis amygdala (PaFS) is a bifunctional terpene synthase. It contains a prenyltransferase (PT) domain that generates geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) from dimethylallyl diphosphate and three equivalents of isopentenyl diphosphate, and a cyclase domain that converts GGPP into fusicoccadiene, a precursor of the diterpene glycoside Fusicoccin A. The two catalytic domains are connected by a flexible 69-residue linker. The PT domain mediates oligomerization to form predominantly octamers, with cyclase domains randomly splayed out around the PT core. Surprisingly, despite the random positioning of cyclase domains, substrate channeling is operative in catalysis since most of the GGPP generated by the PT remains on the enzyme for cyclization. Here, we demonstrate that covalent linkage of the PT and cyclase domains is not required for GGPP channeling, although covalent linkage may improve channeling efficiency. Moreover, GGPP competition experiments with other diterpene cyclases indicate that the PaFS PT and cyclase domains are preferential partners regardless of whether they are covalently linked or not. The cryoelectron microscopy structure of the 600-kD "linkerless" construct, in which the 69-residue linker is spliced out and replaced with the tripeptide PTQ, reveals that cyclase pairs associate with all four sides of the PT octamer and exhibit fascinating quaternary structural flexibility. These results suggest that optimal substrate channeling is achieved when a cyclase domain associates with the side of the PT octamer, regardless of whether the two domains are covalently linked and regardless of whether this interaction is transient or locked in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliott S Wenger
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323
| | - Kollin Schultz
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - David W Christianson
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323
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2
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Bergman ME, Dudareva N. Plant specialized metabolism: Diversity of terpene synthases and their products. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 81:102607. [PMID: 39053147 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102607] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Terpenoids are ubiquitous to all kingdoms of life and are one of the most diverse groups of compounds, both structurally and functionally. Despite being derived from common precursors, isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate, their exceptional diversity is partly driven by the substrate and product promiscuity of terpene synthases that produce a wide array of terpene skeletons. Plant terpene synthases can be subdivided into different subfamilies based on sequence homology and function. However, in many cases, structural architecture of the enzyme is more essential to product specificity than primary sequence alone, and distantly related terpene synthases can often mediate similar reactions. As such, the focus of this brief review is on some of the recent progress in understanding terpene synthase function and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Bergman
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Natalia Dudareva
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, 175 South University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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3
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Chen Y, Huang R, Chen J, Lin C, Wu Y, Chen J, Shen Q, Wang F, Duan L, Cui H. Molecular cloning and functional characterization of 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclases from Artemisia argyi. Protein Expr Purif 2024; 222:106533. [PMID: 38876402 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2024.106533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Artemisia argyi is a traditional medicinal and edible plant, generating various triterpenoids with pharmacological activities, such as anti-virus, anti-cancer, and anti-oxidant. The 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase family of A. argyi offers novel insights into the triterpenoid pathway, which might contribute to the medicinal value of its tissue extracts. Nevertheless, the biosynthesis of active triterpenoids in Artemisia argyi is still uncertain. In this study, four putative OSC (2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase) genes (AaOSC1-4) were first isolated and identified from A. argyi. Through the yeast heterologous expression system, three AaOSCs were characterized for the biosynthesis of diverse triterpenoids including cycloartenol, β-amyrin, (3S,13R)-malabarica-14(27),17,21-trien-3β-ol, and dammara-20,24-dien-3β-ol. AaOSC1 was a multifunctional dammara-20,24-dien-3β-ol synthase, which yielded 8 different triterpenoids, including tricyclic, and tetracyclic products. AaOSC2 and AaOSC3 were cycloartenol, and β-amyrin synthases, respectively. As a result, these findings provide a deeper understanding of the biosynthesis pathway of triterpenes in A. argyi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaman Chen
- Key Laboratory of Digital Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica of State Administration of TCM, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ruoshi Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jiabo Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chumin Lin
- Key Laboratory of Digital Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica of State Administration of TCM, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yuhong Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jitong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Qi Shen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Digital Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica of State Administration of TCM, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lixin Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, Joint International Research Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicines, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Honghua Cui
- Key Laboratory of Digital Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica of State Administration of TCM, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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4
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Hoberg N, Harms K, Surup F, Rühl M. Bifunctional Sesquiterpene/Diterpene Synthase Agr2 from Cyclocybe aegerita Gives Rise to the Novel Diterpene Cyclocybene. ACS Chem Biol 2024. [PMID: 39293797 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Cyclocybe aegerita is a model mushroom belonging to the fungal phylum Basidiomycota. Among others, C. aegerita is known for its diverse terpenome, containing various volatile and nonvolatile terpenes and terpenoids. Here, we deepen the knowledge on their biosynthetic pathways by studying the terpene synthase Agr2 in detail. In contrast to previous studies, the heterologous production of Agr2 in the agaric host Coprinopsis cinerea revealed the production of two terpenes, one of which was the already known sesquiterpene viridiflorene. The other one was a so far unknown diterpene that had to be isolated and purified by means of preparative RP-HPLC for structure elucidation. 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments revealed the compound as the novel diterpene cyclocybene, pointing to the bifunctionality of Agr2 to produce both a sesquiterpene and a diterpene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Hoberg
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (JLU) Institute of Food Chemistry and Food Biotechnology, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Karen Harms
- Department Microbial Drugs and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner side Hannover - Braunschweig, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research GmbH (HZI), Inhoffenstrasse 7, Braunschweig 38124, Germany
| | - Frank Surup
- Department Microbial Drugs and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner side Hannover - Braunschweig, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research GmbH (HZI), Inhoffenstrasse 7, Braunschweig 38124, Germany
| | - Martin Rühl
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (JLU) Institute of Food Chemistry and Food Biotechnology, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen 35392, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Business Area Bioressources, Ohlebergsweg 12, Giessen 35392, Germany
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Liu JY, Lin FL, Taizoumbe KA, Lv JM, Wang YH, Wang GQ, Chen GD, Yao XS, Hu D, Gao H, Dickschat JS. A Functional Switch Between Asperfumene and Fusicoccadiene Synthase and Entrance to Asperfumene Biosynthesis through a Vicinal Deprotonation-Reprotonation Process. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202407895. [PMID: 38949843 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202407895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The diterpene synthase AfAS was identified from Aspergillus fumigatiaffinis. Its amino acid sequence and-according to a structural model-active site architecture are highly similar to those of the fusicocca-2,10(14)-diene synthase PaFS, but AfAS produces a structurally much more complex diterpene with a novel 6-5-5-5 tetracyclic skeleton called asperfumene. The cyclisation mechanism of AfAS was elucidated through isotopic labelling experiments and DFT calculations. The reaction cascade proceeds in its initial steps through similar intermediates as for the PaFS cascade, but then diverges through an unusual vicinal deprotonation-reprotonation process that triggers a skeletal rearrangement at the entrance to the steps leading to the unique asperfumene skeleton. The structural model revealed only one major difference between the active sites: The PaFS residue F65 is substituted by I65 in AfAS. Intriguingly, site-directed mutagenesis experiments with both diterpene synthases revealed that position 65 serves as a bidirectional functional switch for the biosynthesis of tetracyclic asperfumene versus structurally less complex diterpenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yuan Liu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Fu-Long Lin
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Kizerbo A Taizoumbe
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jian-Ming Lv
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yong-Heng Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Gao-Qian Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Guo-Dong Chen
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xin-Sheng Yao
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Dan Hu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Hao Gao
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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6
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Xu H, Goldfuss B, Dickschat JS. Common Biosynthesis of Non-Canonical C 16 Terpenes through a Fragmentation-Recombination Mechanism. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202408809. [PMID: 38924286 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202408809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The biosynthesis of six recently reported non-canonical C16 sesquiterpenoids named after ancient Greek philosophers, archimedene, aristotelene, eratosthenene, pythagorene, α-democritene and anaximandrene, was investigated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and isotopic labeling experiments. The results revealed for all compounds except archimedene a unique fragmentation-recombination mechanism as previously demonstrated for sodorifen biosynthesis, in addition to a remarkable "dancing" mechanism for anaximandrene biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuss
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstraße 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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Zhang W, Wang X, Zhu G, Zhu B, Peng K, Hsiang T, Zhang L, Liu X. Function Switch of a Fungal Sesterterpene Synthase through Molecular Dynamics Simulation Assisted Alteration of an Aromatic Residue Cluster in the Active Pocket of PfNS. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202406246. [PMID: 38934471 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202406246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Terpene synthases (TPSs) play pivotal roles in generating diverse terpenoids through complex cyclization pathways. Protein engineering of TPSs offers a crucial approach to expanding terpene diversity. However, significant potential remains untapped due to limited understanding of the structure-function relationships of TPSs. In this investigation, using a joint approach of molecular dynamics simulations-assisted engineering and site-directed mutagenesis, we manipulated the aromatic residue cluster (ARC) of a bifunctional terpene synthase (BFTPS), Pestalotiopsis fici nigtetraene synthase (PfNS). This led to the discovery of previously unreported catalytic functions yielding different cyclization patterns of sesterterpenes. Specifically, a quadruple variant (F89A/Y113F/W193L/T194W) completely altered PfNS's function, converting it from producing the bicyclic sesterterpene nigtetraene to the tricyclic ophiobolin F. Additionally, analysis of catalytic profiles by double, triple, and quadruple variants demonstrated that the ARC functions as a switch, unprecedently redirecting the production of 5/11 bicyclic (Type B) sesterterpenes to 5/15 bicyclic (Type A) ones. Molecular dynamics simulations and theozyme calculations further elucidated that, in addition to cation-π interactions, C-H⋅⋅⋅π interactions also play a key role in the cyclization patterns. This study offers a feasible strategy in protein engineering of TPSs for various industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, 264025, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaitong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
