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Wu TJ, Lin CC, Ma LT, Yang CK, Ho CL, Wang SY, Chu FH. Functional identification of specialized diterpene synthases from Chamaecyparis obtusa and C. obtusa var. formosana to illustrate the putative evolution of diterpene synthases in Cupressaceae. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 344:112080. [PMID: 38582272 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112080] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Chamaecyparis obtusa and C. obtusa var. formosana of the Cupressaceae family are well known for their fragrance and excellent physical properties. To investigate the biosynthesis of unique diterpenoid compounds, diterpene synthase genes for specialized metabolite synthesis were cloned from C. obtusa and C. obtusa var. formosana. Using an Escherichia coli co-expression system, eight diterpene synthases (diTPSs) were characterized. CoCPS and CovfCPS are class II monofunctional (+)-copalyl diphosphate synthases [(+)-CPSs]. Class I monofunctional CoLS and CovfLS convert (+)-copalyl diphosphate [(+)-CPP] to levopimaradiene, CoBRS, CovfBRS1, and CovfBRS3 convert (+)-CPP to (-)-beyerene, and CovfSDS converts (+)-CPP to (-)-sandaracopimaradiene. These enzymes are all monofunctional diterpene syntheses in Cupressaceae family of gymnosperm, and differ from those in Pinaceae. The discovery of the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of tetracyclic diterpene (-)-beyerene was characterized for the first time. Diterpene synthases with different catalytic functions exist in closely related species within the Cupressaceae family, indicating that this group of monofunctional diterpene synthases is particularly prone to the evolution of new functions and development of species-specific specialized diterpenoid constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsai-Jung Wu
- School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Chun Lin
- School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ting Ma
- Academy of Circular Economy, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kai Yang
- Department of Forestry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Lung Ho
- Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Yang Wang
- Department of Forestry, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Hua Chu
- School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Garg A, Srivastava P, Verma PC, Ghosh S. ApCPS2 contributes to medicinal diterpenoid biosynthesis and defense against insect herbivore in Andrographis paniculata. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 342:112046. [PMID: 38395069 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112046] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) spatiotemporally produces medicinally-important ent-labdane-related diterpenoids (ent-LRDs); andrographolide (AD), 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (DDAD), neoandrographolide (NAD). ApCPS1 and ApCPS2, the ent-copalyl pyrophosphate (ent-CPP)-producing class II diterpene synthases (diTPSs) were identified, but their contributions to ent-CPP precursor supply for ent-LRD biosynthesis were not well understood. Here, we characterized ApCPS4, an additional ent-CPP-forming diTPS. Further, we elucidated in planta function of the ent-CPP-producing diTPSs (ApCPS1,2,4) by integrating transcript-metabolite co-profiles, biochemical analysis and gene functional characterization. ApCPS1,2,4 localized to the plastids, where diterpenoid biosynthesis occurs in plants, but ApCPS1,2,4 transcript expression patterns and ent-LRD contents revealed a strong correlation of ApCPS2 expression and ent-LRD accumulation in kalmegh. ApCPS1,2,4 upstream sequences differentially activated β-glucuronidase (GUS) in Arabidopsis and transiently-transformed kalmegh. Similar to higher expression of ApCPS1 in kalmegh stem, ApCPS1 upstream sequence activated GUS in stem/hypocotyl of Arabidopsis and kalmegh. However, ApCPS2,4 upstream sequences weakly activated GUS expression in Arabidopsis, which was not well correlated with ApCPS2,4 transcript expression in kalmegh tissues. Whereas, ApCPS2,4 upstream sequences could activate GUS expression at a considerable level in kalmegh leaf and roots/calyx, respectively, suggesting the involvement of transcriptional regulator(s) of ApCPS2,4 that might participate in kalmegh-specific diterpenoid pathway. Interestingly, ApCPS2-silenced kalmegh showed a drastic reduction in AD, DDAD and NAD contents and compromised defense against insect herbivore Spodoptera litura. However, ent-LRD contents and herbivore defense in ApCPS1 or ApCPS4-silenced plants remained largely unaltered. Overall, these results suggested an important role of ApCPS2 in producing ent-CPP for medicinal ent-LRD biosynthesis and defense against insect herbivore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anchal Garg
- Plant Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow 226015, India
| | - Payal Srivastava
- Plant Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow 226015, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Praveen Chandra Verma
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow 226001, India
| | - Sumit Ghosh
- Plant Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow 226015, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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3
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Chen R, Wang J, Xu J, Nie S, Chen C, Li Y, Li Y, He J, Li W, Wen M, Qiao J. Heterologous Biosynthesis of Kauralexin A1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through Metabolic and Enzyme Engineering. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:7308-7317. [PMID: 38529564 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Kauralexin A1 (KA1) is a key intermediate of the kauralexin A series metabolites of maize phytoalexins. However, their application is severely limited by their low abundance in maize. In this study, an efficient biosynthetic pathway was constructed to produce KA1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Also, metabolic and enzyme engineering strategies were applied to construct the high-titer strains, such as chassis modification, screening synthases, the colocalization of enzymes, and multiple genomic integrations. First, the KA1 precursor ent-kaurene was synthesized using the efficient diterpene synthase GfCPS/KS from Fusarium fujikuroi, and optimized to reach 244.36 mg/L in shake flasks, which displayed a 200-fold increase compared to the initial strain. Then, the KA1 was produced under the catalysis of ZmCYP71Z18 from Zea mays and SmCPR1 from Salvia miltiorrhiza, and the titer was further improved by integrating the fusion protein into the genome. Finally, an ent-kaurene titer of 763.23 mg/L and a KA1 titer of 42.22 mg/L were achieved through a single-stage fed-batch fermentation in a 5 L bioreactor. This is the first report of the heterologous biosynthesis of maize diterpene phytoalexins in S. cerevisiae, which lays a foundation for further pathway reconstruction and biosynthesis of the kauralexin A series maize phytoalexins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Jingru Wang
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
