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Aghaali Z, Naghavi MR, Zargar M. Promising approaches for simultaneous enhancement of medicinally significant benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in opium poppy. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1377318. [PMID: 38633462 PMCID: PMC11022600 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1377318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) produced in opium poppy have been evidenced to heal patients suffering from various diseases. They, therefore, hold an integral position in the herbal drug industry. Despite the adoption of several approaches for the large-scale production of BIAs, opium poppy remains the only platform in this purpose. The only disadvantage associated with producing BIAs in the plant is their small quantity. Thus, recruiting strategies that boost their levels is deemed necessary. All the methods which have been employed so far are just able to enhance a maximum of two BIAs. Thus, if these methods are utilized, a sizable amount of time and budget must be spent on the synthesis of all BIAs. Hence, the exploitation of strategies which increase the content of all BIAs at the same time is more commercially effective and time-saving, avoiding the laborious step of resolving the biosynthetic pathway of each compound. Exposure to biotic and abiotic elicitors, development of a synthetic auto-tetraploid, overexpression of a WRKY transcription factor, formation of an artificial metabolon, and suppression of a gene in the shikimate pathway and miRNA are strategies that turn opium poppy into a versatile bioreactor for the concurrent and massive production of BIAs. The last three strategies have never been applied for BIA biosynthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Aghaali
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Naghavi
- Division of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agricultural and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
- Department of Agrobiotechnology, Agrarian Technological Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Meisam Zargar
- Department of Agrobiotechnology, Agrarian Technological Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) University, Moscow, Russia
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Lemos Cruz P, Carqueijeiro I, Koudounas K, Bomzan DP, Stander EA, Abdallah C, Kulagina N, Oudin A, Lanoue A, Giglioli-Guivarc'h N, Nagegowda DA, Papon N, Besseau S, Clastre M, Courdavault V. Identification of a second 16-hydroxytabersonine-O-methyltransferase suggests an evolutionary relationship between alkaloid and flavonoid metabolisms in Catharanthus roseus. PROTOPLASMA 2023; 260:607-624. [PMID: 35947213 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-022-01801-x] [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: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus biosynthesizes many important drugs for human health, including the anticancer monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) vinblastine and vincristine. Over the past decades, the continuous increase in pharmaceutical demand has prompted several research groups to characterize MIA biosynthetic pathways for considering future metabolic engineering processes of supply. In line with previous work suggesting that diversification can potentially occur at various steps along the vindoline branch, we were here interested in investigating the involvement of distinct isoforms of tabersonine-16-O-methyltransferase (16OMT) which plays a pivotal role in the MIA biosynthetic pathway. By combining homology searches based on the previously characterized 16OMT1, phylogenetic analyses, functional assays in yeast, and biochemical and in planta characterizations, we identified a second isoform of 16OMT, referred to as 16OMT2. 16OMT2 appears to be a multifunctional enzyme working on both MIA and flavonoid substrates, suggesting that a constrained evolution of the enzyme for accommodating the MIA substrate has probably occurred to favor the apparition of 16OMT2 from an ancestral specific flavonoid-O-methyltransferase. Since 16OMT1 and 16OMT2 displays a high sequence identity and similar kinetic parameters for 16-hydroxytabersonine, we postulate that 16OMT1 may result from a later 16OMT2 gene duplication accompanied by a continuous neofunctionalization leading to an almost complete loss of flavonoid O-methyltransferase activity. Overall, these results participate in increasing our knowledge on the evolutionary processes that have likely led to enzyme co-optation for MIA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Lemos Cruz
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Ines Carqueijeiro
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | | | - Dikki Pedenla Bomzan
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Emily Amor Stander
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Cécile Abdallah
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Natalja Kulagina
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Audrey Oudin
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Arnaud Lanoue
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | | | - Dinesh A Nagegowda
- Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology Lab, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Bengaluru, 560065, India
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Univ Angers, Univ Brest, IRF, SFR, ICAT, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Sébastien Besseau
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Marc Clastre
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France
| | - Vincent Courdavault
- Université de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Tours, France.
