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Barrera-Adame DA, Schuster S, Niedermeyer THJ. Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Coniine and Other Hemlock Alkaloids after On-Tissue Derivatization Reveals Distinct Alkaloid Distributions in the Plant. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024. [PMID: 38904441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Specialized metabolites play important roles in plants and can, for example, protect plants from predators or pathogens. Alkaloids, due to their pronounced biological activity on higher animals, are one of the most intriguing groups of specialized metabolites, and many of them are known as plant defense compounds. Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum, is well-known for its high content of piperidine alkaloids, of which coniine is the most famous. The distribution, localization, and diversity of these compounds in C. maculatum tissues have not yet been studied in detail. The hemlock alkaloids are low molecular weight compounds with relatively high volatility. They are thus difficult to analyze on-tissue by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging due to delocalization, which occurs even when using an atmospheric pressure ion source. In this manuscript, we describe an on-tissue derivatization method that allows the subsequent determination of the spatial distribution of hemlock alkaloids in different plant tissues by mass spectrometry imaging. Coniferyl aldehyde was found to be a suitable reagent for derivatization of the secondary amine alkaloids. The imaging analysis revealed that even chemically closely related hemlock alkaloids are discretely distributed in different plant tissues. Additionally, we detected a yet undescribed hemlock alkaloid in Conium maculatum seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana A Barrera-Adame
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology/Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Schuster
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology/Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Timo H J Niedermeyer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology/Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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2
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Qin ZY, Gao S, Zou Y, Liu Z, Wang JB, Houk KN, Arnold FH. Biocatalytic Construction of Chiral Pyrrolidines and Indolines via Intramolecular C(sp 3)-H Amination. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:2333-2338. [PMID: 38161360 PMCID: PMC10755850 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Nature harnesses exquisite enzymatic cascades to construct N-heterocycles and further uses these building blocks to assemble the molecules of life. Here we report an enzymatic platform to construct important chiral N-heterocyclic products, pyrrolidines and indolines, via abiological intramolecular C(sp3)-H amination of organic azides. Directed evolution of cytochrome P411 (a P450 enzyme with serine as the heme-ligating residue) yielded variant P411-PYS-5149, capable of catalyzing the insertion of alkyl nitrene into C(sp3)-H bonds to build pyrrolidine derivatives with good enantioselectivity and catalytic efficiency. Further evolution of activity on aryl azide substrates yielded variant P411-INS-5151 that catalyzes intramolecular C(sp3)-H amination to afford chiral indolines. In addition, we show that these enzymatic aminations can be coupled with a P411-based carbene transferase or a tryptophan synthase to generate an α-amino lactone or a noncanonical amino acid, respectively, underscoring the power of new-to-nature biocatalysis in complexity-building chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yang Qin
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Shilong Gao
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Yike Zou
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Zhen Liu
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - James B. Wang
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Kendall N. Houk
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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Peddinti G, Hotti H, Teeri TH, Rischer H. De novo transcriptome assembly of Conium maculatum L. to identify candidate genes for coniine biosynthesis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17562. [PMID: 36266299 PMCID: PMC9584964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21728-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.) is a notorious weed containing the potent alkaloid coniine. Only some of the enzymes in the coniine biosynthesis have so far been characterized. Here, we utilize the next-generation RNA sequencing approach to report the first-ever transcriptome sequencing of five organs of poison hemlock: developing fruit, flower, root, leaf, and stem. Using a de novo assembly approach, we derived a transcriptome assembly containing 123,240 transcripts. The assembly is deemed high quality, representing over 88% of the near-universal ortholog genes of the Eudicots clade. Nearly 80% of the transcripts were functionally annotated using a combination of three approaches. The current study focuses on describing the coniine pathway by identifying in silico transcript candidates for polyketide reductase, L-alanine:5-keto-octanal aminotransferase, γ-coniceine reductase, and S-adenosyl-L-methionine:coniine methyltransferase. In vitro testing will be needed to confirm the assigned functions of the selected candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Peddinti
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Tietotie 2, VTT, P.O. Box 1000, 02044, Espoo, Finland
| | - Hannu Hotti
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Tietotie 2, VTT, P.O. Box 1000, 02044, Espoo, Finland
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu H Teeri
- Viikki Plant Science Centre, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heiko Rischer
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Tietotie 2, VTT, P.O. Box 1000, 02044, Espoo, Finland.