- School of life science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Junsong Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Shengxin Nie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Yukun Li
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Yanni Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jianwei He
- School of life science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Weiguo Li
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Mingzhang Wen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China
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Köllner TG, Gershenzon J, Peters RJ, Zerbe P, Schmelz EA. The terpene synthase gene family in maize - a clarification of existing community nomenclature. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:744. [PMID: 38057721 PMCID: PMC10699003 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09856-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias G Köllner
- Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
| | - Jonathan Gershenzon
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Reuben J Peters
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Eric A Schmelz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0380, USA
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Wu M, Northen TR, Ding Y. Stressing the importance of plant specialized metabolites: omics-based approaches for discovering specialized metabolism in plant stress responses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1272363. [PMID: 38023861 PMCID: PMC10663375 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1272363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Plants produce a diverse range of specialized metabolites that play pivotal roles in mediating environmental interactions and stress adaptation. These unique chemical compounds also hold significant agricultural, medicinal, and industrial values. Despite the expanding knowledge of their functions in plant stress interactions, understanding the intricate biosynthetic pathways of these natural products remains challenging due to gene and pathway redundancy, multifunctionality of proteins, and the activity of enzymes with broad substrate specificity. In the past decade, substantial progress in genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics has made the exploration of plant specialized metabolism more feasible than ever before. Notably, recent advances in integrative multi-omics and computational approaches, along with other technologies, are accelerating the discovery of plant specialized metabolism. In this review, we present a summary of the recent progress in the discovery of plant stress-related specialized metabolites. Emphasis is placed on the application of advanced omics-based approaches and other techniques in studying plant stress-related specialized metabolism. Additionally, we discuss the high-throughput methods for gene functional characterization. These advances hold great promise for harnessing the potential of specialized metabolites to enhance plant stress resilience in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Wu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Trent R. Northen
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Yezhang Ding
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Tian M, Jin B, Chen L, Ma R, Ma Q, Li X, Chen T, Guo J, Ge H, Zhao X, Lai C, Tang J, Cui G, Huang L. Functional diversity of diterpene synthases in Aconitum plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 202:107968. [PMID: 37619270 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107968] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Members of the Aconitum genus within the Ranunculaceae family are known to accumulate a broad array of medicinal and toxic diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs). Historically, ent-copalyl diphosphate (ent-CPP) was considered the sole precursor in DAs biosynthesis. However, the recent discovery of ent-8,13-CPP synthase in A. gymnandrum Maxim., which participates in ent-atiserene biosynthesis, raises the question of whether this gene is conserved throughout the Aconitum genus. In this study, RNA sequencing and PacBio Iso-sequencing were employed to identify diterpene synthases (diTPSs) in four additional Aconitum species with distinct DA compositions. In vitro and in vivo analyses functionally characterized a diverse array of 10 class II and 9 class I diTPSs. In addition to the identification of seven class II diTPSs as ent-CPP synthases, three other synthases generating ent-8,13-CPP, 8,13-CPP, and 8α-hydroxy-CPP were also discovered. Four class I kaurene synthases-like (KSLs) were observed to react with ent-CPP to yield ent-kaurene. Three KSLs not only reacted with ent-CPP but also ent-8,13-CPP to produce ent-atiserene. AsiKSL2-1 was found to react with 8α-hydroxy-CPP to produce Z-abienol and AsiKSL2-2 exhibited no activity with any of the four intermediates. This research delineates the known diterpene biosynthesis pathways in six Aconitum species and explores the highly divergent diterpene synthases within the genus, which are consistent with their phylogeny and may be responsible for the differential distribution of diterpenoid alkaloids in root and aerial parts. These findings contribute valuable insights into the diversification of diterpene biosynthesis and establish a solid foundation for future investigation into DA biosynthetic pathways in Aconitum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Baolong Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Lingli Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Anhui Food and Drug Inspection and Research Institute, Hefei, 230051, China
| | - Rui Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Henan, 450046, China
| | - Qing Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Xiaolin Li
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Tong Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Juan Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Hui Ge
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Changjiangsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Jinfu Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Guanghong Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Luqi Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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Murphy KM, Dowd T, Khalil A, Char SN, Yang B, Endelman BJ, Shih PM, Topp C, Schmelz EA, Zerbe P. A dolabralexin-deficient mutant provides insight into specialized diterpenoid metabolism in maize. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:1338-1358. [PMID: 36896653 PMCID: PMC10231366 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Two major groups of specialized metabolites in maize (Zea mays), termed kauralexins and dolabralexins, serve as known or predicted diterpenoid defenses against pathogens, herbivores, and other environmental stressors. To consider the physiological roles of the recently discovered dolabralexin pathway, we examined dolabralexin structural diversity, tissue-specificity, and stress-elicited production in a defined biosynthetic pathway mutant. Metabolomics analyses support a larger number of dolabralexin pathway products than previously known. We identified dolabradienol as a previously undetected pathway metabolite and characterized its enzymatic production. Transcript and metabolite profiling showed that dolabralexin biosynthesis and accumulation predominantly occur in primary roots and show quantitative variation across genetically diverse inbred lines. Generation and analysis of CRISPR-Cas9-derived loss-of-function Kaurene Synthase-Like 4 (Zmksl4) mutants demonstrated dolabralexin production deficiency, thus supporting ZmKSL4 as the diterpene synthase responsible for the conversion of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate precursors into dolabradiene and downstream pathway products. Zmksl4 mutants further display altered root-to-shoot ratios and root architecture in response to water deficit. Collectively, these results demonstrate dolabralexin biosynthesis via ZmKSL4 as a committed pathway node biochemically separating kauralexin and dolabralexin metabolism, and suggest an interactive role of maize dolabralexins in plant vigor during abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Murphy
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Tyler Dowd
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Ahmed Khalil
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Si Nian Char
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Benjamin J Endelman
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Patrick M Shih
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Eric A Schmelz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Saldivar EV, Ding Y, Poretsky E, Bird S, Block AK, Huffaker A, Schmelz EA. Maize Terpene Synthase 8 (ZmTPS8) Contributes to a Complex Blend of Fungal-Elicited Antibiotics. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1111. [PMID: 36903970 PMCID: PMC10005556 DOI: 10.3390/plants12051111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In maize (Zea mays), fungal-elicited immune responses include the accumulation of terpene synthase (TPS) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP) enzymes resulting in complex antibiotic arrays of sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids, including α/β-selinene derivatives, zealexins, kauralexins and dolabralexins. To uncover additional antibiotic families, we conducted metabolic profiling of elicited stem tissues in mapping populations, which included B73 × M162W recombinant inbred lines and the Goodman diversity panel. Five candidate sesquiterpenoids associated with a chromosome 1 locus spanning the location of ZmTPS27 and ZmTPS8. Heterologous enzyme co-expression studies of ZmTPS27 in Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in geraniol production while ZmTPS8 yielded α-copaene, δ-cadinene and sesquiterpene alcohols consistent with epi-cubebol, cubebol, copan-3-ol and copaborneol matching the association mapping efforts. ZmTPS8 is an established multiproduct α-copaene synthase; however, ZmTPS8-derived sesquiterpene alcohols are rarely encountered in maize tissues. A genome wide association study further linked an unknown sesquiterpene acid to ZmTPS8 and combined ZmTPS8-ZmCYP71Z19 heterologous enzyme co-expression studies yielded the same product. To consider defensive roles for ZmTPS8, in vitro bioassays with cubebol demonstrated significant antifungal activity against both Fusarium graminearum and Aspergillus parasiticus. As a genetically variable biochemical trait, ZmTPS8 contributes to the cocktail of terpenoid antibiotics present following complex interactions between wounding and fungal elicitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan V. Saldivar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yezhang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Elly Poretsky
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Skylar Bird
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Anna K. Block
- Chemistry Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Alisa Huffaker
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eric A. Schmelz
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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Zhou H, Hua J, Li H, Song X, Luo S. Structurally diverse specialized metabolites of maize and their extensive biological functions. J Cell Physiol 2023. [PMID: 36745523 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Maize originated in southern Mexico and various hybrid varieties have been bred during domestication. All maize tissues are rich in specialized plant metabolites (SPMs), which allow the plants to resist the stresses of herbivores and pathogens or environmental factors. To date, a total of 95 terpenoids, 91 phenolics, 31 alkaloids, and 6 other types of compounds have been identified from maize. Certain volatile sesquiterpenes released by maize plants attract the natural enemies of maize herbivores and provide an indirect defensive function. Kauralexins and dolabralexins are the most abundant diterpenoids in maize and are known to regulate and stabilize the maize rhizosphere microbial community. Benzoxazinoids and benzoxazolinones are the main alkaloids in maize and are found in maize plants at the highest concentrations at the seedling stage. These two kinds of alkaloids directly resist herbivory and pathogenic infection. Phenolics enhance the cross-links between maize cell walls. Meanwhile, SPMs also regulate plant-plant relationships. In conclusion, SPMs in maize show a large diversity of chemical structures and broad-spectrum biological activities. We use these to provide ideas and information to enable the improvement of maize resistances through breeding and to promote the rapid development of the maize industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiwen Zhou
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Juan Hua
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Hongdi Li
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Xinyu Song
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shihong Luo
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
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Valletta A, Iozia LM, Fattorini L, Leonelli F. Rice Phytoalexins: Half a Century of Amazing Discoveries; Part I: Distribution, Biosynthesis, Chemical Synthesis, and Biological Activities. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:260. [PMID: 36678973 PMCID: PMC9862927 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cultivated rice is a staple food for more than half of the world's population, providing approximately 20% of the world's food energy needs. A broad spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms causes rice diseases leading to huge yield losses worldwide. Wild and cultivated rice species are known to possess a wide variety of antimicrobial secondary metabolites, known as phytoalexins, which are part of their active defense mechanisms. These compounds are biosynthesized transiently by rice in response to pathogens and certain abiotic stresses. Rice phytoalexins have been intensively studied for over half a century, both for their biological role and their potential application in agronomic and pharmaceutical fields. In recent decades, the growing interest of the research community, combined with advances in chemical, biological, and biomolecular investigation methods, has led to a notable acceleration in the growth of knowledge on rice phytoalexins. This review provides an overview of the knowledge gained in recent decades on the diversity, distribution, biosynthesis, chemical synthesis, and bioactivity of rice phytoalexins, with particular attention to the most recent advances in this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Valletta