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Lashley A, Miller R, Provenzano S, Jarecki SA, Erba P, Salim V. Functional Diversification and Structural Origins of Plant Natural Product Methyltransferases. Molecules 2022; 28:43. [PMID: 36615239 PMCID: PMC9822479 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants, methylation is a common step in specialized metabolic pathways, leading to a vast diversity of natural products. The methylation of these small molecules is catalyzed by S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases, which are categorized based on the methyl-accepting atom (O, N, C, S, or Se). These methyltransferases are responsible for the transformation of metabolites involved in plant defense response, pigments, and cell signaling. Plant natural product methyltransferases are part of the Class I methyltransferase-superfamily containing the canonical Rossmann fold. Recent advances in genomics have accelerated the functional characterization of plant natural product methyltransferases, allowing for the determination of substrate specificities and regioselectivity and further realizing the potential for enzyme engineering. This review compiles known biochemically characterized plant natural product methyltransferases that have contributed to our knowledge in the diversification of small molecules mediated by methylation steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Lashley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
| | - Ryan Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Stephanie Provenzano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Sara-Alexis Jarecki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
| | - Paul Erba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Vonny Salim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
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Erythrina velutina Willd. alkaloids: Piecing biosynthesis together from transcriptome analysis and metabolite profiling of seeds and leaves. J Adv Res 2022; 34:123-136. [PMID: 35024185 PMCID: PMC8655131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2021.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Natural products of pharmaceutical interest often do not reach the drug market due to the associated low yields and difficult extraction. Knowledge of biosynthetic pathways is a key element in the development of biotechnological strategies for plant specialized metabolite production. Erythrina species are mainly used as central nervous system depressants in folk medicine and are important sources of bioactive tetracyclic benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), which can act on several pathology-related biological targets. Objectives In this sense, in an unprecedented approach used with a non-model Fabaceae species grown in its unique arid natural habitat, a combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses (seeds and leaves) is presented. Methods The Next Generation Sequencing-based transcriptome (de novo RNA sequencing) was carried out in a NextSeq 500 platform. Regarding metabolite profiling, the High-resolution Liquid Chromatography was coupled to DAD and a micrOTOF-QII mass spectrometer by using electrospray ionization (ESI) and Time of Flight (TOF) analyzer. The tandem MS/MS data were processed and analyzed through Molecular Networking approach. Results This detailed macro and micromolecular approach applied to seeds and leaves of E. velutina revealed 42 alkaloids, several of them unique. Based on the combined evidence, 24 gene candidates were put together in a putative pathway leading to the singular alkaloid diversity of this species. Conclusion Overall, these results could contribute by indicating potential biotechnological targets for modulation of erythrina alkaloids biosynthesis as well as improve molecular databases with omic data from a non-model medicinal plant, and reveal an interesting chemical diversity of Erythrina BIA harvested in Caatinga.
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Zhu H, Cai Y, Ma S, Futamura Y, Li J, Zhong W, Zhang X, Osada H, Zou H. Privileged Biorenewable Secologanin-Based Diversity-Oriented Synthesis for Pseudo-Natural Alkaloids: Uncovering Novel Neuroprotective and Antimalarial Frameworks. CHEMSUSCHEM 2021; 14:5320-5327. [PMID: 34636473 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202101868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bioprivileged molecules hold great promise for supplementing petrochemicals in sustainable organic synthesis of a diverse bioactive products library. Secologanin, a biorenewable monoterpenoid glucoside with unique structural elements, is the key precursor for thousands of natural monoterpenoid alkaloids. Inspired by its inherent highly congested functional groups, a secologanin-based diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) strategy for novel pseudo-natural alkaloids was developed. All the reactive units of secologanin were involved in these operation simplicity protocols under mild reaction conditions, including the one-step enantioselective transformation of exocyclic C8, C8/C11, and C8/C9/C10 as well as the chemoenzymatic manipulation of endocyclic C2/C6 via the attack by various nucleophiles. A combinatory scenario of the aforementioned reactions further provided diverse polycyclic products with multiple chiral centers. Preliminary activity screening of these newly constructed molecules led to the discovery of antimalarial and highly potent neuroprotective skeletons. The application of green biorenewable secologanin in diversity-oriented pseudo-natural monoterpenoid alkaloid synthesis might encourage the pursuit of valuable bioactive frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huajian Zhu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yunrui Cai
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Shijia Ma
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yushi Futamura
- Chemical Biology Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Jinbiao Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Wen Zhong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Xiangnan Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
| | - Hiroyuki Osada
- Chemical Biology Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hongbin Zou
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China