| | - Tom Hsiang
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science of Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
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8
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Zhang H, Guo L, Su Y, Wang R, Yang W, Mu W, Xuan L, Huang L, Wang J, Gao W. Hosts engineering and in vitro enzymatic synthesis for the discovery of novel natural products and their derivatives. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024; 44:1121-1139. [PMID: 37574211 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2023.2236787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Novel natural products (NPs) and their derivatives are important sources for drug discovery, which have been broadly applied in the fields of agriculture, livestock, and medicine, making the synthesis of NPs and their derivatives necessarily important. In recent years, biosynthesis technology has received increasing attention due to its high efficiency in the synthesis of high value-added novel products and its advantages of green, environmental protection, and controllability. In this review, the technological advances of biosynthesis strategies in the discovery of novel NPs and their derivatives are outlined, with an emphasis on two areas of host engineering and in vitro enzymatic synthesis. In terms of hosts engineering, multiple microorganisms, including Streptomyces, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, have been used as the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) provider and host strain for the expression of BGCs to discover new compounds over the past years. In addition, the use of in vitro enzymatic synthesis strategy to generate novel compounds such as triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids is also hereby described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyu Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Lanping Guo
- National Resource Center for Chinese Meteria Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yaowu Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Rubing Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Wenqi Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Wenrong Mu
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, P.R. China
| | - Liangshuang Xuan
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, P.R. China
| | - Luqi Huang
- National Resource Center for Chinese Meteria Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Juan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Wenyuan Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
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9
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Li J, Li Z, Duan Y, Liu C, Yan M. Secondary Metabolites of Fomitopsis betulina: Chemical Structures, Biological Activity and Application Prospects. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:616. [PMID: 39330376 PMCID: PMC11432923 DOI: 10.3390/jof10090616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fomitopsis betulina, as a macrofungus with both medicinal and dietary applications, is renowned for its rich content of bioactive substances. The recent advancements in research have significantly enhanced our understanding of its polysaccharides, cellulose-degrading enzymes, and wide range of secondary metabolites. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the artificial cultivation techniques and the chemical profiling of over 100 secondary metabolites identified in F. betulina, including terpenoids, phenols, and various other classes. These compounds exhibit notable pharmacological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-malarial effects. Moreover, this review delves into the genomic analysis of F. betulina, focusing on the prediction and classification of terpene synthases, which play a crucial role in the biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds. This insight is instrumental for potentially facilitating future biochemical studies and pharmaceutical applications. Through this review, we aim to solidify the foundation for future in-depth studies and the development of new drugs derived from this promising natural resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghao Li
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-Like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (J.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Ziheng Li
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-Like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (J.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yingce Duan
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-Like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (J.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Chengwei Liu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-Like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (J.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Meixia Yan
- Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
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10
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Möllerke A, Brasse G, Bello J, Vidal DM, Dettner K, Zettel J, Berg MP, Scheu S, Leinaas HP, Schulz S. The unique epicuticular chemistry of Collembola - A cross-species analysis. iScience 2024; 27:110416. [PMID: 39139403 PMCID: PMC11321324 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Springtails (Collembola), tiny hexapod arthropods, are abundant in the soil of most ecosystems, but our knowledge of their secondary metabolites is limited, in contrast to that of insects. In insects, the outer cuticle is usually covered by mixtures of long-chain hydrocarbons serving different functions, such as water regulation or chemical communication. In contrast, the knowledge of the epicuticular chemistry of springtails is scarce. We analyzed the cuticular lipids of 23 species covering different lineages. The often complicated structures were elucidated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, microderivatization, and synthesis. In contrast to insects, the terpene biosynthetic pathway is used for many of these lipids, producing unprecedented higher terpenes. In addition, evidence for de novo cholesterol biosynthesis in springtails was found, which is absent in insects. Finally, diverse non-insect linear compounds originating from the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway were identified. Our comparative analysis showed clear differences compared to insects and shed light on phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Möllerke
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gregor Brasse
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jan Bello
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Diogo Montes Vidal
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Konrad Dettner
- Universität Bayreuth, Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie 2, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Jürg Zettel
- Speichergasse 8, 3150 Schwarzenburg, Switzerland
| | - Matty P. Berg
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Institute of Life and Environment, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Scheu
- University of Göttingen, JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- University of Göttingen, Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hans Petter Leinaas
- University of Oslo, Department of Bioscience University of Oslo, P.O.Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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11
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Lyu J, Kapolka N, Gumpper R, Alon A, Wang L, Jain MK, Barros-Álvarez X, Sakamoto K, Kim Y, DiBerto J, Kim K, Glenn IS, Tummino TA, Huang S, Irwin JJ, Tarkhanova OO, Moroz Y, Skiniotis G, Kruse AC, Shoichet BK, Roth BL. AlphaFold2 structures guide prospective ligand discovery. Science 2024; 384:eadn6354. [PMID: 38753765 PMCID: PMC11253030 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn6354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
AlphaFold2 (AF2) models have had wide impact but mixed success in retrospective ligand recognition. We prospectively docked large libraries against unrefined AF2 models of the σ2 and serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptors, testing hundreds of new molecules and comparing results with those obtained from docking against the experimental structures. Hit rates were high and similar for the experimental and AF2 structures, as were affinities. Success in docking against the AF2 models was achieved despite differences between orthosteric residue conformations in the AF2 models and the experimental structures. Determination of the cryo-electron microscopy structure for one of the more potent 5-HT2A ligands from the AF2 docking revealed residue accommodations that resembled the AF2 prediction. AF2 models may sample conformations that differ from experimental structures but remain low energy and relevant for ligand discovery, extending the domain of structure-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankun Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Evnin Family Laboratory of Computational Molecular Discovery, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nicholas Kapolka
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ryan Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Assaf Alon
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Manish K. Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ximena Barros-Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yoojoong Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeffrey DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Isabella S. Glenn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Tia A. Tummino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sijie Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John J. Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yurii Moroz
- Chemspace LLC, Kyiv 02094, Ukraine
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine
- Enamine Ltd., Kyiv 02094, Ukraine
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Andrew C. Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brian K. Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bryan L. Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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12
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Xu M, Xu H, Lei Z, Xing B, Dickschat JS, Yang D, Ma M. Structural Insights Into the Terpene Cyclization Domains of Two Fungal Sesterterpene Synthases and Enzymatic Engineering for Sesterterpene Diversification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202405140. [PMID: 38584136 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202405140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Little is known about the structures and catalytic mechanisms of sesterterpene synthases (StTSs), which greatly hinders the structure-based engineering of StTSs for structural diversity expansion of sesterterpenes. We here report on the crystal structures of the terpene cyclization (TC) domains of two fungal StTSs: sesterfisherol synthase (NfSS) and sesterbrasiliatriene synthase (PbSS). Both TC structures contain benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTAC), pyrophosphate (PPi), and magnesium ions (Mg2+), clearly defining the catalytic active sites. A combination of theory and experiments including carbocationic intermediates modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and isotope labeling provided detailed insights into the structural basis for their catalytic mechanisms. Structure-based engineering of NfSS and PbSS resulted in the formation of 20 sesterterpenes including 13 new compounds and four pairs of epimers with different configurations at C18. These results expand the structural diversity of sesterterpenes and provide important insights for future synthetic biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Houchao Xu
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Strasse 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Zhenyu Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Baiying Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Strasse 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Donghui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ming Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
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13