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Maria Iozia
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Fattorini
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Leonelli
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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11
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REN J, WU Y, ZHU Z, CHEN R, ZHANG L. Biosynthesis and regulation of diterpenoids in medicinal plants. Chin J Nat Med 2022; 20:761-772. [DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(22)60214-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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12
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Shahi A, Mafu S. Specialized metabolites as mediators for plant-fungus crosstalk and their evolving roles. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 64:102141. [PMID: 34814027 PMCID: PMC8671350 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102141] [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: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants, fungi, and bacteria produce numerous natural products with bioactive properties essential for ecological adaptation. Because of their chemical complexity, these natural products have been adapted for diverse applications in industry. The discovery of their biosynthetic pathways has been accelerated due to improved 'omics' approaches, metabolic engineering, and the availability of genetic manipulation techniques. Ongoing research into these metabolites is not only resolving the enzymatic diversity underlying their biosynthesis but also delving into the physiological and mechanistic basis of their modes of action. This review highlights progress made in the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways and biological roles of specialized metabolites, focusing on some that play important roles at the interface of plant-fungus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayousha Shahi
- Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Life Science Laboratories, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Sibongile Mafu
- Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Life Science Laboratories, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Life Science Laboratories, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
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13
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Muchlinski A, Jia M, Tiedge K, Fell JS, Pelot KA, Chew L, Davisson D, Chen Y, Siegel J, Lovell JT, Zerbe P. Cytochrome P450-catalyzed biosynthesis of furanoditerpenoids in the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:1053-1068. [PMID: 34514645 PMCID: PMC9292899 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Specialized diterpenoid metabolites are important mediators of plant-environment interactions in monocot crops. To understand metabolite functions in plant environmental adaptation that ultimately can enable crop improvement strategies, a deeper knowledge of the underlying species-specific biosynthetic pathways is required. Here, we report the genomics-enabled discovery of five cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29) that form previously unknown furanoditerpenoids in the monocot bioenergy crop Panicum virgatum (switchgrass). Combinatorial pathway reconstruction showed that CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29 catalyze furan ring addition directly to primary diterpene alcohol intermediates derived from distinct class II diterpene synthase products. Transcriptional co-expression patterns and the presence of select diterpenoids in switchgrass roots support the occurrence of P450-derived furanoditerpenoids in planta. Integrating molecular dynamics, structural analysis and targeted mutagenesis identified active site determinants that contribute to the distinct catalytic specificities underlying the broad substrate promiscuity of CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29 for native and non-native diterpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Muchlinski
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Present address:
Firmenich Inc.4767 Nexus Center Dr.San DiegoCalifornia9212USA
| | - Meirong Jia
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Present address:
State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines & NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural ProductsInstitute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijing100050China
| | - Kira Tiedge
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Jason S. Fell
- Genome CenterUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Kyle A. Pelot
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Lisl Chew
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Danielle Davisson
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Yuxuan Chen
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Justin Siegel
- Genome CenterUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular MedicineUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - John T. Lovell
- Genome Sequencing CenterHudson Alpha Institute for BiotechnologyHuntsvilleAlabama35806USA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California – DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
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14
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Gao K, Zha WL, Zhu JX, Zheng C, Zi JC. A review: biosynthesis of plant-derived labdane-related diterpenoids. Chin J Nat Med 2021; 19:666-674. [PMID: 34561077 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(21)60100-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plant-derived labdane-related diterpenoids (LRDs) represent a large group of terpenoids. LRDs possess either a labdane-type bicyclic core structure or more complex ring systems derived from labdane-type skeletons, such as abietane, pimarane, kaurane, etc. Due to their various pharmaceutical activities and unique properties, many of LRDs have been widely used in pharmaceutical, food and perfume industries. Biosynthesis of various LRDs has been extensively studied, leading to characterization of a large number of new biosynthetic enzymes. The biosynthetic pathways of important LRDs and the relevant enzymes (especially diterpene synthases and cytochrome P450 enzymes) were summarized in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Gao
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wen-Long Zha
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jian-Xun Zhu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Cheng Zheng
- Zhejiang Institute for Food and Drug Control, NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310052, China.