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Hao DC, Li P, Xiao PG, He CN. Dissection of full-length transcriptome and metabolome of Dichocarpum (Ranunculaceae): implications in evolution of specialized metabolism of Ranunculales medicinal plants. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12428. [PMID: 34760397 PMCID: PMC8574218 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several main families of Ranunculales are rich in alkaloids and other medicinal compounds; many species of these families are used in traditional and folk medicine. Dichocarpum is a representative medicinal genus of Ranunculaceae, but the genetic basis of its metabolic phenotype has not been investigated, which hinders its sustainable conservation and utilization. We use the third-generation high-throughput sequencing and metabolomic techniques to decipher the full-length transcriptomes and metabolomes of five Dichocarpum species endemic in China, and 71,598 non-redundant full-length transcripts were obtained, many of which are involved in defense, stress response and immunity, especially those participating in the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites such as benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). Twenty-seven orthologs extracted from trancriptome datasets were concatenated to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree, which was verified by the clustering analysis based on the metabolomic profile and agreed with the Pearson correlation between gene expression patterns of Dichocarpum species. The phylogenomic analysis of phytometabolite biosynthesis genes, e.g., (S)-norcoclaurine synthase, methyltransferases, cytochrome p450 monooxygenases, berberine bridge enzyme and (S)-tetrahydroprotoberberine oxidase, revealed the evolutionary trajectories leading to the chemodiversity, especially that of protoberberine type, aporphine type and bis-BIA abundant in Dichocarpum and related genera. The biosynthesis pathways of these BIAs are proposed based on full-length transcriptomes and metabolomes of Dichocarpum. Within Ranunculales, the gene duplications are common, and a unique whole genome duplication is possible in Dichocarpum. The extensive correlations between metabolite content and gene expression support the co-evolution of various genes essential for the production of different specialized metabolites. Our study provides insights into the transcriptomic and metabolomic landscapes of Dichocarpum, which will assist further studies on genomics and application of Ranunculales plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pei Li
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pei-Gen Xiao
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chun-Nian He
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Liu Y, Wang Y, Pei J, Li Y, Sun H. Genome-wide identification and characterization of COMT gene family during the development of blueberry fruit. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:5. [PMID: 33407129 PMCID: PMC7789564 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-02767-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caffeic acid O-methyltransferases (COMTs) play an important role in the diversification of natural products, especially in the phenylalanine metabolic pathway of plant. The content of COMT genes in blueberry and relationship between their expression patterns and the lignin content during fruit development have not clearly investigated by now. RESULTS Ninety-two VcCOMTs were identified in Vaccinium corymbosum. According to phylogenetic analyses, the 92 VcCOMTs were divided into 2 groups. The gene structure and conserved motifs within groups were similar which supported the reliability of the phylogenetic structure groupings. Dispersed duplication (DSD) and whole-genome duplication (WGD) were determined to be the major forces in VcCOMTs evolution. The results showed that the results of qRT-PCR and lignin content for 22 VcCOMTs, VcCOMT40 and VcCOMT92 were related to lignin content at different stages of fruit development of blueberry. CONCLUSION We identified COMT gene family in blueberry, and performed comparative analyses of the phylogenetic relationships in the 15 species of land plant, and gene duplication patterns of COMT genes in 5 of the 15 species. We found 2 VcCOMTs were highly expressed and their relative contents were similar to the variation trend of lignin content during the development of blueberry fruit. These results provide a clue for further study on the roles of VcCOMTs in the development of blueberry fruit and could promisingly be foundations for breeding blueberry clutivals with higher fruit firmness and longer shelf life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushan Liu
- Engineering Center of Genetic Breeding and Innovative Utilization of Small Fruits of Jilin Province, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
- College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
| | - Yizhou Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources/Beijing Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jiabo Pei
- Engineering Center of Genetic Breeding and Innovative Utilization of Small Fruits of Jilin Province, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
- College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
- Institute of Horticulture, Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310000 China
| | - Yadong Li
- Engineering Center of Genetic Breeding and Innovative Utilization of Small Fruits of Jilin Province, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
| | - Haiyue Sun
- Engineering Center of Genetic Breeding and Innovative Utilization of Small Fruits of Jilin Province, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
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Lichman BR. The scaffold-forming steps of plant alkaloid biosynthesis. Nat Prod Rep 2020; 38:103-129. [PMID: 32745157 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00031k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alkaloids from plants are characterised by structural diversity and bioactivity, and maintain a privileged position in both modern and traditional medicines. In recent years, there have been significant advances in elucidating the biosynthetic origins of plant alkaloids. In this review, I will describe the progress made in determining the metabolic origins of the so-called true alkaloids, specialised metabolites derived from amino acids containing a nitrogen heterocycle. By identifying key biosynthetic steps that feature in the majority of pathways, I highlight the key roles played by modifications to primary metabolism, iminium reactivity and spontaneous reactions in the molecular and evolutionary origins of these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Lichman
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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Rosales López MC, Muñoz-Arrieta R, Abdelnour-Esquivel A. Emetine and cephaeline content in plants of Psychotria ipecacuanha in Costa Rica. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE QUÍMICA 2020. [DOI: 10.15446/rev.colomb.quim.v49n2.78347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify the emetic metabolites in different parts of the P. ipecacuanha, a plant with emetic properties. Partial phytochemical analysis was performed to determine the presence of emetine and cephaeline in leaves, stems and roots. Both alkaloids were detected in the three plant parts analyzed. Highest alkaloid content was found in roots (8.55 mg/g), followed by stems (4.05 mg/g), and the lowest was found in leaves (2.4 mg/g). The cephaeline content (8.35 mg/g) was higher than that of emetine (6.65 mg/g) in all the three organs analyzed. Toxicity analysis of the crude extract showed a LD50 of 500 mg/kg.