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Möllerke A, Schulz S. Nitidane: An Irregular Prenylated Diterpene from the Cuticle of the Springtail Heteromurus nitidus. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024; 87:1454-1458. [PMID: 38668715 PMCID: PMC11129290 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Collembola are closely related to insects, but our knowledge of their often unique chemistry is limited. Here we report the identification of the epicuticular lipid nitidane, representing a novel class of epicuticular lipids. Nitidane (4) is an irregular terpene consisting of seven isoprene units, made up of a diterpene core that is modified by a geranyl moiety that is itself prenylated. The observed [46+(22+11)1]-terpene structure has not been reported before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Möllerke
- TU Braunschweig, Institute of Organic
Chemistry, Hagenring
30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- TU Braunschweig, Institute of Organic
Chemistry, Hagenring
30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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14
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Luo P, Huang JH, Lv JM, Wang GQ, Hu D, Gao H. Biosynthesis of fungal terpenoids. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:748-783. [PMID: 38265076 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00052d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Covering: up to August 2023Terpenoids, which are widely distributed in animals, plants, and microorganisms, are a large group of natural products with diverse structures and various biological activities. They have made great contributions to human health as therapeutic agents, such as the anti-cancer drug paclitaxel and anti-malarial agent artemisinin. Accordingly, the biosynthesis of this important class of natural products has been extensively studied, which generally involves two major steps: hydrocarbon skeleton construction by terpenoid cyclases and skeleton modification by tailoring enzymes. Additionally, fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) serve as an important source for the discovery of terpenoids. With the rapid development of sequencing technology and bioinformatics approaches, genome mining has emerged as one of the most effective strategies to discover novel terpenoids from fungi. To date, numerous terpenoid cyclases, including typical class I and class II terpenoid cyclases as well as emerging UbiA-type terpenoid cyclases, have been identified, together with a variety of tailoring enzymes, including cytochrome P450 enzymes, flavin-dependent monooxygenases, and acyltransferases. In this review, our aim is to comprehensively present all fungal terpenoid cyclases identified up to August 2023, with a focus on newly discovered terpenoid cyclases, especially the emerging UbiA-type terpenoid cyclases, and their related tailoring enzymes from 2015 to August 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Luo
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Jia-Hua Huang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Jian-Ming Lv
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Gao-Qian Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Dan Hu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Hao Gao
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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15
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Tang J, Matsuda Y. Discovery of fungal onoceroid triterpenoids through domainless enzyme-targeted global genome mining. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4312. [PMID: 38773118 PMCID: PMC11109268 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48771-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Genomics-guided methodologies have revolutionized the discovery of natural products. However, a major challenge in the field of genome mining is determining how to selectively extract biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for untapped natural products from numerous available genome sequences. In this study, we developed a fungal genome mining tool that extracts BGCs encoding enzymes that lack a detectable protein domain (i.e., domainless enzymes) and are not recognized as biosynthetic proteins by existing bioinformatic tools. We searched for BGCs encoding a homologue of Pyr4-family terpene cyclases, which are representative examples of apparently domainless enzymes, in approximately 2000 fungal genomes and discovered several BGCs with unique features. The subsequent characterization of selected BGCs led to the discovery of fungal onoceroid triterpenoids and unprecedented onoceroid synthases. Furthermore, in addition to the onoceroids, a previously unreported sesquiterpene hydroquinone, of which the biosynthesis involves a Pyr4-family terpene cyclase, was obtained. Our genome mining tool has broad applicability in fungal genome mining and can serve as a beneficial platform for accessing diverse, unexploited natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Tang
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yudai Matsuda
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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16
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Gu B, Goldfuss B, Dickschat JS. Two Sesterterpene Synthases from Lentzea atacamensis Demonstrate the Role of Conformational Variability in Terpene Biosynthesis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202401539. [PMID: 38372063 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Mining of two multiproduct sesterterpene synthases from Lentzea atacamensis resulted in the identification of the synthases for lentzeadiene (LaLDS) and atacamatriene (LaATS). The main product of LaLDS (lentzeadiene) is a new compound, while one of the side products (lentzeatetraene) is the enantiomer of brassitetraene B and the other side product (sestermobaraene F) is known from a surprisingly distantly related sesterterpene synthase. LaATS produces six new compounds, one of which is the enantiomer of the known sesterterpene Bm1. Notably, for both enzymes the products cannot all be explained from one and the same starting conformation of geranylfarnesyl diphosphate, demonstrating the requirement of conformational flexibility of the substrate in the enzymes' active sites. For lentzeadiene an intriguing thermal [1,5]-sigmatropic rearrangement was discovered, reminiscent of the biosynthesis of vitamin D3. All enzyme reactions and the [1,5]-sigmatropic rearrangement were investigated through isotopic labeling experiments and DFT calculations. The results also emphasize the importance of conformational changes during terpene cyclizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Gu
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuss
- Department for Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstraße 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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17
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Yang Q, Tian J, Chen S, Yang Z, Wang Z, Xu HM, Dong LB. Discovery of sesquiterpenoids from an actinomycete Crossiella cryophila through genome mining and heterologous expression. Bioorg Chem 2024; 146:107308. [PMID: 38531151 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Genome mining of the Actinomycete Crossiella cryophila facilitated the discovery of a minimal terpenoid biosynthetic gene cluster of cry consisting of a class I terpene cyclase CryA and a CYP450 monooxygenase CryB. Heterologous expression of cry allowed the isolation and characterization of two new sesquiterpenoids, ent-viridiflorol (1) and cryophilain (2). Notably, cryophilain (2) possesses a 5/7/3-fused tricyclic skeleton bearing a distinctive bridgehead hydroxy group. The combined in vivo and in vitro experiments revealed that CryA, the first ent-viridiflorol terpene cyclase, catalyzes farnesyl diphosphate to form the 5/7/3 sesquiterpene core scaffold and P450 CryB serves as a tailoring enzyme responsible for installing a hydroxy group at the bridgehead carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jupeng Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Shungen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Ziyi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zengyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Hui-Min Xu
- The Public Laboratory Platform, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Liao-Bin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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18
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Wang S, Meng D, Feng M, Li C, Wang Y. Efficient Plant Triterpenoids Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: from Mechanisms to Engineering Strategies. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1059-1076. [PMID: 38546129 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Triterpenoids possess a range of biological activities and are extensively utilized in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and chemical industries. Traditionally, they are acquired through chemical synthesis and plant extraction. However, these methods have drawbacks, including high energy consumption, environmental pollution, and being time-consuming. Recently, the de novo synthesis of triterpenoids in microbial cell factories has been achieved. This represents a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional supply methods. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, known for its robustness, safety, and ample precursor supply, stands out as an ideal candidate for triterpenoid biosynthesis. However, challenges persist in industrial production and economic feasibility of triterpenoid biosynthesis. Consequently, metabolic engineering approaches have been applied to improve the triterpenoid yield, leading to substantial progress. This review explores triterpenoids biosynthesis mechanisms in S. cerevisiae and strategies for efficient production. Finally, the review also discusses current challenges and proposes potential solutions, offering insights for future engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Dong Meng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Meilin Feng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Chun Li
- Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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19
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Xu H, Köllner TG, Chen F, Dickschat JS. Functional and Mechanistic Characterization of the 4,5-diepi-Isoishwarane Synthase from the Liverwort Radula lindenbergiana. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400104. [PMID: 38372483 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The microbial type sesquiterpene synthase RlMTPSL4 from the liverwort Radula lindenbergiana was investigated for its products, showing the formation of several sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The main product was structurally characterized as the new compound 4,5-diepi-isoishwarane, while the side products included the known hydrocarbons germacrene A, α-selinene, eremophilene and 4,5-diepi-aristolochene. The cyclization mechanism towards 4,5-diepi-isoishwarane catalyzed by RlMTPSL4 was investigated through isotopic labeling experiments, revealing the stereochemical course for the deprotonation step to the neutral intermediate germacrene A, a reprotonation for its further cyclization, and a 1,2-hydride shift along the cascade. The absolute configuration of 4,5-diepi-isoishwarane was determined using a stereoselective deuteration approach, revealing an absolute configuration typically observed for a microbial type sesquiterpene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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20
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Xing B, Lei Z, Bai Z, Zang G, Wang Y, Zhang C, Chen M, Zhou Y, Ding J, Yang D, Ma M. Structural biology of terpene synthases. Methods Enzymol 2024; 699:59-87. [PMID: 38942516 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Structural biology research of terpene synthases (TSs) has provided a useful basis to understand their catalytic mechanisms in producing diverse terpene products with polycyclic ring systems and multiple chiral centers. However, compared to the large numbers of>95,000 terpenoids discovered to date, few structures of TSs have been solved and the understanding of their catalytic mechanisms is lagging. We here (i) introduce the basic catalytic logic, the structural architectures, and the metal-binding conserved motifs of TSs; (ii) provide detailed experimental procedures, in gene cloning and plasmid construction, protein purification, crystallization, X-ray diffraction data collection and structural elucidation, for structural biology research of TSs; and (iii) discuss the prospects of structure-based engineering and de novo design of TSs in generating valuable terpene molecules, which cannot be easily achieved by chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiying Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhenyu Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoye Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Guowei Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yuxian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Chenyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Minren Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yucheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jiahao Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Donghui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China.
| | - Ming Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China.