| | - Jia-Chen Zi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
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15
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Ding Y, Northen TR, Khalil A, Huffaker A, Schmelz EA. Getting back to the grass roots: harnessing specialized metabolites for improved crop stress resilience. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 70:174-186. [PMID: 34129999 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Roots remain an understudied site of complex and important biological interactions mediating plant productivity. In grain and bioenergy crops, grass root specialized metabolites (GRSM) are central to key interactions, yet our basic knowledge of the chemical language remains fragmentary. Continued improvements in plant genome assembly and metabolomics are enabling large-scale advances in the discovery of specialized metabolic pathways as a means of regulating root-biotic interactions. Metabolomics, transcript coexpression analyses, forward genetic studies, gene synthesis and heterologous expression assays drive efficient pathway discoveries. Functional genetic variants identified through genome wide analyses, targeted CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, and both native and non-native overexpression studies critically inform novel strategies for bioengineering metabolic pathways to improve plant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezhang Ding
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Trent R Northen
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Ahmed Khalil
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alisa Huffaker
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric A Schmelz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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16
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Chen R, Bu Y, Ren J, Pelot KA, Hu X, Diao Y, Chen W, Zerbe P, Zhang L. Discovery and modulation of diterpenoid metabolism improves glandular trichome formation, artemisinin production and stress resilience in Artemisia annua. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:2387-2403. [PMID: 33740256 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Plants synthesize diverse diterpenoids with numerous functions in organ development and stress resistance. However, the role of diterpenoids in glandular trichome (GT) development and GT-localized biosynthesis in plants remains unknown. Here, the identification of 10 diterpene synthases (diTPSs) revealed the diversity of diterpenoid biosynthesis in Artemisia annua. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between AaKSL1 and AaCPS2 in the plastids highlighted their potential functions in modulating metabolic flux to gibberellins (GAs) or ent-isopimara-7,15-diene-derived metabolites (IDMs) through metabolic engineering. A phenotypic analysis of transgenic plants suggested a complex repertoire of diterpenoids in Artemisia annua with important roles in GT formation, artemisinin accumulation and stress resilience. Metabolic engineering of diterpenoids simultaneously increased the artemisinin yield and stress resistance. Transcriptome and metabolic profiling suggested that bioactive GA4 /GA1 promote GT formation. Collectively, these results expand our knowledge of diterpenoids and show the potential of diterpenoids to simultaneously improve both the GT-localized metabolite yield and stress resistance, in planta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibing Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yuejuan Bu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Junze Ren
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Kyle A Pelot
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Xiangyang Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bio-Energy Crops, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Yong Diao
- School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, 362021, China
| | - Wansheng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Biomedical Innovation R&D Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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17
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Gressler M, Löhr NA, Schäfer T, Lawrinowitz S, Seibold PS, Hoffmeister D. Mind the mushroom: natural product biosynthetic genes and enzymes of Basidiomycota. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:702-722. [PMID: 33404035 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00077a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to September 2020 Mushroom-forming fungi of the division Basidiomycota have traditionally been recognised as prolific producers of structurally diverse and often bioactive secondary metabolites, using the methods of chemistry for research. Over the past decade, -omics technologies were applied on these fungi, and sophisticated heterologous gene expression platforms emerged, which have boosted research into the genetic and biochemical basis of the biosyntheses. This review provides an overview on experimentally confirmed natural product biosyntheses of basidiomycete polyketides, amino acid-derived products, terpenoids, and volatiles. We also present challenges and solutions particular to natural product research with these fungi. 222 references are cited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Gressler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Nikolai A Löhr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Tim Schäfer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Lawrinowitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Paula Sophie Seibold
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Dirk Hoffmeister
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Winzerlaer Strasse 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
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18