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Xu JJ, Fang X, Li CY, Yang L, Chen XY. General and specialized tyrosine metabolism pathways in plants. ABIOTECH 2020; 1:97-105. [PMID: 36304719 PMCID: PMC9590561 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-019-00006-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The tyrosine metabolism pathway serves as a starting point for the production of a variety of structurally diverse natural compounds in plants, such as tocopherols, plastoquinone, ubiquinone, betalains, salidroside, benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, and so on. Among these, tyrosine-derived metabolites, tocopherols, plastoquinone, and ubiquinone are essential to plant survival. In addition, this pathway provides us essential micronutrients (e.g., vitamin E and ubiquinone) and medicine (e.g., morphine, salidroside, and salvianolic acid B). However, our knowledge of the plant tyrosine metabolism pathway remains rudimentary, and genes encoding the pathway enzymes have not been fully defined. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent advances in the tyrosine metabolism pathway, key enzymes, and important tyrosine-derived metabolites in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Plant Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming, Kunming, 650201 Yunnan People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen-Yi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences/Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 People’s Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Plant Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ya Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Plant Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602 People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences/Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 People’s Republic of China
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The versatile O-methyltransferase LrOMT catalyzes multiple O-methylation reactions in amaryllidaceae alkaloids biosynthesis. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 141:680-692. [PMID: 31494163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Amaryllidaceae alkaloids are unique benzylphenethylamine derivatives that comprise of more than 600 members with a huge chemical diversity. Most of them showed interesting bioactivities, for instance, galanthamine (GAL) is clinically used for Alzheimer's disease treatment. All Amaryllidaceae alkaloids had been thought to be derived from 4'-O-methylnorbelladine originated from norbelladine catalyzed by norbelladine 4'-O-methyltransferase (N4OMT). Herein we mined the transcriptome datasets of Lycoris radiata, a GAL-producing plant. LrOMT was cloned, overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to homogeneity. Bioinformatics analysis and enzymatic activity assays revealed that LrOMT is an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent Class I OMT. LrOMT exhibited both para- and meta-O-methylation activities toward norbelladine to give 4'- and 3'-O-methylnorbelladine. Twenty-four analogues, including the proposed biosynthetic intermediates, were introduced to investigate the substrate scope of LrOMT and it showed that the aromatic substrates should have two vicinal hydroxyl groups. The LrOMT-catalyzed O-methylation preference is dependent on the properties of the binding group of the substrates. The transcription levels of LrOMT were positively associated with the accumulation of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids and the biosynthetic intermediates in L. radiata. The present work revealed that LrOMT catalyzes multiple O-methylation reactions and its characterization will be helpful to uncover novel biosynthetic genes for Amaryllidaceae alkaloids biosynthesis.
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Morris JS, Facchini PJ. Molecular Origins of Functional Diversity in Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Methyltransferases. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1058. [PMID: 31543888 PMCID: PMC6730481 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
O- and N-methylations are ubiquitous and recurring features in the biosynthesis of many specialized metabolites. Accordingly, the methyltransferase (MT) enzymes catalyzing these modifications are directly responsible for a substantial fraction of the vast chemodiversity observed in plants. Enabled by DNA sequencing and synthesizing technologies, recent studies have revealed and experimentally validated the trajectories of molecular evolution through which MTs, such as those biosynthesizing caffeine, emerge and shape plant chemistry. Despite these advances, the evolutionary origins of many other alkaloid MTs are still unclear. Focusing on benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA)-producing plants such as opium poppy, we review the functional breadth of BIA N- and O-MT enzymes and their relationship with the chemical diversity of their host species. Drawing on recent structural studies, we discuss newfound insight regarding the molecular determinants of BIA MT function and highlight key hypotheses to be tested. We explore what is known and suspected concerning the evolutionary histories of BIA MTs and show that substantial advances in this domain are within reach. This new knowledge is expected to greatly enhance our conceptual understanding of the evolutionary origins of specialized metabolism.