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21
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Wenger ES, Schultz K, Marmorstein R, Christianson DW. Engineering Substrate Channeling in Assembly-Line Terpene Biosynthesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586617. [PMID: 38586022 PMCID: PMC10996616 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Fusicoccadiene synthase from P. amygdala (PaFS) is a bifunctional assembly-line terpene synthase containing a prenyltransferase domain that generates geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) from dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) and three equivalents of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), and a cyclase domain that converts GGPP into fusicoccadiene, a precursor of the diterpene glycoside Fusicoccin A. The two catalytic domains are linked by a flexible 69-residue polypeptide segment. The prenyltransferase domain mediates oligomerization to form predominantly octamers, and cyclase domains are randomly splayed out around the prenyltransferase core. Previous studies suggest that substrate channeling is operative in catalysis, since most of the GGPP formed by the prenyltransferase remains on the protein for the cyclization reaction. Here, we demonstrate that the flexible linker is not required for substrate channeling, nor must the prenyltransferase and cyclase domains be covalently linked to sustain substrate channeling. Moreover, substrate competition experiments with other diterpene cyclases indicate that the PaFS prenyltransferase and cyclase domains are preferential partners regardless of whether they are covalently linked or not. The cryo-EM structure of engineered "linkerless" construct PaFSLL, in which the 69-residue linker is spliced out and replaced with the tripeptide PTQ, reveals that cyclase pairs associate with all four sides of the prenyltransferase octamer. Taken together, these results suggest that optimal substrate channeling is achieved when a cyclase domain associates with the side of the prenyltransferase octamer, regardless of whether the two domains are covalently linked and regardless of whether this interaction is transient or locked in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliott S. Wenger
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-6323, USA
| | - Kollin Schultz
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
- Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
| | - David W. Christianson
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-6323, USA
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22
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Abstract
Covering: up to July 2023Terpene cyclases (TCs) catalyze some of the most complicated reactions in nature and are responsible for creating the skeletons of more than 95 000 terpenoid natural products. The canonical TCs are divided into two classes according to their structures, functions, and mechanisms. The class II TCs mediate acid-base-initiated cyclization reactions of isoprenoid diphosphates, terpenes without diphosphates (e.g., squalene or oxidosqualene), and prenyl moieties on meroterpenes. The past twenty years witnessed the emergence of many class II TCs, their reactions and their roles in biosynthesis. Class II TCs often act as one of the first steps in the biosynthesis of biologically active natural products including the gibberellin family of phytohormones and fungal meroterpenoids. Due to their mechanisms and biocatalytic potential, TCs elicit fervent attention in the biosynthetic and organic communities and provide great enthusiasm for enzyme engineering to construct novel and bioactive molecules. To engineer and expand the structural diversities of terpenoids, it is imperative to fully understand how these enzymes generate, precisely control, and quench the reactive carbocation intermediates. In this review, we summarize class II TCs from nature, including sesquiterpene, diterpene, triterpene, and meroterpenoid cyclases as well as noncanonical class II TCs and inspect their sequences, structures, mechanisms, and structure-guided engineering studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingming Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
| | - Jeffrey D Rudolf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7011, USA.
| | - Liao-Bin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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23
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Lyu J, Kapolka N, Gumpper R, Alon A, Wang L, Jain MK, Barros-Álvarez X, Sakamoto K, Kim Y, DiBerto J, Kim K, Tummino TA, Huang S, Irwin JJ, Tarkhanova OO, Moroz Y, Skiniotis G, Kruse AC, Shoichet BK, Roth BL. AlphaFold2 structures template ligand discovery. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.20.572662. [PMID: 38187536 PMCID: PMC10769324 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
AlphaFold2 (AF2) and RosettaFold have greatly expanded the number of structures available for structure-based ligand discovery, even though retrospective studies have cast doubt on their direct usefulness for that goal. Here, we tested unrefined AF2 models prospectively, comparing experimental hit-rates and affinities from large library docking against AF2 models vs the same screens targeting experimental structures of the same receptors. In retrospective docking screens against the σ2 and the 5-HT2A receptors, the AF2 structures struggled to recapitulate ligands that we had previously found docking against the receptors' experimental structures, consistent with published results. Prospective large library docking against the AF2 models, however, yielded similar hit rates for both receptors versus docking against experimentally-derived structures; hundreds of molecules were prioritized and tested against each model and each structure of each receptor. The success of the AF2 models was achieved despite differences in orthosteric pocket residue conformations for both targets versus the experimental structures. Intriguingly, against the 5-HT2A receptor the most potent, subtype-selective agonists were discovered via docking against the AF2 model, not the experimental structure. To understand this from a molecular perspective, a cryoEM structure was determined for one of the more potent and selective ligands to emerge from docking against the AF2 model of the 5-HT2A receptor. Our findings suggest that AF2 models may sample conformations that are relevant for ligand discovery, much extending the domain of applicability of structure-based ligand discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankun Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Evnin Family Laboratory of Computational Molecular Discovery, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA (present address)
| | - Nicholas Kapolka
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Ryan Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Assaf Alon
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Pharmacology Department, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA (present address)
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Manish K Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Ximena Barros-Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Yoojoong Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Jeffrey DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea (present address)
| | - Tia A Tummino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sijie Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John J Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yurii Moroz
- Chemspace LLC, Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine
- Enamine Ltd., Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, US
| | - Andrew C Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian K Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7360, USA
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24
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Gaynes MN, Ronnebaum TA, Schultz K, Faylo JL, Marmorstein R, Christianson DW. Structure of the prenyltransferase in bifunctional copalyl diphosphate synthase from Penicillium fellutanum reveals an open hexamer conformation. J Struct Biol 2024; 216:108060. [PMID: 38184156 PMCID: PMC10939776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2023.108060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Copalyl diphosphate synthase from Penicillium fellutanum (PfCPS) is an assembly-line terpene synthase that contains both prenyltransferase and class II cyclase activities. The prenyltransferase catalyzes processive chain elongation reactions using dimethylallyl diphosphate and three equivalents of isopentenyl diphosphate to yield geranylgeranyl diphosphate, which is then utilized as a substrate by the class II cyclase domain to generate copalyl diphosphate. Here, we report the 2.81 Å-resolution cryo-EM structure of the hexameric prenyltransferase of full-length PfCPS, which is surrounded by randomly splayed-out class II cyclase domains connected by disordered polypeptide linkers. The hexamer can be described as a trimer of dimers; surprisingly, one of the three dimer-dimer interfaces is separated to yield an open hexamer conformation, thus breaking the D3 symmetry typically observed in crystal structures of other prenyltransferase hexamers such as wild-type human GGPP synthase (hGGPPS). Interestingly, however, an open hexamer conformation was previously observed in the crystal structure of D188Y hGGPPS, apparently facilitated by hexamer-hexamer packing in the crystal lattice. The cryo-EM structure of the PfCPS prenyltransferase hexamer is the first to reveal that an open conformation can be achieved even in the absence of a point mutation or interaction with another hexamer. Even though PfCPS octamers are not detected, we suggest that the open hexamer conformation represents an intermediate in the hexamer-octamer equilibrium for those prenyltransferases that do exhibit oligomeric heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Gaynes
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, USA
| | - Trey A Ronnebaum
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, USA
| | - Kollin Schultz
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jacque L Faylo
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, USA
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David W Christianson
- Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, USA.
