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Reed J, Orme A, El-Demerdash A, Owen C, Martin LBB, Misra RC, Kikuchi S, Rejzek M, Martin AC, Harkess A, Leebens-Mack J, Louveau T, Stephenson MJ, Osbourn A. Elucidation of the pathway for biosynthesis of saponin adjuvants from the soapbark tree. Science 2023; 379:1252-1264. [PMID: 36952412 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf3727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The Chilean soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria) produces soap-like molecules called QS saponins that are important vaccine adjuvants. These highly valuable compounds are sourced by extraction from the bark, and their biosynthetic pathway is unknown. Here, we sequenced the Q. saponaria genome. Through genome mining and combinatorial expression in tobacco, we identified 16 pathway enzymes that together enable the production of advanced QS pathway intermediates that represent a bridgehead for adjuvant bioengineering. We further identified the enzymes needed to make QS-7, a saponin with excellent therapeutic properties and low toxicity that is present in low abundance in Q. saponaria bark extract. Our results enable the production of Q. saponaria vaccine adjuvants in tobacco and open the way for new routes to access and engineer natural and new-to-nature immunostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Reed
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anastasia Orme
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Charlotte Owen
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Rajesh C Misra
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Shingo Kikuchi
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Martin Rejzek
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Alex Harkess
- Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Jim Leebens-Mack
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Thomas Louveau
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Anne Osbourn
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
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