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Hedden P. The Current Status of Research on Gibberellin Biosynthesis. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 61:1832-1849. [PMID: 32652020 PMCID: PMC7758035 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Gibberellins are produced by all vascular plants and several fungal and bacterial species that associate with plants as pathogens or symbionts. In the 60 years since the first experiments on the biosynthesis of gibberellic acid in the fungus Fusarium fujikuroi, research on gibberellin biosynthesis has advanced to provide detailed information on the pathways, biosynthetic enzymes and their genes in all three kingdoms, in which the production of the hormones evolved independently. Gibberellins function as hormones in plants, affecting growth and differentiation in organs in which their concentration is very tightly regulated. Current research in plants is focused particularly on the regulation of gibberellin biosynthesis and inactivation by developmental and environmental cues, and there is now considerable information on the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. There have also been recent advances in understanding gibberellin transport and distribution and their relevance to plant development. This review describes our current understanding of gibberellin metabolism and its regulation, highlighting the more recent advances in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hedden
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Palack� University & Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
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19
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Blaby IK, Cheng JF. Building a custom high-throughput platform at the Joint Genome Institute for DNA construct design and assembly-present and future challenges. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2020; 5:ysaa023. [PMID: 34746437 PMCID: PMC7737003 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysaa023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid design and assembly of synthetic DNA constructs have become a crucial component of biological engineering projects via iterative design-build-test-learn cycles. In this perspective, we provide an overview of the workflows used to generate the thousands of constructs and libraries produced each year at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute. Particular attention is paid to describing pipelines, tools used, types of scientific projects enabled by the platform and challenges faced in further scaling output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian K Blaby
- US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jan-Fang Cheng
- US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
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20
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Evolution of Labdane-Related Diterpene Synthases in Cereals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 61:1850-1859. [DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Gibberellins (GAs) are labdane-related diterpenoid phytohormones that regulate various aspects of higher plant growth. A biosynthetic intermediate of GAs is ent-kaurene, a tetra-cyclic diterpene that is produced through successive cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate catalyzed by the two distinct monofunctional diterpene synthases—ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (ent-CPS) and ent-kaurene synthase (KS). Various homologous genes of the two diterpene synthases have been identified in cereals, including rice (Oryza sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays), and are believed to have been derived from GA biosynthetic ent-CPS and KS genes through duplication and neofunctionalization. They play roles in specialized metabolism, giving rise to diverse labdane-related diterpenoids for defense because a variety of diterpene synthases generate diverse carbon-skeleton structures. This review mainly describes the diterpene synthase homologs that have been identified and characterized in rice, wheat and maize and shows the evolutionary history of various homologs in rice inferred by comparative genomics studies using wild rice species, such as Oryza rufipogon and Oryza brachyantha. In addition, we introduce labdane-related diterpene synthases in bryophytes and gymnosperms to illuminate the macroscopic evolutionary history of diterpene synthases in the plant kingdom—bifunctional enzymes possessing both CPS and KS activities are present in bryophytes; gymnosperms possess monofunctional CPS and KS responsible for GA biosynthesis and also possess bifunctional diterpene synthases facilitating specialized metabolism for defense.
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21
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Tasnim S, Gries R, Mattsson J. Identification of Three Monofunctional Diterpene Synthases with Specific Enzyme Activities Expressed during Heartwood Formation in Western Redcedar ( Thuja plicata) Trees. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1018. [PMID: 32806789 PMCID: PMC7464036 DOI: 10.3390/plants9081018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Upon harvest, Western redcedar (WRC; Thuja plicata) trees have a high incidence and extent of heartwood rot. While monoterpenoids and lignans have been linked to rot resistance in this species, other specialized metabolites, such as diterpenes, are likely to contribute to rot resistance. Here we report the cloning and functional assessment of three putative diterpene synthase (TpdiTPS) genes expressed during heartwood formation in WRC. The predicted proteins of the three genes lack either of the two catalytically independent active sites typical of most diTPS, indicating monofunctional rather than bifunctional activity. To identify potential catalytic activities of these proteins, we expressed them in genetically engineered Escherichia coli strains that produce four potential substrates, geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGDP), ent, syn, and normal stereoisomers of copalyl diphosphate (CDP). We found that TpdiTPS3 used GGDP to produce CDP. TpdiTPS2 used normal CDP to produce levopimaradiene. TpdiTPS1 showed stereoselectivity as it used normal CDP to produce sandaracopimaradiene and syn-CDP to produce syn-stemod-13(17)-ene. These genes and protein enzymatic activities have not been previously reported in WRC and provide an opportunity to assess their potential roles in heartwood rot resistance in this economically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jim Mattsson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (S.T.); (R.G.)