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25
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Park SC, Steffan BN, Yun Lim F, Gupta R, Ayaloglu Butun F, Chen H, Ye R, Decker T, Wu CC, Kelleher NL, Woo Bok J, Keller NP. Terpenoid balance in Aspergillus nidulans unveiled by heterologous squalene synthase expression. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk7416. [PMID: 38381828 PMCID: PMC10881027 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk7416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi produce numerous uncharacterized natural products (NPs) that are often challenging to characterize because of cryptic expression in laboratory conditions. Previously, we have successfully isolated novel NPs by expressing fungal artificial chromosomes (FACs) from a variety of fungal species into Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we demonstrate a twist to FAC utility wherein heterologous expression of a Pseudogymnoascus destructans FAC in A. nidulans altered endogenous terpene biosynthetic pathways. In contrast to wild type, the FAC transformant produced increased levels of squalene and aspernidine type compounds, including three new nidulenes (1- 2, and 5), and lost nearly all ability to synthesize the major A. nidulans characteristic terpene, austinol. Deletion of a squalene synthase gene in the FAC restored wild-type chemical profiles. The altered squalene to farnesyl pyrophosphate ratio leading to synthesis of nidulenes and aspernidines at the expense of farnesyl pyrophosphate-derived austinols provides unexpected insight into routes of terpene synthesis in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Breanne N. Steffan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Fang Yun Lim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raveena Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Rosa Ye
- Intact Genomics Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Neil L. Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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26
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Ma M, Li M, Wu Z, Liang X, Zheng Q, Li D, Wang G, An T. The microbial biosynthesis of noncanonical terpenoids. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:226. [PMID: 38381229 PMCID: PMC10881772 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13048-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Terpenoids are a class of structurally complex, naturally occurring compounds found predominantly in plant, animal, and microorganism secondary metabolites. Classical terpenoids typically have carbon atoms in multiples of five and follow well-defined carbon skeletons, whereas noncanonical terpenoids deviate from these patterns. These noncanonical terpenoids often result from the methyltransferase-catalyzed methylation modification of substrate units, leading to irregular carbon skeletons. In this comprehensive review, various activities and applications of these noncanonical terpenes have been summarized. Importantly, the review delves into the biosynthetic pathways of noncanonical terpenes, including those with C6, C7, C11, C12, and C16 carbon skeletons, in bacteria and fungi host. It also covers noncanonical triterpenes synthesized from non-squalene substrates and nortriterpenes in Ganoderma lucidum, providing detailed examples to elucidate the intricate biosynthetic processes involved. Finally, the review outlines the potential future applications of noncanonical terpenoids. In conclusion, the insights gathered from this review provide a reference for understanding the biosynthesis of these noncanonical terpenes and pave the way for the discovery of additional unique and novel noncanonical terpenes. KEY POINTS: •The activities and applications of noncanonical terpenoids are introduced. •The noncanonical terpenoids with irregular carbon skeletons are presented. •The microbial biosynthesis of noncanonical terpenoids is summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Ma
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Mingkai Li
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Zhenke Wu
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Xiqin Liang
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Qiusheng Zheng
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Defang Li
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China.
| | - Guoli Wang
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China.
| | - Tianyue An
- Featured Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Target Discovery of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China.
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27
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Xu H, Köllner TG, Chen F, Dickschat JS. Mechanistic characterisation of a sesquiterpene synthase for asterisca-1,6-diene from the liverwort Radula lindenbergiana and implications for pentalenene biosynthesis. Org Biomol Chem 2024; 22:1360-1364. [PMID: 38240688 DOI: 10.1039/d3ob02088f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
A sesquiterpene synthase from the liverwort Radula lindenbergiana was characterised and shown to produce the new sesquiterpene hydrocarbon (3R,9R)-asterisca-1,6-diene, besides small amounts of pentalenene. The biosynthesis of asterisca-1,6-diene was studied through isotopic labelling experiments, giving additional insights into the long discussed biosynthesis of pentalenene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-4561, USA
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
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28
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Xu H, Dickschat JS. Isotopic labelings for mechanistic studies. Methods Enzymol 2024; 699:163-186. [PMID: 38942502 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The intricate mechanisms in the biosynthesis of terpenes belong to the most challenging problems in natural product chemistry. Methods to address these problems include the structure-based site-directed mutagenesis of terpene synthases, computational approaches, and isotopic labeling experiments. The latter approach has a long tradition in biosynthesis studies and has recently experienced a revival, after genome sequencing enabled rapid access to biosynthetic genes and enzymes. Today, this allows for a combined approach in which isotopically labeled substrates can be incubated with recombinant terpene synthases. These clearly defined reaction setups can give detailed mechanistic insights into the reactions catalyzed by terpene synthases, and recent developments have substantially deepened our understanding of terpene biosynthesis. This chapter will discuss the state of the art and introduce some of the most important methods that make use of isotopic labelings in mechanistic studies on terpene synthases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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29
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Taizoumbe KA, Goldfuss B, Dickschat JS. The Diterpenoid Substrate Analogue 19-nor-GGPP Reveals Pronounced Methyl Group Effects in Diterpene Cyclisations. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318375. [PMID: 38117607 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The substrate analogue 19-nor-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (19-nor-GGPP) was synthesised and incubated with 20 diterpene synthases, resulting in the formation of diterpenoids in all cases. A total of 23 different compounds were isolated from these enzyme reactions and structurally characterised, if possible including the experimental determination of absolute configurations through a stereoselective deuteration approach. In several cases the missing 19-Me group in the substrate analogue resulted in opening of completely new reaction paths towards compounds with novel skeletons. DFT calculations were applied to gain a deeper understanding of these observed methyl group effects in diterpene biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kizerbo A Taizoumbe
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuss
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstraße 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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30
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Zhao Y, Liang Y, Luo G, Li Y, Han X, Wen M. Sequence-Structure Analysis Unlocking the Potential Functional Application of the Local 3D Motifs of Plant-Derived Diterpene Synthases. Biomolecules 2024; 14:120. [PMID: 38254720 PMCID: PMC10813164 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant-derived diterpene synthases (PdiTPSs) play a critical role in the formation of structurally and functionally diverse diterpenoids. However, the specificity or functional-related features of PdiTPSs are not well understood. For a more profound insight, we collected, constructed, and curated 199 functionally characterized PdiTPSs and their corresponding 3D structures. The complex correlations among their sequences, domains, structures, and corresponding products were comprehensively analyzed. Ultimately, our focus narrowed to the geometric arrangement of local structures. We found that local structural alignment can rapidly localize product-specific residues that have been validated by mutagenesis experiments. Based on the 3D motifs derived from the residues around the substrate, we successfully searched diterpene synthases (diTPSs) from the predicted terpene synthases and newly characterized PdiTPSs, suggesting that the identified 3D motifs can serve as distinctive signatures in diTPSs (I and II class). Local structural analysis revealed the PdiTPSs with more conserved amino acid residues show features unique to class I and class II, whereas those with fewer conserved amino acid residues typically exhibit product diversity and specificity. These results provide an attractive method for discovering novel or functionally equivalent enzymes and probing the product specificity in cases where enzyme characterization is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Zhao
- National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (G.L.); (X.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Yupeng Liang
- National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (G.L.); (X.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Gan Luo
- National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (G.L.); (X.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Yi Li
- College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Dali University, Dali 671003, China
| | - Xiulin Han
- National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (G.L.); (X.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Mengliang Wen
- National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (G.L.); (X.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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31
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Li R, Yao B, Zeng H. Identification and Characterization of a Nerol Synthase in Fungi. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:416-423. [PMID: 38156892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c07573] [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: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Nerol, a linear monoterpenoid, is naturally found in essential oils of various plants and is widely used in the fragrance, food, and cosmetic industries. Nerol synthase, essential for nerol biosynthesis, has previously been identified only in plants that use NPP as the precursor. In this study, a novel fungal nerol synthase, named PgfB, was cloned and characterized from Penicillium griseofulvum. In vitro enzymatic assays showed that PgfB could directly convert the substrate GPP into nerol. Furthermore, the successful expression of PgfB and its homologous protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in the heterologous production of nerol. Finally, crucial amino acid residues for PgfB's catalytic activity were identified through site-directed mutagenesis. This research broadens our understanding of fungal monoterpene synthases and presents precious gene resources for the industrial production of nerol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumeng Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Bo Yao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Haichun Zeng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
