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Kerwin RE, Hart JE, Fiesel PD, Lou YR, Fan P, Jones AD, Last RL. Tomato root specialized metabolites evolved through gene duplication and regulatory divergence within a biosynthetic gene cluster. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn3991. [PMID: 38657073 PMCID: PMC11094762 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn3991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Tremendous plant metabolic diversity arises from phylogenetically restricted specialized metabolic pathways. Specialized metabolites are synthesized in dedicated cells or tissues, with pathway genes sometimes colocalizing in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). However, the mechanisms by which spatial expression patterns arise and the role of BGCs in pathway evolution remain underappreciated. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms driving acylsugar evolution in the Solanaceae. Previously thought to be restricted to glandular trichomes, acylsugars were recently found in cultivated tomato roots. We demonstrated that acylsugars in cultivated tomato roots and trichomes have different sugar cores, identified root-enriched paralogs of trichome acylsugar pathway genes, and characterized a key paralog required for root acylsugar biosynthesis, SlASAT1-LIKE (SlASAT1-L), which is nested within a previously reported trichome acylsugar BGC. Last, we provided evidence that ASAT1-L arose through duplication of its paralog, ASAT1, and was trichome-expressed before acquiring root-specific expression in the Solanum genus. Our results illuminate the genomic context and molecular mechanisms underpinning metabolic diversity in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Kerwin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jaynee E. Hart
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Fiesel PD, Kerwin RE, Daniel Jones A, Last RL. Trading acyls and swapping sugars: metabolic innovations in Solanum trichomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.05.542877. [PMID: 37333341 PMCID: PMC10274652 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.542877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Solanaceae (nightshade family) species synthesize a remarkable array of clade- and tissue-specific specialized metabolites. Protective acylsugars, one such class of structurally diverse metabolites, are produced by AcylSugar AcylTransferases from sugars and acyl-coenzyme A esters. Published research revealed trichome acylsugars composed of glucose and sucrose cores in species across the family. In addition, acylsugars were analyzed across a small fraction of the >1200 species in the phenotypically megadiverse Solanum genus, with a handful containing inositol and glycosylated inositol cores. The current study sampled several dozen species across subclades of the Solanum to get a more detailed view of acylsugar chemodiversity. In depth characterization of acylsugars from the Clade II species Solanum melongena (brinjal eggplant) led to the identification of eight unusual structures with inositol or inositol glycoside cores, and hydroxyacyl chains. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 31 additional species in the Solanum genus revealed striking acylsugar diversity with some traits restricted to specific clades and species. Acylinositols and inositol-based acyldisaccharides were detected throughout much of the genus. In contrast, acylglucoses and acylsucroses were more restricted in distribution. Analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes and interspecific acylsugar acetylation differences led to the identification of the S. melongena AcylSugar AcylTransferase 3-Like 1 (SmASAT3-L1; SMEL4.1_12g015780) enzyme. This enzyme is distinct from previously characterized acylsugar acetyltransferases, which are in the ASAT4 clade, and appears to be a functionally divergent ASAT3. This study provides a foundation for investigating the evolution and function of diverse Solanum acylsugar structures and harnessing this diversity in breeding and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - Rachel E. Kerwin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
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3
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Moghe G, Irfan M, Sarmah B. Dangerous sugars: Structural diversity and functional significance of acylsugar-like defense compounds in flowering plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 73:102348. [PMID: 36842412 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars constitute a diverse class of secondary metabolites found in many flowering plant families. Comprising sugar cores and acyl groups connected by ester and/or ether linkages, acylsugar structures vary considerably at all taxonomic levels - from populations of the same species to across species of the same family and across flowering plants, with some species producing hundreds of acylsugars in a single organ. Acylsugars have been most well-studied in the Solanaceae family, but structurally analogous compounds have also been reported in the Convolvulaceae, Martyniaceae, Geraniaceae, Rubiaceae, Rosaceae and Caryophyllaceae families. Focusing on Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae acylsugars, this review highlights their structural diversity, the potential biosynthetic mechanisms that produce this diversity, and its functional significance. Finally, we also discuss the possibility that some of this diversity is merely "noise", arising out of enzyme promiscuity and/or non-adaptive evolutionary mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Mohammad Irfan