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22
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Karunanithi PS, Berrios DI, Wang S, Davis J, Shen T, Fiehn O, Maloof JN, Zerbe P. The foxtail millet (Setaria italica) terpene synthase gene family. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 103:781-800. [PMID: 32282967 PMCID: PMC7497057 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoid metabolism plays vital roles in stress defense and the environmental adaptation of monocot crops. Here, we describe the identification of the terpene synthase (TPS) gene family of the panicoid food and bioenergy model crop foxtail millet (Setaria italica). The diploid S. italica genome contains 32 TPS genes, 17 of which were biochemically characterized in this study. Unlike other thus far investigated grasses, S. italica contains TPSs producing all three ent-, (+)- and syn-copalyl pyrophosphate stereoisomers that naturally occur as central building blocks in the biosynthesis of distinct monocot diterpenoids. Conversion of these intermediates by the promiscuous TPS SiTPS8 yielded different diterpenoid scaffolds. Additionally, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP99A17), which genomically clustered with SiTPS8, catalyzes the C19 hydroxylation of SiTPS8 products to generate the corresponding diterpene alcohols. The presence of syntenic orthologs to about 19% of the S. italica TPSs in related grasses supports a common ancestry of selected pathway branches. Among the identified enzyme products, abietadien-19-ol, syn-pimara-7,15-dien-19-ol and germacrene-d-4-ol were detectable in planta, and gene expression analysis of the biosynthetic TPSs showed distinct and, albeit moderately, inducible expression patterns in response to biotic and abiotic stress. In vitro growth-inhibiting activity of abietadien-19-ol and syn-pimara-7,15-dien-19-ol against Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium subglutinans may indicate pathogen defensive functions, whereas the low antifungal efficacy of tested sesquiterpenoids supports other bioactivities. Together, these findings expand the known chemical space of monocot terpenoid metabolism to enable further investigations of terpenoid-mediated stress resilience in these agriculturally important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prema S. Karunanithi
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - David I. Berrios
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - Sadira Wang
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - John Davis
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - Tong Shen
- West Coast Metabolomics CenterUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - Oliver Fiehn
- West Coast Metabolomics CenterUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - Julin N. Maloof
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of California–DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis95616CAUSA
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23
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Zhou F, Pichersky E. More is better: the diversity of terpene metabolism in plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 55:1-10. [PMID: 32088555 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
All plants synthesize a diverse array of terpenoid metabolites. Some are common to all, but many are synthesized only in specific taxa and presumably evolved as adaptations to specific ecological conditions. While the basic terpenoid biosynthetic pathways are common in all plants, recent discoveries have revealed many variations in the way plants synthesized specific terpenes. A major theme is the much greater number of substrates that can be used by enzymes belonging to the terpene synthase (TPS) family. Other recent discoveries include non-TPS enzymes that catalyze the formation of terpenes, and novel transport mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zhou
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eran Pichersky
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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24
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Murphy KM, Zerbe P. Specialized diterpenoid metabolism in monocot crops: Biosynthesis and chemical diversity. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2020; 172:112289. [PMID: 32036187 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2020.112289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Among the myriad specialized metabolites that plants employ to mediate interactions with their environment, diterpenoids form a chemically diverse group with vital biological functions. A few broadly abundant diterpenoids serve as core pathway intermediates in plant general metabolism. The majority of plant diterpenoids, however, function in specialized metabolism as often species-specific chemical defenses against herbivores and microbial diseases, in below-ground allelopathic interactions, as well as abiotic stress responses. Dynamic networks of anti-microbial diterpenoids were first demonstrated in rice (Oryza sativa) over four decades ago, and more recently, unique diterpenoid blends with demonstrated antibiotic bioactivities were also discovered in maize (Zea mays). Enabled by advances in -omics and biochemical approaches, species-specific diterpenoid-diversifying enzymes have been identified in these and other Poaceous species, including wheat (Triticum aestivum) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and are discussed in this article with an emphasis on the critical diterpene synthase and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase families and their products. The continued investigation of the biosynthesis, diversity, and function of terpenoid-mediated crop defenses provides foundational knowledge to enable the development of strategies for improving crop resistance traits in the face of impeding pest, pathogen, and climate pressures impacting global agricultural production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Murphy
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Zhang J, Zhang Y, Xing J, Yu H, Zhang R, Chen Y, Zhang D, Yin P, Tian X, Wang Q, Duan L, Zhang M, Peters RJ, Li Z. Introducing selective agrochemical manipulation of gibberellin metabolism into a cereal crop. NATURE PLANTS 2020; 6:67-72. [PMID: 32015514 PMCID: PMC7194013 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0582-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Use of growth retardants enables post-planting optimization of vegetative growth, which is particularly important given ongoing climate change. Mepiquat chloride is an economical and safe retardant widely applied in cotton farming, but it is not uniformly effective. Here, identification of its molecular target as the ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase that initiates gibberellin biosynthesis enabled the introduction of selective agrochemical inhibition, leaving intact more specialized metabolism important for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Yushi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiapeng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyue Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiyao Chen
- Institute of Ecological Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Delin Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Yin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Institute of Ecological Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liusheng Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingcai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Reuben J Peters
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
| | - Zhaohu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, China.