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32
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Taizoumbe KA, Steiner ST, Dickschat JS. Mechanistic Characterisation of Collinodiene Synthase, a Diterpene Synthase from Streptomyces collinus. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202302469. [PMID: 37579200 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202302469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Two homologs of the diterpene synthase CotB2 from Streptomyces collinus (ScCotB2) and Streptomyces iakyrus (SiCotB2) were investigated for their products by in vitro incubations of the recombinant enzymes with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, followed by compound isolation and structure elucidation by NMR. ScCotB2 produced the new compound collinodiene, besides the canonical CotB2 product cyclooctat-9-en-7-ol, dolabella-3,7,18-triene and dolabella-3,7,12-triene, while SiCotB2 gave mainly cyclooctat-9-en-7-ol and only traces of dolabella-3,7,18-triene. The cyclisation mechanism towards the ScCotB2 products and their absolute configurations were investigated through isotopic labelling experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kizerbo A Taizoumbe
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon T Steiner
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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33
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Dinday S, Ghosh S. Recent advances in triterpenoid pathway elucidation and engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108214. [PMID: 37478981 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids are among the most assorted class of specialized metabolites found in all the taxa of living organisms. Triterpenoids are the leading active ingredients sourced from plant species and are utilized in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The triterpenoid precursor 2,3-oxidosqualene, which is biosynthesized via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway is structurally diversified by the oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) and other scaffold-decorating enzymes such as cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) and acyltransferases (ATs). A majority of the bioactive triterpenoids are harvested from the native hosts using the traditional methods of extraction and occasionally semi-synthesized. These methods of supply are time-consuming and do not often align with sustainability goals. Recent advancements in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology have shown prospects for the green routes of triterpenoid pathway reconstruction in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Nicotiana benthamiana, which appear to be quite promising and might lead to the development of alternative source of triterpenoids. The present review describes the biotechnological strategies used to elucidate complex biosynthetic pathways and to understand their regulation and also discusses how the advances in triterpenoid pathway engineering might aid in the scale-up of triterpenoid production in engineered hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Dinday
- CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow 226015, Uttar Pradesh, India; School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab, India
| | - Sumit Ghosh
- CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow 226015, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Park SC, Steffan BN, Lim FY, Gupta R, Butun FA, Chen H, Ye R, Decker T, Wu CC, Kelleher NL, Bok JW, Keller NP. Terpenoid balance in Aspergillus nidulans unveiled by heterologous squalene synthase expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563295. [PMID: 37905136 PMCID: PMC10614972 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi produce numerous uncharacterized natural products (NPs) that are often challenging to characterize due to cryptic expression in laboratory conditions. Previously, we have successfully isolated novel NPs by expressing fungal artificial chromosomes (FACs) from a variety of fungal species into Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we demonstrate a new twist to FAC utility wherein heterologous expression of a Pseudogymnoascus destructans FAC in A. nidulans altered endogenous terpene biosynthetic pathways. In contrast to wildtype, the FAC transformant produced increased levels of squalene and aspernidine type compounds, including three new nidulenes (1-2, 5), and lost nearly all ability to synthesize the major A. nidulans characteristic terpene, austinol. Deletion of a squalene synthase gene in the FAC restored wildtype chemical profiles. The altered squalene to farnesyl pyrophosphate ratio leading to synthesis of nidulenes and aspernidines at the expense of farnesyl pyrophosphate derived austinols provides unexpected insight into routes of terpene synthesis in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Breanne N. Steffan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Fang Yun Lim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA
| | - Raveena Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, IL
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
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Whitehead J, Leferink NGH, Johannissen LO, Hay S, Scrutton NS. Decoding Catalysis by Terpene Synthases. ACS Catal 2023; 13:12774-12802. [PMID: 37822860 PMCID: PMC10563020 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c03047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The review by Christianson, published in 2017 on the twentieth anniversary of the emergence of the field, summarizes the foundational discoveries and key advances in terpene synthase/cyclase (TS) biocatalysis (Christianson, D. W. Chem Rev2017, 117 (17), 11570-11648. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00287). Here, we review the TS literature published since then, bringing the field up to date and looking forward to what could be the near future of TS rational design. Many revealing discoveries have been made in recent years, building on the knowledge and fundamental principles uncovered during those initial two decades of study. We use these to explore TS reaction chemistry and see how a combined experimental and computational approach helps to decipher the complexities of TS catalysis. Revealed are a suite of catalytic motifs which control product outcome in TSs, some obvious, some more subtle. We examine each in detail, using the most recent papers and insights to illustrate how exactly this fascinating class of enzymes takes a single acyclic substrate and turns it into the many thousands of complex terpenoids found in Nature. We then explore some of the recent strategies for TS engineering, including machine learning and other data-driven approaches. From this, rational and predictive engineering of TSs, "designer terpene synthases", will begin to emerge as a realistic goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua
N. Whitehead
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole G. H. Leferink
- Future
Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology,
Department of Chemistry, The University
of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Linus O. Johannissen
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United Kingdom
- Future
Biomanufacturing Research Hub (FBRH), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology,
Department of Chemistry, The University
of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
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Chhalodia AK, Xu H, Tabekoueng GB, Gu B, Taizoumbe KA, Lauterbach L, Dickschat JS. Functional characterisation of twelve terpene synthases from actinobacteria. Beilstein J Org Chem 2023; 19:1386-1398. [PMID: 37736393 PMCID: PMC10509563 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.19.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Fifteen type I terpene synthase homologs from diverse actinobacteria that were selected based on a phylogenetic analysis of more than 4000 amino acid sequences were investigated for their products. For four enzymes with functions not previously reported from bacterial terpene synthases the products were isolated and their structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, resulting in the discovery of the first terpene synthases for (+)-δ-cadinol and (+)-α-cadinene, besides the first two bacterial (-)-amorpha-4,11-diene synthases. For other terpene synthases with functions reported from bacteria before the products were identified by GC-MS. The characterised enzymes include a new epi-isozizaene synthase with monoterpene synthase side activity, a 7-epi-α-eudesmol synthase that also produces hedycaryol and germacrene A, and four more sesquiterpene synthases that produce mixtures of hedycaryol and germacrene A. Three phylogenetically related enzymes were in one case not expressed and in two cases inactive, suggesting pseudogenisation in the respective branch of the phylogenetic tree. Furthermore, a diterpene synthase for allokutznerene and a sesterterpene synthase for sesterviolene were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuj K Chhalodia
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Houchao Xu
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Georges B Tabekoueng
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Binbin Gu
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kizerbo A Taizoumbe
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lukas Lauterbach
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
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Li Y, Wang J, Li L, Song W, Li M, Hua X, Wang Y, Yuan J, Xue Z. Natural products of pentacyclic triterpenoids: from discovery to heterologous biosynthesis. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1303-1353. [PMID: 36454108 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00063f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2022Pentacyclic triterpenoids are important natural bioactive substances that are widely present in plants and fungi. They have significant medicinal efficacy, play an important role in reducing blood glucose and protecting the liver, and have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-fatigue, anti-viral, and anti-cancer activities. Pentacyclic triterpenoids are derived from the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, which generates common precursors of triterpenes and steroids, followed by cyclization with oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) and decoration via cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP450s) and glycosyltransferases (GTs). Many biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoid saponins have been elucidated by studying their metabolic regulation network through the use of multiomics and identifying their functional genes. Unfortunately, natural resources of pentacyclic triterpenoids are limited due to their low content in plant tissues and the long growth cycle of plants. Based on the understanding of their biosynthetic pathway and transcriptional regulation, plant bioreactors and microbial cell factories are emerging as alternative means for the synthesis of desired triterpenoid saponins. The rapid development of synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and fermentation technology has broadened channels for the accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins. In this review, we summarize the classification, distribution, structural characteristics, and bioactivity of pentacyclic triterpenoids. We further discuss the biosynthetic pathways of pentacyclic triterpenoids and involved transcriptional regulation. Moreover, the recent progress and characteristics of heterologous biosynthesis in plants and microbial cell factories are discussed comparatively. Finally, we propose potential strategies to improve the accumulation of triterpenoid saponins, thereby providing a guide for their future biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Linyong Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Wenhui Song
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Min Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xin Hua
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Yu Wang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
| | - Jifeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Fujian, PR China.