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Bhaswati Sarmah
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam 785013, India
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Kruse LH, Weigle AT, Irfan M, Martínez-Gómez J, Chobirko JD, Schaffer JE, Bennett AA, Specht CD, Jez JM, Shukla D, Moghe GD. Orthology-based analysis helps map evolutionary diversification and predict substrate class use of BAHD acyltransferases. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 111:1453-1468. [PMID: 35816116 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Large enzyme families catalyze metabolic diversification by virtue of their ability to use diverse chemical scaffolds. How enzyme families attain such functional diversity is not clear. Furthermore, duplication and promiscuity in such enzyme families limits their functional prediction, which has produced a burgeoning set of incompletely annotated genes in plant genomes. Here, we address these challenges using BAHD acyltransferases as a model. This fast-evolving family expanded drastically in land plants, increasing from one to five copies in algae to approximately 100 copies in diploid angiosperm genomes. Compilation of >160 published activities helped visualize the chemical space occupied by this family and define eight different classes based on structural similarities between acceptor substrates. Using orthologous groups (OGs) across 52 sequenced plant genomes, we developed a method to predict BAHD acceptor substrate class utilization as well as origins of individual BAHD OGs in plant evolution. This method was validated using six novel and 28 previously characterized enzymes and helped improve putative substrate class predictions for BAHDs in the tomato genome. Our results also revealed that while cuticular wax and lignin biosynthetic activities were more ancient, anthocyanin acylation activity was fixed in BAHDs later near the origin of angiosperms. The OG-based analysis enabled identification of signature motifs in anthocyanin-acylating BAHDs, whose importance was validated via molecular dynamic simulations, site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic assays. Our results not only describe how BAHDs contributed to evolution of multiple chemical phenotypes in the plant world but also propose a biocuration-enabled approach for improved functional annotation of plant enzyme families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H Kruse
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Austin T Weigle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Mohammad Irfan
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Jesús Martínez-Gómez
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
- L.H. Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Jason D Chobirko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Jason E Schaffer
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Alexandra A Bennett
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Chelsea D Specht
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
- L.H. Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Joseph M Jez
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
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Schenck CA, Anthony TM, Jacobs M, Jones AD, Last RL. Natural variation meets synthetic biology: Promiscuous trichome-expressed acyltransferases from Nicotiana. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:146-164. [PMID: 35477794 PMCID: PMC9434288 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars are defensive, trichome-synthesized sugar esters produced in plants across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Although assembled from simple metabolites and synthesized by a relatively short core biosynthetic pathway, tremendous within- and across-species acylsugar structural variation is documented across the family. To advance our understanding of the diversity and the synthesis of acylsugars within the Nicotiana genus, trichome extracts were profiled across the genus coupled with transcriptomics-guided enzyme discovery and in vivo and in vitro analysis. Differences in the types of sugar cores, numbers of acylations, and acyl chain structures contributed to over 300 unique annotated acylsugars throughout Nicotiana. Placement of acyl chain length into a phylogenetic context revealed that an unsaturated acyl chain type was detected in a few closely related species. A comparative transcriptomics approach identified trichome-enriched Nicotiana acuminata acylsugar biosynthetic candidate enzymes. More than 25 acylsugar variants could be produced in a single enzyme assay with four N. acuminata acylsugar acyltransferases (NacASAT1-4) together with structurally diverse acyl-CoAs and sucrose. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry screening of in vitro products revealed the ability of these enzymes to make acylsugars not present in Nicotiana plant extracts. In vitro acylsugar production also provided insights into acyltransferase acyl donor promiscuity and acyl acceptor specificity as well as regiospecificity of some ASATs. This study suggests that promiscuous Nicotiana acyltransferases can be used as synthetic biology tools to produce novel and potentially useful metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A Schenck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Thilani M Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - MacKenzie Jacobs
- Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia 26074, USA