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Frato KE. Identification of Hydroxypyrazine O-Methyltransferase Genes in Coffea arabica: A Potential Source of Methoxypyrazines That Cause Potato Taste Defect. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2019; 67:341-351. [PMID: 30523690 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this study is to identify Coffea arabica O-methyltransferase (OMT) genes involved in the biosynthesis of methoxypyrazines. High levels of 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IPMP) and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) in coffee beans are associated with the potato taste defect (PTD). Among the 34 putative O-methyltransferase genes identified in the published genome of C. canephora, three genes are highly homologous to known hydroxypyrazine OMT genes. Genes of interest were amplified and sequenced from genomic DNA of single C. arabica beans grown in eight different locations, including regions with endemic PTD. Although C. arabica OMT target sequences were almost identical regardless of source location, individual beans shared numerous polymorphisms in each of the target genes. Two of the predicted C. arabica OMT enzymes were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, and one enzyme shows slow yet measurable turnover of both 3-isobutyl-2-hydroxypyrazine (IBHP) and 3-isopropyl-2- hydroxypyrazine (IPHP), supporting a possible role of the coffee plant in PTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Frato
- Dept. of Chemistry , Seattle University , 901 12th Avenue , Seattle , Washington 98122 , United States
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Ben Hlel T, Borges T, Rueda A, Smaali I, Marzouki MN, Seiquer I. Polyphenols bioaccessibility and bioavailability assessment in ipecac infusion using a combined assay of simulated
in vitro
digestion and Caco‐2 cell model. Int J Food Sci Technol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.14023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Takoua Ben Hlel
- LIP‐MB Laboratory (LR11ES24) National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Carthage Centre urbain nord de Tunis, B.P. 676 Tunis Cedex 1080 Tunisia
- Department of Biology Faculty of Tunis University of Tunis El Manar Rue de Tolède 2092 Tunis Tunisia
| | - Thays Borges
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Animal Nutrition Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC) Camino del Jueves s/n 18100 Armilla Granada Spain
| | - Ascensión Rueda
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology José Mataix Verdú Avenida del Conocimiento s/n. Parque Tecnológico de la Salud 18071 Armilla Granada Spain
| | - Issam Smaali
- LIP‐MB Laboratory (LR11ES24) National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Carthage Centre urbain nord de Tunis, B.P. 676 Tunis Cedex 1080 Tunisia
| | - M. Nejib Marzouki
- LIP‐MB Laboratory (LR11ES24) National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Carthage Centre urbain nord de Tunis, B.P. 676 Tunis Cedex 1080 Tunisia
| | - Isabel Seiquer
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Animal Nutrition Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC) Camino del Jueves s/n 18100 Armilla Granada Spain
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15
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HPLC–MS analysis of ipecacuanha alkaloids in pharmaceutical relics from eighteenth century. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00706-018-2223-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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16
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Farrow SC, Kamileen MO, Meades J, Ameyaw B, Xiao Y, O'Connor SE. Cytochrome P450 and O-methyltransferase catalyze the final steps in the biosynthesis of the anti-addictive alkaloid ibogaine from Tabernanthe iboga. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:13821-13833. [PMID: 30030374 PMCID: PMC6130943 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids are a large (∼3000 members) and structurally diverse class of metabolites restricted to a limited number of plant families in the order Gentianales. Tabernanthe iboga or iboga (Apocynaceae) is native to western equatorial Africa and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Howard Lotsof is credited with bringing iboga to the attention of Western medicine through his accidental discovery that iboga can alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms. Since this observation, iboga has been investigated for its use in the general management of addiction. We were interested in elucidating ibogaine biosynthesis to understand the unique reaction steps en route to ibogaine. Furthermore, because ibogaine is currently sourced from plant material, these studies may help improve the ibogaine supply chain through synthetic biology approaches. Here, we used next-generation sequencing to generate the first iboga transcriptome and leveraged homology-guided gene discovery to identify the penultimate hydroxylase and final O-methyltransferase steps in ibogaine biosynthesis, herein named ibogamine 10-hydroxylase (I10H) and noribogaine-10-O-methyltransferase (N10OMT). Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (I10H) or Escherichia coli (N10OMT) and incubation with putative precursors, along with HPLC-MS analysis, confirmed the predicted activities of both enzymes. Moreover, high expression levels of their transcripts were detected in ibogaine-accumulating plant tissues. These discoveries coupled with our publicly available iboga transcriptome will contribute to additional gene discovery efforts and could lead to the stabilization of the global ibogaine supply chain and to the development of ibogaine as a treatment for addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Farrow
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom and
| | - Mohamed O Kamileen
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom and
| | - Jessica Meades
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom and
| | - Belinda Ameyaw
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom and
| | - Youli Xiao
- the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Centre for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Sarah E O'Connor
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom and
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17