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Wang XJ, Luo Q, Li T, Meng PH, Pu YT, Liu JX, Zhang J, Liu H, Tan GF, Xiong AS. Origin, evolution, breeding, and omics of Apiaceae: a family of vegetables and medicinal plants. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhac076. [PMID: 38239769 PMCID: PMC10795576 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Many of the world's most important vegetables and medicinal crops, including carrot, celery, coriander, fennel, and cumin, belong to the Apiaceae family. In this review, we summarize the complex origins of Apiaceae and the current state of research on the family, including traditional and molecular breeding practices, bioactive compounds, medicinal applications, nanotechnology, and omics research. Numerous molecular markers, regulatory factors, and functional genes have been discovered, studied, and applied to improve vegetable and medicinal crops in Apiaceae. In addition, current trends in Apiaceae application and research are also briefly described, including mining new functional genes and metabolites using omics research, identifying new genetic variants associated with important agronomic traits by population genetics analysis and GWAS, applying genetic transformation, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, and nanotechnology. This review provides a reference for basic and applied research on Apiaceae vegetable and medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jing Wang
- Key laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), Guizhou University, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Qing Luo
- Institute of Horticulture, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guizhou 550006, China
| | - Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in East China, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ping-Hong Meng
- Institute of Horticulture, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guizhou 550006, China
| | - Yu-Ting Pu
- Key laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), Guizhou University, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Jie-Xia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in East China, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 210095, China
| | - Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in East China, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Guo-Fei Tan
- Institute of Horticulture, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guizhou 550006, China
| | - Ai-Sheng Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in East China, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Bacterial Analogs of Plant Tetrahydropyridine Alkaloids Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Rhizosphere Model System. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.03058-18. [PMID: 30877115 PMCID: PMC6498172 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03058-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiomes of plants are critical to host physiology and development. Microbes are attracted to the rhizosphere due to massive secretion of plant photosynthates from roots. Microorganisms that successfully join the rhizosphere community from bulk soil have access to more abundant and diverse molecules, producing a highly competitive and selective environment. In the rhizosphere, as in other microbiomes, little is known about the genetic basis for individual species’ behaviors within the community. In this study, we characterized competition between Pseudomonas koreensis and Flavobacterium johnsoniae, two common rhizosphere inhabitants. We identified a widespread gene cluster in several Pseudomonas spp. that is necessary for the production of a novel family of tetrahydropyridine alkaloids that are structural analogs of plant alkaloids. We expand the known repertoire of antibiotics produced by Pseudomonas in the rhizosphere and demonstrate the role of the metabolites in interactions with other rhizosphere bacteria. Plants expend significant resources to select and maintain rhizosphere communities that benefit their growth and protect them from pathogens. A better understanding of assembly and function of rhizosphere microbial communities will provide new avenues for improving crop production. Secretion of antibiotics is one means by which bacteria interact with neighboring microbes and sometimes change community composition. In our analysis of a taxonomically diverse consortium from the soybean rhizosphere, we found that Pseudomonas koreensis selectively inhibits growth of Flavobacterium johnsoniae and other members of the Bacteroidetes grown in soybean root exudate. A genetic screen in P. koreensis identified a previously uncharacterized biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for the inhibitory activity. Metabolites were isolated based on biological activity and were characterized using tandem mass spectrometry, multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, and Mosher ester analysis, leading to the discovery of a new family of bacterial tetrahydropyridine alkaloids, koreenceine A to D (metabolites 1 to 4). Three of these metabolites are analogs of the plant alkaloid γ-coniceine. Comparative analysis of the koreenceine cluster with the γ-coniceine pathway revealed distinct polyketide synthase routes to the defining tetrahydropyridine scaffold, suggesting convergent evolution. Koreenceine-type pathways are widely distributed among Pseudomonas species, and koreenceine C was detected in another Pseudomonas species from a distantly related cluster. This work suggests that Pseudomonas and plants convergently evolved the ability to produce similar alkaloid metabolites that can mediate interbacterial competition in the rhizosphere. IMPORTANCE The microbiomes of plants are critical to host physiology and development. Microbes are attracted to the rhizosphere due to massive secretion of plant photosynthates from roots. Microorganisms that successfully join the rhizosphere community from bulk soil have access to more abundant and diverse molecules, producing a highly competitive and selective environment. In the rhizosphere, as in other microbiomes, little is known about the genetic basis for individual species’ behaviors within the community. In this study, we characterized competition between Pseudomonas koreensis and Flavobacterium johnsoniae, two common rhizosphere inhabitants. We identified a widespread gene cluster in several Pseudomonas spp. that is necessary for the production of a novel family of tetrahydropyridine alkaloids that are structural analogs of plant alkaloids. We expand the known repertoire of antibiotics produced by Pseudomonas in the rhizosphere and demonstrate the role of the metabolites in interactions with other rhizosphere bacteria.