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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6
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Feng H, Acosta-Gamboa L, Kruse LH, Tracy JD, Chung SH, Nava Fereira AR, Shakir S, Xu H, Sunter G, Gore MA, Casteel CL, Moghe GD, Jander G. Acylsugars protect Nicotiana benthamiana against insect herbivory and desiccation. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:505-522. [PMID: 34586580 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-021-01191-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Nicotiana benthamiana acylsugar acyltransferase (ASAT) is required for protection against desiccation and insect herbivory. Knockout mutations provide a new resource for investigation of plant-aphid and plant-whitefly interactions. Nicotiana benthamiana is used extensively as a transient expression platform for functional analysis of genes from other species. Acylsugars, which are produced in the trichomes, are a hypothesized cause of the relatively high insect resistance that is observed in N. benthamiana. We characterized the N. benthamiana acylsugar profile, bioinformatically identified two acylsugar acyltransferase genes, ASAT1 and ASAT2, and used CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis to produce acylsugar-deficient plants for investigation of insect resistance and foliar water loss. Whereas asat1 mutations reduced accumulation, asat2 mutations caused almost complete depletion of foliar acylsucroses. Three hemipteran and three lepidopteran herbivores survived, gained weight, and/or reproduced significantly better on asat2 mutants than on wildtype N. benthamiana. Both asat1 and asat2 mutations reduced the water content and increased leaf temperature. Our results demonstrate the specific function of two ASAT proteins in N. benthamiana acylsugar biosynthesis, insect resistance, and desiccation tolerance. The improved growth of aphids and whiteflies on asat2 mutants will facilitate the use of N. benthamiana as a transient expression platform for the functional analysis of insect effectors and resistance genes from other plant species. Similarly, the absence of acylsugars in asat2 mutants will enable analysis of acylsugar biosynthesis genes from other Solanaceae by transient expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglin Feng
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lucia Acosta-Gamboa
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lars H Kruse
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jake D Tracy
- Plant-Microbe Biology and Plant Pathology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | | | - Alba Ruth Nava Fereira
- Department of Biology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Sara Shakir
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Institute, The University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Hongxing Xu
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- College of Life Science, The Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Garry Sunter
- Department of Biology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Michael A Gore
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Clare L Casteel
- Plant-Microbe Biology and Plant Pathology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Georg Jander
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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7
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Chang A, Hu Z, Chen B, Vanderschuren H, Chen M, Qu Y, Yu W, Li Y, Sun H, Cao J, Vasudevan K, Li C, Cao Y, Zhang J, Shen Y, Yang A, Wang Y. Characterization of trichome-specific BAHD acyltransferases involved in acylsugar biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:3913-3928. [PMID: 35262703 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) produce blends of acylsucroses that contribute to defence against pathogens and herbivorous insects, but the mechanism of assembly of these acylsugars has not yet been determined. In this study, we isolated and characterized two trichome-specific acylsugar acyltransferases that are localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, NtASAT1 and NtASAT2. They sequentially catalyse two additive steps of acyl donors to sucrose to produce di-acylsucrose. Knocking out of NtASAT1 or NtASAT2 resulted in deficiency of acylsucrose; however, there was no effect on acylsugar accumulation in plants overexpressing NtASAT1 or NtASAT2. Genomic analysis and profiling revealed that NtASATs originated from the T subgenome, which is derived from the acylsugar-producing diploid ancestor N. tomentosiformis. Our identification of NtASAT1 and NtASAT2 as enzymes involved in acylsugar assembly in tobacco potentially provides a new approach and target genes for improving crop resistance against pathogens and insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Chang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Zhongyi Hu
- Jiangxi Food Inspection and Testing Research Institute, Nanchang, 330001, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Herve Vanderschuren
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
- Tropical Crop Improvement Lab, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Ming Chen
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yafang Qu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Weisong Yu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yangyang Li
- Hunan Tobacco Research Institute, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Huiqing Sun
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Jianmin Cao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Kumar Vasudevan