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26
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Ding Y, Murphy KM, Poretsky E, Mafu S, Yang B, Char SN, Christensen SA, Saldivar E, Wu M, Wang Q, Ji L, Schmitz RJ, Kremling KA, Buckler ES, Shen Z, Briggs SP, Bohlmann J, Sher A, Castro-Falcon G, Hughes CC, Huffaker A, Zerbe P, Schmelz EA. Multiple genes recruited from hormone pathways partition maize diterpenoid defences. NATURE PLANTS 2019; 5:1043-1056. [PMID: 31527844 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0509-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Duplication and divergence of primary pathway genes underlie the evolution of plant specialized metabolism; however, mechanisms partitioning parallel hormone and defence pathways are often speculative. For example, the primary pathway intermediate ent-kaurene is essential for gibberellin biosynthesis and is also a proposed precursor for maize antibiotics. By integrating transcriptional coregulation patterns, genome-wide association studies, combinatorial enzyme assays, proteomics and targeted mutant analyses, we show that maize kauralexin biosynthesis proceeds via the positional isomer ent-isokaurene formed by a diterpene synthase pair recruited from gibberellin metabolism. The oxygenation and subsequent desaturation of ent-isokaurene by three promiscuous cytochrome P450s and a new steroid 5α reductase indirectly yields predominant ent-kaurene-associated antibiotics required for Fusarium stalk rot resistance. The divergence and differential expression of pathway branches derived from multiple duplicated hormone-metabolic genes minimizes dysregulation of primary metabolism via the circuitous biosynthesis of ent-kaurene-related antibiotics without the production of growth hormone precursors during defence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezhang Ding
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Katherine M Murphy
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elly Poretsky
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sibongile Mafu
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Si Nian Char
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Shawn A Christensen
- Chemistry Research Unit, Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Evan Saldivar
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mengxi Wu
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qiang Wang
- Institute of Ecological Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lexiang Ji
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Karl A Kremling
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Edward S Buckler
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Zhouxin Shen
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Steven P Briggs
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jörg Bohlmann
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Andrew Sher
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gabriel Castro-Falcon
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chambers C Hughes
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alisa Huffaker
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Eric A Schmelz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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27
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Conserved bases for the initial cyclase in gibberellin biosynthesis: from bacteria to plants. Biochem J 2019; 476:2607-2621. [PMID: 31484677 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
All land plants contain at least one class II diterpene cyclase (DTC), which utilize an acid-base catalytic mechanism, for the requisite production of ent-copalyl diphosphate (ent-CPP) in gibberellin A (GA) phytohormone biosynthesis. These ent-CPP synthases (CPSs) are hypothesized to be derived from ancient bacterial origins and, in turn, to have given rise to the frequently observed additional DTCs utilized in more specialized plant metabolism. However, such gene duplication and neo-functionalization has occurred repeatedly, reducing the utility of phylogenetic analyses. Support for evolutionary scenarios can be found in more specific conservation of key enzymatic features. While DTCs generally utilize a DxDD motif as the catalytic acid, the identity of the catalytic base seems to vary depending, at least in part, on product outcome. The CPS from Arabidopsis thaliana has been found to utilize a histidine-asparagine dyad to ligate a water molecule that serves as the catalytic base, with alanine substitution leading to the production of 8β-hydroxy-ent-CPP. Here this dyad and effect of Ala substitution is shown to be specifically conserved in plant CPSs involved in GA biosynthesis, providing insight into plant DTC evolution and assisting functional assignment. Even more strikingly, while GA biosynthesis arose independently in plant-associated bacteria and fungi, the catalytic base dyad also is specifically found in the relevant bacterial, but not fungal, CPSs. This suggests functional conservation of CPSs from bacteria to plants, presumably reflecting an early role for derived diterpenoids in both plant development and plant-microbe interactions, eventually leading to GA, and a speculative evolutionary scenario is presented.
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28
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Karunanithi PS, Zerbe P. Terpene Synthases as Metabolic Gatekeepers in the Evolution of Plant Terpenoid Chemical Diversity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1166. [PMID: 31632418 PMCID: PMC6779861 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids comprise tens of thousands of small molecule natural products that are widely distributed across all domains of life. Plants produce by far the largest array of terpenoids with various roles in development and chemical ecology. Driven by selective pressure to adapt to their specific ecological niche, individual species form only a fraction of the myriad plant terpenoids, typically representing unique metabolite blends. Terpene synthase (TPS) enzymes are the gatekeepers in generating terpenoid diversity by catalyzing complex carbocation-driven cyclization, rearrangement, and elimination reactions that enable the transformation of a few acyclic prenyl diphosphate substrates into a vast chemical library of hydrocarbon and, for a few enzymes, oxygenated terpene scaffolds. The seven currently defined clades (a-h) forming the plant TPS family evolved from ancestral triterpene synthase- and prenyl transferase-type enzymes through repeated events of gene duplication and subsequent loss, gain, or fusion of protein domains and further functional diversification. Lineage-specific expansion of these TPS clades led to variable family sizes that may range from a single TPS gene to families of more than 100 members that may further function as part of modular metabolic networks to maximize the number of possible products. Accompanying gene family expansion, the TPS family shows a profound functional plasticity, where minor active site alterations can dramatically impact product outcome, thus enabling the emergence of new functions with minimal investment in evolving new enzymes. This article reviews current knowledge on the functional diversity and molecular evolution of the plant TPS family that underlies the chemical diversity of bioactive terpenoids across the plant kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prema S Karunanithi
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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