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Salim V, Jones AD, DellaPenna D. Camptotheca acuminata 10-hydroxycamptothecin O-methyltransferase: an alkaloid biosynthetic enzyme co-opted from flavonoid metabolism. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 95:112-125. [PMID: 29681057 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The medicinal plant Camptotheca acuminata accumulates camptothecin, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, and 10-methoxycamptothecin as its major bioactive monoterpene indole alkaloids. Here, we describe identification and functional characterization of 10-hydroxycamptothecin O-methyltransferase (Ca10OMT), a member of the Diverse subclade of class II OMTs. Ca10OMT is highly active toward both its alkaloid substrate and a wide range of flavonoids in vitro and in this way contrasts with other alkaloid OMTs in the subclade that only utilize alkaloid substrates. Ca10OMT shows a strong preference for the A-ring 7-OH of flavonoids, which is structurally equivalent to the 10-OH of 10-hydroxycamptothecin. The substrates of other alkaloid OMTs in the subclade bear little similarity to flavonoids, but the 3-D positioning of the 7-OH, A- and C-rings of flavonoids is nearly identical to the 10-OH, A- and B-rings of 10-hydroxycamptothecin. This structural similarity likely explains the retention of flavonoid OMT activity by Ca10OMT and also why kaempferol and quercetin aglycones are potent inhibitors of its 10-hydroxycamptothecin activity. The catalytic promiscuity and strong inhibition of Ca10OMT by flavonoid aglycones in vitro prompted us to investigate the potential physiological roles of the enzyme in vivo. Based on its regioselectivity, kinetic parameters and absence of 7-OMT flavonoids in vivo, we conclude that the major and likely only substrate of Ca10OMTin vivo is 10-hydroxycamptothecin. This is likely accomplished by Ca10OMT being kept spatially separated at the tissue levels from potentially inhibitory flavonoid aglycones, and flavonoid aglycones being rapidly glycosylated to non-inhibitory flavonoid glycosides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vonny Salim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1319, USA
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1319, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1319, USA
| | - Dean DellaPenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1319, USA
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18
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Sun B, Wang P, Wang R, Li Y, Xu S. Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a meta/ para- O-Methyltransferase from Lycoris aurea. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19071911. [PMID: 29966257 PMCID: PMC6073595 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
O-methyltransferases (OMTs) have been demonstrated to play key roles in the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, isoprenoids, and phenolic compounds. Here, we isolated and characterized an OMT gene from Lycoris aurea (namely LaOMT1), based on our previous transcriptome sequencing data. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that LaOMT1 belongs to the class I OMT, and shares high identity to other known plant OMTs. Also, LaOMT1 is highly identical in its amino acid sequence to NpN4OMT, a norbelladine 4′-OMT from Narcissus sp. aff. pseudonarcissus involved in the biosynthesis of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. Biochemical analysis indicated that the recombinant LaOMT1 displayed both para and metaO-methylation activities with caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, and showed a strong preference for the meta position. Besides, LaOMT1 also catalyzes the O-methylation of norbelladine to form 4′-O-methylnorbelladine, which has been demonstrated to be a universal precursor of all the primary Amaryllidaceae alkaloid skeletons. The results from quantitative real-time PCR assay indicated that LaOMT1 was ubiquitously expressed in different tissues of L. aurea, and its highest expression level was observed in the ovary. Meanwhile, the largest concentration of lycorine and galanthamine were found in the ovary, whereas the highest level of narciclasine was observed in the bulb. In addition, sodium chloride (NaCl), cold, polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments could significantly increase LaOMT1 transcripts, while abscisic acid (ABA) treatment dramatically decreased the expression level of LaOMT1. Subcellular localization showed that LaOMT1 is mainly localized in cytoplasm and endosome. Our results in this study indicate that LaOMT1 may play a multifunctional role, and lay the foundation for Amaryllidaceae alkaloid biosynthesis in L. aurea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Sun
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
| | - Peng Wang
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
| | - Ren Wang
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Gerplasm, Nanjing 210014, China.
| | - Yikui Li
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Gerplasm, Nanjing 210014, China.
| | - Sheng Xu
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Gerplasm, Nanjing 210014, China.
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19
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Tanahashi T. [Diversity of Secondary Metabolites from Some Medicinal Plants and Cultivated Lichen Mycobionts]. YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 2018; 137:1443-1482. [PMID: 29199255 DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.17-00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies on the structural determination, biosynthesis, and biological activities of secondary metabolites from natural sources are significant in the field of natural products chemistry. This review focuses on diverse secondary metabolites isolated from medicinal plants and cultivated mycobionts of lichens in our laboratory. Monoterpene-tetrahydroisoquinoline glycosides and alkaloids isolated from Cephaelis acuminata and Alangium lamarckii gave important information on the biosynthesis of ipecac alkaloids. A variety of glycosides linked with a secologanin unit and indole alkaloids were obtained from medicinal plants belonging to the families of Rubiaceae, Apocynaceae, and Loganiaceae. Plant species of the four genera Fraxinus, Syringa, Jasminum, and Ligustrum of the family Oleaceae were chemically investigated to provide several types of secoiridoid and iridoid glucosides. The biosynthetic pathway leading from protopine to benzophenanthridine alkaloids in suspension cell cultures of Eschscholtzia californica was elucidated. The structures and biological activities of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids of Stephania cepharantha and Nelumbo nucifera were also investigated. In addition, the mycobionts of lichens were cultivated to afford various types of metabolites that differ from the lichen substances of intact lichens but are structurally similar to fungal metabolites. The biosynthetic origins of some metabolites were also studied. These findings suggest that cultures of lichen mycobionts could be sources of new bioactive compounds and good systems for investigating secondary metabolism in lichens.