- Plant Genetics Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Chenying Li
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yanan Cao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Jianye Zhang
- Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yeming Shen
- Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Aiguo Yang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Yuanying Wang
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
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8
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Leong BJ, Hurney S, Fiesel P, Anthony TM, Moghe G, Jones AD, Last RL. Identification of BAHD acyltransferases associated with acylinositol biosynthesis in Solanum quitoense (naranjilla). PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e415. [PMID: 35774622 PMCID: PMC9219006 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants make a variety of specialized metabolites that can mediate interactions with animals, microbes, and competitor plants. Understanding how plants synthesize these compounds enables studies of their biological roles by manipulating their synthesis in vivo as well as producing them in vitro. Acylsugars are a group of protective metabolites that accumulate in the trichomes of many Solanaceae family plants. Acylinositol biosynthesis is of interest because it appears to be restricted to a subgroup of species within the Solanum genus. Previous work characterized a triacylinositol acetyltransferase involved in acylinositol biosynthesis in the Andean fruit plant Solanum quitoense (lulo or naranjilla). We characterized three additional S. quitoense trichome expressed enzymes and found that virus-induced gene silencing of each caused changes in acylinositol accumulation. pH was shown to influence the stability and rearrangement of the product of ASAT1H and could potentially play a role in acylinositol biosynthesis. Surprisingly, the in vitro triacylinositol products of these enzymes are distinct from those that accumulate in planta. This suggests that additional enzymes are required in acylinositol biosynthesis. These characterized S. quitoense enzymes, nonetheless, provide opportunities to test the biological impact and properties of these triacylinositols in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Leong
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Horticultural Sciences DepartmentUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Steven Hurney
- Department of ChemistryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Paul Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Thilani M. Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Gaurav Moghe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Present address:
Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Arthur Daniel Jones
- Department of ChemistryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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9
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Skirycz A, Fernie AR. Past accomplishments and future challenges of the multi-omics characterization of leaf growth. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 189:473-489. [PMID: 35325227 PMCID: PMC9157134 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The advent of omics technologies has revolutionized biology and advanced our understanding of all biological processes, including major developmental transitions in plants and animals. Here, we review the vast knowledge accumulated concerning leaf growth in terms of transcriptional regulation before turning our attention to the historically less well-characterized alterations at the protein and metabolite level. We will then discuss how the advent of biochemical methods coupled with metabolomics and proteomics can provide insight into the protein-protein and protein-metabolite interactome of the growing leaves. We finally highlight the substantial challenges in detection, spatial resolution, integration, and functional validation of the omics results, focusing on metabolomics as a prerequisite for a comprehensive understanding of small-molecule regulation of plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Skirycz
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
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10
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Fiesel PD, Parks HM, Last RL, Barry CS. Fruity, sticky, stinky, spicy, bitter, addictive, and deadly: evolutionary signatures of metabolic complexity in the Solanaceae. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1438-1464. [PMID: 35332352 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00003b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 2000-2022Plants collectively synthesize a huge repertoire of metabolites. General metabolites, also referred to as primary metabolites, are conserved across the plant kingdom and are required for processes essential to growth and development. These include amino acids, sugars, lipids, and organic acids. In contrast, specialized metabolites, historically termed secondary metabolites, are structurally diverse, exhibit lineage-specific distribution and provide selective advantage to host species to facilitate reproduction and environmental adaptation. Due to their potent bioactivities, plant specialized metabolites attract considerable attention for use as flavorings, fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and bio-pesticides. The Solanaceae (Nightshade family) consists of approximately 2700 species and includes crops of significant economic, cultural, and