| | - Zheyong Xue
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, PR China
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Kawakami T, Miyazaki S, Kawaide H. Molecular characterization of a moss isoprene synthase provides insight into its evolution. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2133-2142. [PMID: 37385722 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
This is the first report on the molecular characterization of isoprene synthase (ISPS) from the moss Calohypnum plumiforme. After isoprene emission from C. plumiforme was confirmed, the cDNA encoding C. plumiforme ISPS (CpISPS) was narrowed down using a genome database associated with protein structure prediction, and a CpISPS gene was identified. The recombinant CpISPS, produced in Escherichia coli, converted dimethylallyl diphosphate to isoprene. Phylogenetic analysis indicated similarity between the amino acid sequences of CpISPS and moss diterpene cyclases (DTCs) but not ISPSs of higher plants, implying that CpISPS is derived from moss DTCs and is evolutionarily unrelated to canonical ISPSs of higher plants. CpISPS is a novel class I cyclase of the terpene synthase-c subfamily harboring αβ domains. This study will help further study of isoprene biosynthesis and the physiological functions of isoprene in mosses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Kawakami
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Fuchu, Japan
| | - Sho Miyazaki
- Institute of Global Innovation Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Fuchu, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawaide
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Fuchu, Japan
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Wang X, Wu H, Wong KH, Wang Y, Chen B, Feng K. Biotransformation of triterpenoid ganoderic acids from exogenous diterpene dihydrotanshinone I in the cultures of Ganoderma sessile. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:139. [PMID: 37507727 PMCID: PMC10375632 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02156-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triterpenoids have shown a wide range of biological activities including antitumor and antiviral effects. Typically, triterpenes are synthesized through the mevalonate pathway and are extracted from natural plants and fungi. In this work, triterpenoids, ganoderic acids (GAs) were discovered to be produced via biotransformation of a diterpene, 15,16-dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) in the liquid cultured Ganoderma sessile mycelium. RESULTS Firstly, the biotransformation products, two rare GAs were isolated and purified by column chromatography, and characterized using HR-ESI-MS spectrometry and NMR spectrometry. The two compounds were Lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-15α,22,β-diacetoxy-3β-hydroxy-26-oic acid (LTHA) and Lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-15α,22,β-diacetoxy-3β-carbonyl-26-oic acid (LTCA). Then, transcriptome and proteome technologies were employed to measure the expression of mRNA and protein, which further confirmed that triterpenoid GAs could be transformed from exogenous diterpenoid DHT. At the molecular level, we proposed a hypothesis of the mechanism by which DHT converted to GAs in G. sessile mycelium, and the possible genes involved in biotransformation were verified by RT-qPCR. CONCLUSIONS Two rare GAs were obtained and characterized. A biosynthetic pathway of GAs from DHT was proposed. Although the synthetic route was not confirmed, this study provided important insights into omics resources and candidate genes for studying the biotransformation of diterpenes into triterpenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Jinwan Road No. 368, Zhuhai, 519090, Guangdong, China
| | - Haibo Wu
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Jinwan Road No. 368, Zhuhai, 519090, Guangdong, China
| | - Ka Hong Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Jinwan Road No. 368, Zhuhai, 519090, Guangdong, China
| | - Baixiong Chen
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Jinwan Road No. 368, Zhuhai, 519090, Guangdong, China
| | - Kun Feng
- School of Bioengineering, Zunyi Medical University, Jinwan Road No. 368, Zhuhai, 519090, Guangdong, China.
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40
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Li Z, Zhang L, Xu K, Jiang Y, Du J, Zhang X, Meng LH, Wu Q, Du L, Li X, Hu Y, Xie Z, Jiang X, Tang YJ, Wu R, Guo RT, Li S. Molecular insights into the catalytic promiscuity of a bacterial diterpene synthase. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4001. [PMID: 37414771 PMCID: PMC10325987 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39706-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Diterpene synthase VenA is responsible for assembling venezuelaene A with a unique 5-5-6-7 tetracyclic skeleton from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. VenA also demonstrates substrate promiscuity by accepting geranyl pyrophosphate and farnesyl pyrophosphate as alternative substrates. Herein, we report the crystal structures of VenA in both apo form and holo form in complex with a trinuclear magnesium cluster and pyrophosphate group. Functional and structural investigations on the atypical 115DSFVSD120 motif of VenA, versus the canonical Asp-rich motif of DDXX(X)D/E, reveal that the absent second Asp of canonical motif is functionally replaced by Ser116 and Gln83, together with bioinformatics analysis identifying a hidden subclass of type I microbial terpene synthases. Further structural analysis, multiscale computational simulations, and structure-directed mutagenesis provide significant mechanistic insights into the substrate selectivity and catalytic promiscuity of VenA. Finally, VenA is semi-rationally engineered into a sesterterpene synthase to recognize the larger substrate geranylfarnesyl pyrophosphate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Lilan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, China
| | - Kangwei Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
| | - Yuanyuan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Jieke Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Xingwang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Ling-Hong Meng
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanhai Road 7, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Qile Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Lei Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Xiaoju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Yuechan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, China
| | - Zhenzhen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, China
| | - Xukai Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Ya-Jie Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Ruibo Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China.
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, China.
| | - Shengying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.
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Song Z, Chen D, Sui S, Wang Y, Cen S, Dai J. Characterization of a Malabaricane-Type Triterpene Synthase from Astragalus membranaceus and Enzymatic Synthesis of Astramalabaricosides. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2023. [PMID: 37336771 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c00331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids are a large and medicinally important group of natural products with a wide range of biological and pharmacological effects. Among them, malabaricane-type triterpenoids are a rare group of terpenoids with a 6,6,5-tricyclic ring system, and a few malabaricane triterpene synthases have been characterized to date. Here, an arabidiol synthase AmAS for the formation of the malabaricane-type 6,6,5-tricyclic triterpenoid skeleton in astramalabaricosides biosynthesis was characterized from Astragalus membranaceus. Multiple sequence alignment, site-directed mutagenesis, and molecular docking of AmAS reveal that residues Q256 and Y258 are essential for AmAS activity, and the triad motif IIH725-727 was the critical residue necessary for its product specificity. Mutation of IIH725-727 with VFN led to the formation of seven tricyclic, tetracyclic, and pentacyclic triterpenoids (1-7). Glycosylation of malabaricane-type triterpenoids in the biosynthesis of astramalabaricosides was also explored. Three triterpenoids (1, 5, and 6) displayed potent inhibitory effects against influenza A virus in vitro. These findings provide insights into malabaricane-type triterpenoids biosynthesis in A. membranaceus and access to diverse bioactive triterpenoids for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs, and NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs, and NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Songyang Sui
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs, and NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yujia Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shan Cen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jungui Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs, and NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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42
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Ye M, Ruan L, Huang L, Zheng H, Xu W, Xu W, Chen L, Li H. Triterpenoids with diverse skeletons from the roots of Rhus chinensis and their protective effects on isoproterenol-induced heart failure in zebrafish. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2023:113749. [PMID: 37307886 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In the ongoing quest to discover previously unreported lead compounds that provide protection against heart failure (HF), ten formerly undescribed (1-10) and nine known (11-19) triterpenoids were obtained from the roots of Rhus chinensis Mill. The isolated triterpenoids exhibited distinct skeletal types, including rare 17-epi-dammarane (1, 6, 7, 11, and 12), conventional dammarane (2-5, 8, and 9), oleanane (10 and 13-17) and lupane (18 and 19). Their structures were elucidated via a comprehensive analysis of the HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD data, as well as quantum chemical calculations of NMR parameters. Notably, compounds 1-5, 10-15, and 19 possessed an unusual 3,19 (or 25)-hemiketal structure bridging over ring A, while the remaining compounds were classified as 3-oxotriterpenoids. The skeletal diversity observed in these compounds was further elaborated from a biosynthetic perspective. Subsequently, the protective effects of fourteen compounds (1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11-14, and 16-18) against HF were evaluated using zebrafish models of isoproterenol-induced HF at a concentration of 1 μg/mL. Remarkably, all fourteen compounds significantly ameliorated pericardial edema, with five compounds (3, 6, 11, 14, and 16) also attenuating impaired cardiac output (CO), and eight compounds (1, 3, 4, 7-9, 14, and 16) inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Notably, certain compounds even restored the impaired pericardium and CO to near-normal levels. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of triterpenoids derived from R. chinensis as promising agents for the treatment of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Ye
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China
| | - Lingjie Ruan
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China
| | - Lina Huang
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China
| | - Haiyin Zheng
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China
| | - Wen Xu
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China.
| | - Wei Xu
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China.
| | - Lixia Chen
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China; Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, PR China.
| | - Hua Li
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, PR China.
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43
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Li L. Accessing hidden microbial biosynthetic potential from underexplored sources for novel drug discovery. Biotechnol Adv 2023:108176. [PMID: 37211187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Microbial natural products and their structural analogues have widely used as pharmaceutical agents, especially for infectious diseases and cancer. Despite this success, new structural classes with innovative chemistry and modes of action are urgently needed to be developed to combat the growing antimicrobial resistance and other public health problems. The advances in next-generation sequencing technologies and powerful computational tools open up new opportunities to explore microbial biosynthetic potential from underexplored sources, with millions of secondary metabolites awaiting discovery. The review highlights challenges associated with discovery of new chemical entities, rich reservoirs provided by untapped taxa, ecological niches or host microbiomes, emerging synthetic biotechnologies to unearth the hidden microbial biosynthetic potential for novel drug discovery at scale and speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai 200240, China.