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Krieger C, Roselli S, Kellner-Thielmann S, Galati G, Schneider B, Grosjean J, Olry A, Ritchie D, Matern U, Bourgaud F, Hehn A. The CYP71AZ P450 Subfamily: A Driving Factor for the Diversification of Coumarin Biosynthesis in Apiaceous Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:820. [PMID: 29971079 PMCID: PMC6018538 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The production of coumarins and furanocoumarins (FCs) in higher plants is widely considered a model illustration of the adaptation of plants to their environment. In this report, we show that the multiplication of cytochrome P450 variants within the CYP71AZ subfamily has contributed to the diversification of these molecules. Multiple copies of genes encoding this enzyme family are found in Apiaceae, and their phylogenetic analysis suggests that they have different functions within these plants. CYP71AZ1 from Ammi majus and CYP71AZ3, 4, and 6 from Pastinaca sativa were functionally characterized. While CYP71AZ3 merely hydroxylated esculetin, the other enzymes accepted both simple coumarins and FCs. Superimposing in silico models of these enzymes led to the identification of different conformations of three regions in the enzyme active site. These sequences were subsequently utilized to mutate CYP71AZ4 to resemble CYP71AZ3. The swapping of these regions lead to significantly modified substrate specificity. Simultaneous mutations of all three regions shifted the specificity of CYP71AZ4 to that of CYP71AZ3, exclusively accepting esculetin. This approach may explain the evolution of this cytochrome P450 family regarding the appearance of FCs in parsnip and possibly in the Apiaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Krieger
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Sandro Roselli
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Sandra Kellner-Thielmann
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Biotechnologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gianni Galati
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | | | - Jérémy Grosjean
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Alexandre Olry
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - David Ritchie
- INRIA Nancy, Grand-Est Research Centre, Laboratoire Lorrain De Recherche En Informatique Et Ses Applications, Nancy, France
| | - Ulrich Matern
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Biotechnologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Alain Hehn
- Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
- *Correspondence: Alain Hehn,
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Hotti H, Rischer H. The killer of Socrates: Coniine and Related Alkaloids in the Plant Kingdom. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22111962. [PMID: 29135964 PMCID: PMC6150177 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22111962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coniine, a polyketide-derived alkaloid, is poisonous to humans and animals. It is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, which leads to inhibition of the nervous system, eventually causing death by suffocation in mammals. Coniine’s most famous victim is Socrates who was sentenced to death by poison chalice containing poison hemlock in 399 BC. In chemistry, coniine holds two historical records: It is the first alkaloid the chemical structure of which was established (in 1881), and that was chemically synthesized (in 1886). In plants, coniine and twelve closely related alkaloids are known from poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.), and several Sarracenia and Aloe species. Recent work confirmed its biosynthetic polyketide origin. Biosynthesis commences by carbon backbone formation from butyryl-CoA and two malonyl-CoA building blocks catalyzed by polyketide synthase. A transamination reaction incorporates nitrogen from l-alanine and non-enzymatic cyclization leads to γ-coniceine, the first hemlock alkaloid in the pathway. Ultimately, reduction of γ-coniceine to coniine is facilitated by NADPH-dependent γ-coniceine reductase. Although coniine is notorious for its toxicity, there is no consensus on its ecological roles, especially in the carnivorous pitcher plants where it occurs. Lately there has been renewed interest in coniine’s medical uses particularly for pain relief without an addictive side effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannu Hotti
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, 02044 Espoo, Finland.
| | - Heiko Rischer
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, 02044 Espoo, Finland.
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Hotti H, Gopalacharyulu P, Seppänen-Laakso T, Rischer H. Metabolite profiling of the carnivorous pitcher plants Darlingtonia and Sarracenia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171078. [PMID: 28222171 PMCID: PMC5319649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarraceniaceae is a New World carnivorous plant family comprising three genera: Darlingtonia, Heliamphora, and Sarracenia. The plants occur in nutrient-poor environments and have developed insectivorous capability in order to supplement their nutrient uptake. Sarracenia flava contains the alkaloid coniine, otherwise only found in Conium maculatum, in which its biosynthesis has been studied, and several Aloe species. Its ecological role and biosynthetic origin in S. flava is speculative. The aim of the current research was to investigate the occurrence of coniine in Sarracenia and Darlingtonia and to identify common constituents of both genera, unique compounds for individual variants and floral scent chemicals. In this comprehensive metabolic profiling study, we looked for compound patterns that are associated with the taxonomy of Sarracenia species. In total, 57 different Sarracenia and D. californica accessions were used for metabolite content screening by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The resulting high-dimensional data were studied using a data mining approach. The two genera are characterized by a large number of metabolites and huge chemical diversity between different species. By applying feature selection for clustering and by integrating new biochemical data with existing phylogenetic data, we were able to demonstrate that the chemical composition of the species can be explained by their known classification. Although transcriptome analysis did not reveal a candidate gene for coniine biosynthesis, the use of a sensitive selected ion monitoring method enabled the detection of coniine in eight Sarracenia species, showing that it is more widespread in this genus than previously believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannu Hotti
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Espoo, Finland
| | | | | | - Heiko Rischer
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Espoo, Finland
- * E-mail:
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[Dedicated to Prof. T. Okada and Prof. T. Nishioka: data science in chemistry]Classification of Alkaloid Compounds Based on Subring Skeleton (SRS) Profiling: On Finding Relationship of Compounds with Metabolic Pathways. JOURNAL OF COMPUTER AIDED CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.2751/jcac.18.58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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10
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Shimizu Y, Ogata H, Goto S. Type III Polyketide Synthases: Functional Classification and Phylogenomics. Chembiochem 2016; 18:50-65. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201600522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yugo Shimizu
- Bioinformatics Center; Institute for Chemical Research; Kyoto University; Gokasho Uji Kyoto 611-0011 Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center; Institute for Chemical Research; Kyoto University; Gokasho Uji Kyoto 611-0011 Japan
| | - Susumu Goto
- Bioinformatics Center; Institute for Chemical Research; Kyoto University; Gokasho Uji Kyoto 611-0011 Japan
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