scientific importance: these include potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant, tobacco, and petunia. The Solanaceae has emerged as a model family for studying the biochemical evolution of plant specialized metabolism and multiple examples exist of lineage-specific metabolites that influence the senses and physiology of commensal and harmful organisms, including humans. These include, alcohols, phenylpropanoids, and carotenoids that contribute to fruit aroma and color in tomato (fruity), glandular trichome-derived terpenoids and acylsugars that contribute to plant defense (stinky & sticky, respectively), capsaicinoids in chilli-peppers that influence seed dispersal (spicy), and steroidal glycoalkaloids (bitter) from Solanum, nicotine (addictive) from tobacco, as well as tropane alkaloids (deadly) from Deadly Nightshade that deter herbivory. Advances in genomics and metabolomics, coupled with the adoption of comparative phylogenetic approaches, resulted in deeper knowledge of the biosynthesis and evolution of these metabolites. This review highlights recent progress in this area and outlines opportunities for - and challenges of-developing a more comprehensive understanding of Solanaceae metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Hannah M Parks
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Cornelius S Barry
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Kruse LH, Bennett AA, Mahood EH, Lazarus E, Park SJ, Schroeder F, Moghe GD. Illuminating the lineage-specific diversification of resin glycoside acylsugars in the morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family using computational metabolomics. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhab079. [PMID: 35039851 PMCID: PMC8825387 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhab079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Acylsugars are a class of plant defense compounds produced across many distantly related families. Members of the horticulturally important morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family produce a diverse sub-class of acylsugars called resin glycosides (RGs), which comprise oligosaccharide cores, hydroxyacyl chain(s), and decorating aliphatic and aromatic acyl chains. While many RG structures are characterized, the extent of structural diversity of this class in different genera and species is not known. In this study, we asked whether there has been lineage-specific diversification of RG structures in different Convolvulaceae species that may suggest diversification of the underlying biosynthetic pathways. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed from root and leaf extracts of 26 species sampled in a phylogeny-guided manner. LC-MS/MS revealed thousands of peaks with signature RG fragmentation patterns with one species producing over 300 signals, mirroring the diversity in Solanaceae-type acylsugars. A novel RG from Dichondra argentea was characterized using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, supporting previous observations of RGs with open hydroxyacyl chains instead of closed macrolactone ring structures. Substantial lineage-specific differentiation in utilization of sugars, hydroxyacyl chains, and decorating acyl chains was discovered, especially among Ipomoea and Convolvulus - the two largest genera in Convolvulaceae. Adopting a computational, knowledge-based strategy, we further developed a high-recall workflow that successfully explained ~72% of the MS/MS fragments, predicted the structural components of 11/13 previously characterized RGs, and partially annotated ~45% of the RGs. Overall, this study improves our understanding of phytochemical diversity and lays a foundation for characterizing the evolutionary mechanisms underlying RG diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H Kruse
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Present Address: Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Alexandra A Bennett
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Present Address: Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Elizabeth H Mahood
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Elena Lazarus
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Present Address: Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Se Jin Park
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Frank Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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12
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Lou YR, Anthony TM, Fiesel PD, Arking RE, Christensen EM, Jones AD, Last RL. It happened again: Convergent evolution of acylglucose specialized metabolism in black nightshade and wild tomato. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj8726. [PMID: 34757799 PMCID: PMC8580325 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj8726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Plants synthesize myriad phylogenetically restricted specialized (aka “secondary”) metabolites with diverse structures. Metabolism of acylated sugar esters in epidermal glandular secreting trichomes across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family is ideal for investigating the mechanisms of evolutionary metabolic diversification. We developed methods to structurally analyze acylhexose mixtures by 2D NMR, which led to the insight that the Old World species black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) accumulates acylglucoses and acylinositols in the same tissue. Detailed in vitro biochemistry, cross-validated by in vivo virus-induced gene silencing, revealed two unique features of the four-step acylglucose biosynthetic pathway: A trichome-expressed, neofunctionalized invertase-like enzyme, SnASFF1, converts BAHD-produced acylsucroses to acylglucoses, which, in turn, are substrates for the acylglucose acyltransferase, SnAGAT1. This biosynthetic pathway evolved independently from that recently described in the wild tomato Solanum pennellii, reinforcing that acylsugar biosynthesis is evolutionarily dynamic with independent examples of primary metabolic enzyme cooption and additional variation in BAHD acyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Thilani M. Anthony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Paul D. Fiesel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | | | - A. Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert L. Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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13
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Landis JB, Miller CM, Broz AK, Bennett AA, Carrasquilla-Garcia N, Cook DR, Last RL, Bedinger PA, Moghe GD. Migration through a Major Andean Ecogeographic Disruption as a Driver of Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity in a Wild Tomato Species. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:3202-3219. [PMID: 33822137 PMCID: PMC8321546 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary dynamics at the population level play a central role in creating the diversity of life on our planet. In this study, we sought to understand the origins of such population-level variation in mating systems and defensive acylsugar chemistry in Solanum habrochaites—a wild tomato species found in diverse Andean habitats in Ecuador and Peru. Using Restriction-site-Associated-DNA-Sequencing (RAD-seq) of 50 S. habrochaites accessions, we identified eight population clusters generated via isolation and hybridization dynamics of 4–6 ancestral populations. Detailed characterization of mating systems of these clusters revealed emergence of multiple self-compatible (SC) groups from progenitor self-incompatible populations in the northern part of the species range. Emergence of these SC groups was also associated with fixation of deleterious alleles inactivating acylsugar acetylation. The Amotape-Huancabamba Zone—a geographical landmark in the Andes with high endemism and isolated microhabitats—was identified as a major driver of differentiation in the northern species range, whereas large geographical distances contributed to population structure and evolution of a novel SC group in the central and southern parts of the range, where the species was also inferred to have originated. Findings presented here highlight the role of the diverse ecogeography of Peru and Ecuador in generating population differentiation, and enhance our understanding of the microevolutionary processes that create biological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob B Landis
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.,Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Amanda K Broz
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Alexandra A Bennett
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Douglas R Cook
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Gaurav D Moghe
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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14
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Fan P, Wang P, Lou YR, Leong BJ, Moore BM, Schenck CA, Combs R, Cao P, Brandizzi F, Shiu SH, Last RL. Evolution of a plant gene cluster in Solanaceae and emergence of metabolic diversity. eLife 2020; 9:e56717. [PMID: 32613943 PMCID: PMC7386920 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants produce phylogenetically and spatially restricted, as well as structurally diverse specialized metabolites via multistep metabolic pathways. Hallmarks of specialized metabolic evolution include enzymatic promiscuity and recruitment of primary metabolic enzymes and examples of genomic clustering of pathway genes. Solanaceae glandular trichomes produce defensive acylsugars, with sidechains that vary in length across the family. We describe a tomato gene cluster on chromosome 7 involved in medium chain acylsugar accumulation due to trichome specific acyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase genes. This cluster co-localizes with a tomato steroidal alkaloid gene cluster and is syntenic to a chromosome 12 region containing another acylsugar pathway gene. We reconstructed the evolutionary events leading to this gene cluster and found that its phylogenetic distribution correlates with medium chain acylsugar accumulation across the Solanaceae. This work reveals insights into the dynamics behind gene cluster evolution and cell-type specific metabolite diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Peipei Wang
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Yann-Ru Lou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Bryan J Leong
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Bethany M Moore
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- University of WisconsinMadisonUnited States
| | - Craig A Schenck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Rachel Combs
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of MissouriColumbusUnited States
| | - Pengfei Cao
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Federica Brandizzi
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Shin-Han Shiu
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
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