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44
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Xu H, Goldfuss B, Dickschat JS. Biosynthesis of the Sesquiterpene Kitaviridene through Skeletal Rearrangement with Formation of a Methyl Group Equivalent. Org Lett 2023; 25:3330-3334. [PMID: 37122105 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.3c01211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
A sesquiterpene synthase from Kitasatospora viridis was discovered and shown to produce kitaviridene, a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon with an additional methyl group equivalent in comparison to a regular sesquiterpene. Isotopic labeling experiments together with DFT calculations gave detailed insights into the cyclization cascade toward kitaviridene and explained the formation of the additional methyl group equivalent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuss
- Department for Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstraße 4, 50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
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45
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Wei J, Yang Y, Peng Y, Wang S, Zhang J, Liu X, Liu J, Wen B, Li M. Biosynthesis and the Transcriptional Regulation of Terpenoids in Tea Plants ( Camellia sinensis). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24086937. [PMID: 37108101 PMCID: PMC10138656 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24086937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpenes, especially volatile terpenes, are important components of tea aroma due to their unique scents. They are also widely used in the cosmetic and medical industries. In addition, terpene emission can be induced by herbivory, wounding, light, low temperature, and other stress conditions, leading to plant defense responses and plant-plant interactions. The transcriptional levels of important core genes (including HMGR, DXS, and TPS) involved in terpenoid biosynthesis are up- or downregulated by the MYB, MYC, NAC, ERF, WRKY, and bHLH transcription factors. These regulators can bind to corresponding cis-elements in the promoter regions of the corresponding genes, and some of them interact with other transcription factors to form a complex. Recently, several key terpene synthesis genes and important transcription factors involved in terpene biosynthesis have been isolated and functionally identified from tea plants. In this work, we focus on the research progress on the transcriptional regulation of terpenes in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) and thoroughly detail the biosynthesis of terpene compounds, the terpene biosynthesis-related genes, the transcription factors involved in terpene biosynthesis, and their importance. Furthermore, we review the potential strategies used in studying the specific transcriptional regulation functions of candidate transcription factors that have been discriminated to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchi Wei
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yun Yang
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Ye Peng
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Shaoying Wang
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Beibei Wen
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Meifeng Li
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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46
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Jiao Y, Li X, Huang X, Liu F, Zhang Z, Cao L. The Identification of SQS/ SQE/ OSC Gene Families in Regulating the Biosynthesis of Triterpenes in Potentilla anserina. Molecules 2023; 28:2782. [PMID: 36985754 PMCID: PMC10051230 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The tuberous roots of Potentilla anserina (Pan) are an edible and medicinal resource in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. The triterpenoids from tuberous roots have shown promising anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we carried out phylogenetic analysis of squalene synthases (SQSs), squalene epoxidases (SQEs), and oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) in the pathway of triterpenes. In total, 6, 26, and 20 genes of SQSs, SQEs, and OSCs were retrieved from the genome of Pan, respectively. Moreover, 6 SQSs and 25 SQEs genes expressed in two sub-genomes (A and B) of Pan. SQSs were not expanded after whole-genome duplication (WGD), and the duplicated genes were detected in SQEs. Twenty OSCs were divided into two clades of cycloartenol synthases (CASs) and β-amyrin synthases (β-ASs) by a phylogenetic tree, characterized with gene duplication and evolutionary divergence. We speculated that β-ASs and CASs may participate in triterpenes synthesis. The data presented act as valuable references for future studies on the triterpene synthetic pathway of Pan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangmiao Jiao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Synthetic Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China
| | - Xu Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
| | - Xueshuang Huang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Synthetic Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
| | - Zaiqi Zhang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
| | - Liang Cao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Dong Medicine, Ethnic Medicine Research Center, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China; (Y.J.); (X.L.); (X.H.); (F.L.)
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47
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Yang Z, Zeng X, Zhao Y, Chen R. AlphaFold2 and its applications in the fields of biology and medicine. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:115. [PMID: 36918529 PMCID: PMC10011802 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01381-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 100.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
AlphaFold2 (AF2) is an artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by DeepMind that can predict three-dimensional (3D) structures of proteins from amino acid sequences with atomic-level accuracy. Protein structure prediction is one of the most challenging problems in computational biology and chemistry, and has puzzled scientists for 50 years. The advent of AF2 presents an unprecedented progress in protein structure prediction and has attracted much attention. Subsequent release of structures of more than 200 million proteins predicted by AF2 further aroused great enthusiasm in the science community, especially in the fields of biology and medicine. AF2 is thought to have a significant impact on structural biology and research areas that need protein structure information, such as drug discovery, protein design, prediction of protein function, et al. Though the time is not long since AF2 was developed, there are already quite a few application studies of AF2 in the fields of biology and medicine, with many of them having preliminarily proved the potential of AF2. To better understand AF2 and promote its applications, we will in this article summarize the principle and system architecture of AF2 as well as the recipe of its success, and particularly focus on reviewing its applications in the fields of biology and medicine. Limitations of current AF2 prediction will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Yang
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoxi Zeng
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Yi Zhao
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Information Processing, Advanced Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Runsheng Chen
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Center for Big Data Research in Health, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518118, China.
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48
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3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase genes from Glycine max regulate plant growth and isoprenoid biosynthesis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3902. [PMID: 36890158 PMCID: PMC9995466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30797-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Isoprenoids, a large kind of plant natural products, are synthesized by the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in the cytoplasm and the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway in plastids. As one of the rate-limiting enzymes in the MVA pathway of soybean (Glycine max), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) is encoded by eight isogenes (GmHMGR1-GmHMGR8). To begin, we used lovastatin (LOV), a specific inhibitor of GmHMGR, to investigate their role in soybean development. To further investigate, we overexpressed the GmHMGR4 and GmHMGR6 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The growth of soybean seedlings, especially the development of lateral roots, was inhibited after LOV treatment, accompanied by a decrease in sterols content and GmHMGR gene expression. After the overexpression of GmHMGR4 and GmHMGR6 in A. thaliana, the primary root length was higher than the wild type, and total sterol and squalene contents were significantly increased. In addition, we detected a significant increase in the product tocopherol from the MEP pathway. These results further support the fact that GmHMGR1-GmHMGR8 play a key role in soybean development and isoprenoid biosynthesis.
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49
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Hussain H, Xiao J, Ali A, Green IR, Westermann B. Unusually cyclized triterpenoids: occurrence, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:412-451. [PMID: 36458822 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00033d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 2009 to 2021Biosynthetically, most of the syntheses of triterpenes follow the cascade cyclization and rearrangement of the acyclic precursors viz., squalene (S) and 2,3-oxidosqualene (OS), which lead to the very well known tetra- and pentacyclic triterpene skeletons. Aside from these, numerous other triterpenoid molecules are also reported from various natural sources and their structures are derived from "S" and "OS" via some unusual cyclization operations which are different from the usual tetra- and pentacyclic frameworks. Numerous compelling advances have been made and reported in the identification of these unusual cyclized mono-, di-, tri- and tetracyclic triterpenes between 2009 and 2021. Besides a dramatic increase in the newly isolated uncommon cyclized triterpenoids, substantial progress in the (bio)-synthesis of these triterpenes has been published along with significant progress in their biological effects. In this review, 180 new unusual cyclized triterpenoids together with their demonstrated biogenetic pathways, syntheses and biological effects will be categorized and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidayat Hussain
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, Halle (Saale) D-06120, Germany.
| | - Jianbo Xiao
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.,Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo - Ourense Campus, Ourense, E-32004, Spain
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Ivan R Green
- Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Bernhard Westermann
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, Halle (Saale) D-06120, Germany.
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50
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Xu H, Dickschat JS. Germacrene B - a central intermediate in sesquiterpene biosynthesis. Beilstein J Org Chem 2023; 19:186-203. [PMID: 36865023 PMCID: PMC9972886 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.19.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Germacranes are important intermediates in the biosynthesis of eudesmane and guaiane sesquiterpenes. After their initial formation from farnesyl diphosphate, these neutral intermediates can become reprotonated for a second cyclisation to reach the bicyclic eudesmane and guaiane skeletons. This review summarises the accumulated knowledge on eudesmane and guaiane sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and alcohols that potentially arise from the achiral sesquiterpene hydrocarbon germacrene B. Not only compounds isolated from natural sources, but also synthetic compounds are dicussed, with the aim to give a rationale for the structural assignment for each compound. A total number of 64 compounds is presented, with 131 cited references.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houchao Xu
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
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