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20
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Polturak G, Aharoni A. "La Vie en Rose": Biosynthesis, Sources, and Applications of Betalain Pigments. MOLECULAR PLANT 2018; 11:7-22. [PMID: 29081360 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Betalains are tyrosine-derived red-violet and yellow pigments found exclusively in plants of the Caryophyllales order, which have drawn both scientific and economic interest. Nevertheless, research into betalain chemistry, biochemistry, and function has been limited as comparison with other major classes of plant pigments such as anthocyanins and carotenoids. The core biosynthetic pathway of this pigment class has only been fully elucidated in the past few years, opening up the possibility for betalain pigment engineering in plants and microbes. In this review, we discuss betalain metabolism in light of recent advances in the field, with a current survey of characterized genes and enzymes that take part in betalain biosynthesis, catabolism, and transcriptional regulation, and an outlook of what is yet to be discovered. A broad view of currently used and potential new sources for betalains, including utilization of natural sources or metabolic engineering, is provided together with a summary of potential applications of betalains in research and commercial use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Polturak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Asaph Aharoni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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21
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Nomura T. Function and application of a non-ester-hydrolyzing carboxylesterase discovered in tulip. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2017; 81:81-94. [DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2016.1240608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Plants have evolved secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways of immense rich diversity. The genes encoding enzymes for secondary metabolite biosynthesis have evolved through gene duplication followed by neofunctionalization, thereby generating functional diversity. Emerging evidence demonstrates that some of those enzymes catalyze reactions entirely different from those usually catalyzed by other members of the same family; e.g. transacylation catalyzed by an enzyme similar to a hydrolytic enzyme. Tuliposide-converting enzyme (TCE), which we recently discovered from tulip, catalyzes the conversion of major defensive secondary metabolites, tuliposides, to antimicrobial tulipalins. The TCEs belong to the carboxylesterase family in the α/β-hydrolase fold superfamily, and specifically catalyze intramolecular transesterification, but not hydrolysis. This non-ester-hydrolyzing carboxylesterase is an example of an enzyme showing catalytic properties that are unpredictable from its primary structure. This review describes the biochemical and physiological aspects of tulipalin biogenesis, and the diverse functions of plant carboxylesterases in the α/β-hydrolase fold superfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiji Nomura
- Biotechnology Research Center and Department of Biotechnology, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Japan
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22
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Diamond A, Desgagné-Penix I. Metabolic engineering for the production of plant isoquinoline alkaloids. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2016; 14:1319-1328. [PMID: 26503307 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Several plant isoquinoline alkaloids (PIAs) possess powerful pharmaceutical and biotechnological properties. Thus, PIA metabolism and its fascinating molecules, including morphine, colchicine and galanthamine, have attracted the attention of both the industry and researchers involved in plant science, biochemistry, chemical bioengineering and medicine. Currently, access and availability of high-value PIAs [commercialized (e.g. galanthamine) or not (e.g. narciclasine)] is limited by low concentration in nature, lack of cultivation or geographic access, seasonal production and risk of overharvesting wild plant species. Nevertheless, most commercial PIAs are still extracted from plant sources. Efforts to improve the production of PIA have largely been impaired by the lack of knowledge on PIA metabolism. With the development and integration of next-generation sequencing technologies, high-throughput proteomics and metabolomics analyses and bioinformatics, systems biology was used to unravel metabolic pathways allowing the use of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology approaches to increase production of valuable PIAs. Metabolic engineering provides opportunity to overcome issues related to restricted availability, diversification and productivity of plant alkaloids. Engineered plant, plant cells and microbial cell cultures can act as biofactories by offering their metabolic machinery for the purpose of optimizing the conditions and increasing the productivity of a specific alkaloid. In this article, is presented an update on the production of PIA in engineered plant, plant cell cultures and heterologous micro-organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Diamond
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Isabel Desgagné-Penix
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
- Groupe de recherche en biologie végétale, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
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23
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Uzor PF. Recent developments on potential new applications of emetine as anti-cancer agent. EXCLI JOURNAL 2016; 15:323-8. [PMID: 27366142 PMCID: PMC4928012 DOI: 10.17179/excli2016-280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip F. Uzor
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Nigeria
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24
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Cloning and characterization of a norbelladine 4'-O-methyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of the Alzheimer's drug galanthamine in Narcissus sp. aff. pseudonarcissus. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103223. [PMID: 25061748 PMCID: PMC4111509 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Galanthamine is an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This compound is primarily isolated from daffodil (Narcissus spp.), snowdrop (Galanthus spp.), and summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum). Despite its importance as a medicine, no genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of galanthamine have been identified. This absence of genetic information on biosynthetic pathways is a limiting factor in the development of synthetic biology platforms for many important botanical medicines. The paucity of information is largely due to the limitations of traditional methods for finding biochemical pathway enzymes and genes in non-model organisms. A new bioinformatic approach using several recent technological improvements was applied to search for genes in the proposed galanthamine biosynthetic pathway, first targeting methyltransferases due to strong signature amino acid sequences in the proteins. Using Illumina sequencing, a de novo transcriptome assembly was constructed for daffodil. BLAST was used to identify sequences that contain signatures for plant O-methyltransferases in this transcriptome. The program HAYSTACK was then used to identify methyltransferases that fit a model for galanthamine biosynthesis in leaf, bulb and inflorescence tissues. One candidate gene for the methylation of norbelladine to 4′-O-methylnorbelladine in the proposed galanthamine biosynthetic pathway was identified. This methyltransferase cDNA was expressed in E. coli and the protein purified by affinity chromatography. The resulting protein was found to be a norbelladine 4′-O-methyltransferase (NpN4OMT) of the proposed galanthamine biosynthetic pathway.
