Wolucka BA, Van Montagu M. The VTC2 cycle and the de novo biosynthesis pathways for vitamin C in plants: an opinion.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2007;
68:2602-13. [PMID:
17950389 DOI:
10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.08.034]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2007] [Accepted: 08/22/2007] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The recent identification of the VTC2 enzyme (GDP-l-galactose: hexose 1-phosphate guanylyltransferase) that forms with the GDP-mannose 3'',5'' epimerase an energy-conserving hub for the production of GDP-hexoses and l-galactose 1-phosphate [Laing et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104, 2007, 9534-9539], is a major breakthrough in our understanding of the biosynthesis of l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in plants. The observation that the VTC2 enzyme can use glucose 1-phosphate and GDP-d-glucose as substrates, and the long-known existence of an enigmatic GDP-d-mannose 2''-epimerase activity, have led us to the proposal of an extended VTC2 cycle that links photosynthesis with the biosynthesis of vitamin C and the cell-wall metabolism in plants. An evolutionary scenario is discussed for the acquisition of genes of eubacterial origin for the de novo synthesis of l-ascorbic acid in green algae and plants.
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