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Naranjo EJ, Urrea AI, Atehortua L. Avances en la propagación vía embriogénesis somática de Psychotria ipecacuanha (Brot.) Stokes, planta medicinal en peligro crítico. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE BIOTECNOLOGÍA 2014. [DOI: 10.15446/rev.colomb.biote.v16n1.44228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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26
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Molecular Cloning of anO-Methyltransferase from Adventitious Roots ofCarapichea ipecacuanha. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 75:107-13. [DOI: 10.1271/bbb.100605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Rodríguez-Llorente ID, Lafuente A, Doukkali B, Caviedes MA, Pajuelo E. Engineering copper hyperaccumulation in plants by expressing a prokaryotic copC gene. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:12088-12097. [PMID: 23020547 DOI: 10.1021/es300842s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In this work, engineering Cu-hyperaccumulation in plants was approached. First, the copC gene from Pseudomonas sp. Az13, encoding a periplasmic Cu-binding protein, was expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana driven by the CaMV35S promoter (transgenic lines 35S-copC). 35S-copC lines showed up to 5-fold increased Cu accumulation in roots (up to 2000 μg Cu. g(-1)) and shoots (up to 400 μg Cu. g(-1)), compared to untransformed plants, over the limits established for Cu-hyperaccumulators. 35S lines showed enhanced Cu sensitivity. Second, copC was engineered under the control of the cab1 (chlorophyll a/b binding protein 1) promoter, in order to drive copC expression to the shoots (transgenic lines cab1-copC). cab1-copC lines showed increased Cu translocation factors (twice that of wild-type plants) and also displayed enhanced Cu sensitivity. Finally, subcellular targeting the CopC protein to plant vacuoles was addressed by expressing a modified copC gene containing specific vacuole sorting determinants (transgenic lines 35S-copC-V). Unexpectedly, increased Cu-accumulation was not achieved-neither in roots nor in shoots-when compared to 35S-copC lines. Conversely, 35S-copC-V lines did display greatly enhanced Cu-hypersensitivity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining Cu-hyperaccumulators by engineering a prokaryotic Cu-binding protein, but they highlight the difficulty of altering the exquisite Cu homeostasis in plants.
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Stöckigt J, Antonchick AP, Wu F, Waldmann H. Die Pictet-Spengler-Reaktion in der Natur und der organischen Chemie. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201008071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Stöckigt J, Antonchick AP, Wu F, Waldmann H. The Pictet-Spengler reaction in nature and in organic chemistry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2011; 50:8538-64. [PMID: 21830283 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201008071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 527] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2010] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Alkaloids are an important class of natural products that are widely distributed in nature and produced by a large variety of organisms. They have a wide spectrum of biological activity and for many years were used in folk medicine. These days, alkaloids also have numerous applications in medicine as therapeutic agents. The importance of these natural products in inspiring drug discovery programs is proven and, therefore, their continued synthesis is of significant interest. The condensation discovered by Pictet and Spengler is the most important method for the synthesis of alkaloid scaffolds. The power of this synthesis method has been convincingly proven in the construction of stereochemicaly and structurally complex alkaloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Stöckigt
- Institute of Materia Medica, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Nomura T, Kutchan TM. Is a metabolic enzyme complex involved in the efficient and accurate control of Ipecac alkaloid biosynthesis in Psychotria ipecacuanha? PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2010; 5:875-877. [PMID: 20495341 PMCID: PMC3115036 DOI: 10.4161/psb.5.7.11901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Accepted: 03/26/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Ipecac alkaloids produced in the medicinal plant Psychotria ipecacuanha such as emetine and cephaeline possess a monoterpenoid-tetrahydroisoquinoline skeleton, which is formed by condensation of dopamine and secologanin. The condensation products are deglucosylated, and the resulting aglycon is further processed to protoemetine, which is condensed with the second molecule of dopamine, followed by conversion into cephaeline and emetine. Although four hydroxy groups derived from two molecules of dopamine need to be methylated to form emetine, the order of O-methylation reactions had been veiled. We recently identified three Ipecac alkaloid O-methyltransferases (IpeOMT1-IpeOMT3) that are sufficient for catalyzing O-methylations of all four hydroxy groups. Detailed characterization of their catalytic properties with integration of that of the previously identified Ipecac alkaloid β-glucosidase (IpeGlu1) revealed a large portion of the biosynthetic pathway of Ipecac alkaloids. The results provide proof-of-concept to the significance and the usefulness of the biosynthetic pathway strategy by EST analysis coupled with recombinant enzyme characterization. At the same time, however, the results raised an intriguing question about the subcellular network between the biosynthetic enzymes and intermediates. Here, we provide additional discussion about this point, and indicate what remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiji Nomura
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA.
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