Heterologous gene expression system for the production of hydrolyzable tannin intermediates in herbaceous model plants.

Aluminum toxicity is the main factor limiting the elongation of plant roots in acidic soil. The tree species Eucalyptus camaldulensis is considerably more resistant to aluminum than herbaceous model plants and crops. Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) accumulating in E.

Dehydroquinate dehydratase/shikimate dehydrogenases involved in gallate biosynthesis of the aluminum-tolerant tree species Eucalyptus camaldulensis.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis EcDQD/SDH2 and 3 combine gallate formation, dehydroquinate dehydratase, and shikimate dehydrogenase activities. They are candidates for providing the essential gallate for the biosynthesis of the aluminum-detoxifying metabolite oenothein B. The tree species Eucalyptus camaldulensis shows exceptionally high tolerance against aluminum, a widespread toxic metal in acidic soils.

Identification of UDP glucosyltransferases from the aluminum-resistant tree Eucalyptus camaldulensis forming β-glucogallin, the precursor of hydrolyzable tannins.

In the highly aluminum-resistant tree Eucalyptus camaldulensis, hydrolyzable tannins are proposed to play a role in internal detoxification of aluminum, which is a major factor inhibiting plant growth on acid soils. To understand and modulate the molecular mechanisms of aluminum detoxification by hydrolyzable tannins, the biosynthetic genes need to be identified. In this study, we identified and characterized genes encoding UDP-glucose:gallate glucosyltransferase, which catalyzes the formation of 1-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (β-glucogallin), the precursor of hydrolyzable tannins.

Dynamic metabolic changes in seeds and seedlings of Brassica napus (oilseed rape) suppressing UGT84A9 reveal plasticity and molecular regulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway.

In Brassica napus, suppression of the key biosynthetic enzyme UDP-glucose:sinapic acid glucosyltransferase (UGT84A9) inhibits the biosynthesis of sinapine (sinapoylcholine), the major phenolic component of seeds. Based on the accumulation kinetics of a total of 158 compounds (110 secondary and 48 primary metabolites), we investigated how suppression of the major sink pathway of sinapic acid impacts the metabolome of developing seeds and seedlings. In UGT84A9-suppressing (UGT84A9i) lines massive alterations became evident in late stages of seed development affecting the accumulation levels of 58 secondary and 7 primary metabolites.

A Snapshot of the Plant Glycated Proteome: STRUCTURAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND MECHANISTIC ASPECTS.

Glycation is the reaction of carbonyl compounds (reducing sugars and α-dicarbonyls) with amino acids, lipids, and proteins, yielding early and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The AGEs can be formed via degradation of early glycation intermediates (glycoxidation) and by interaction with the products of monosaccharide autoxidation (autoxidative glycosylation). Although formation of these potentially deleterious compounds is well characterized in animal systems and thermally treated foods, only a little information about advanced glycation in plants is available.

Identification of UGT84A13 as a candidate enzyme for the first committed step of gallotannin biosynthesis in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur).

A cDNA encoding the ester-forming hydroxybenzoic acid glucosyltransferase UGT84A13 was isolated from a cDNA library of Quercus robur swelling buds and young leaves. The enzyme displayed high sequence identity to resveratrol/hydroxycinnamate and hydroxybenzoate/hydroxycinnamate glucosyltransferases from Vitis species and clustered to the phylogenetic group L of plant glucosyltransferases, mainly involved in the formation of 1-O-β-D-glucose esters. In silico transcriptome analysis confirmed expression of UGT84A13 in Quercus tissues which were previously shown to exhibit UDP-glucose:gallic acid glucosyltransferase activity.

Reprogramming the phenylpropanoid metabolism in seeds of oilseed rape by suppressing the orthologs of reduced epidermal fluorescence1.

As a result of the phenylpropanoid pathway, many Brassicaceae produce considerable amounts of soluble hydroxycinnamate conjugates, mainly sinapate esters. From oilseed rape (Brassica napus), we cloned two orthologs of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) gene reduced epidermal fluorescence1 (REF1) encoding a coniferaldehyde/sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase. The enzyme is involved in the formation of ferulate and sinapate from the corresponding aldehydes, thereby linking lignin and hydroxycinnamate biosynthesis as a potential branch-point enzyme.

Serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferases from plants.

Serine carboxypeptidase-like (SCPL) acyltransferases facilitate transacylation reactions using energy-rich 1-O-β-glucose esters in the synthesis of an array of bioactive compounds and are associated with the diversification of plant natural products. SCPL acyltransferases have evolved from a hydrolytic ancestor by adapting functional elements of the proteases such as the catalytic triad, oxyanion hole, and substrate recognition H-bond network to their new function. As vacuolar proteins, SCPL acyltransferases define an alternative cellular route of transacylation spatially separated from the cytoplasmic enzymes of the BAHD acyltransferase family named according to the first characterized members (BEAT, AHCT, HCBT, and DAT).

Overexpression of sinapine esterase BnSCE3 in oilseed rape seeds triggers global changes in seed metabolism.

Sinapine (O-sinapoylcholine) is the predominant phenolic compound in a complex group of sinapate esters in seeds of oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Sinapine has antinutritive activity and prevents the use of seed protein for food and feed. A strategy was developed to lower its content in seeds by expressing an enzyme that hydrolyzes sinapine in developing rape seeds.

Identification and localization of a lipase-like acyltransferase in phenylpropanoid metabolism of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

We have isolated an enzyme classified as chlorogenate: glucarate caffeoyltransferase (CGT) from seedlings of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) that catalyzes the formation of caffeoylglucarate and caffeoylgalactarate using chlorogenate (5-O-caffeoylquinate) as acyl donor. Peptide sequences obtained by trypsin digestion and spectrometric sequencing were used to isolate the SlCGT cDNA encoding a protein of 380 amino acids with a putative targeting signal of 24 amino acids indicating an entry of the SlCGT into the secretory pathway. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed the localization of the enzyme in the apoplastic space of tomato leaves.

Profiling of phenylpropanoids in transgenic low-sinapine oilseed rape (Brassica napus).

A dsRNAi approach silencing a key enzyme of sinapate ester biosynthesis (UDP-glucose:sinapate glucosyltransferase, encoded by the UGT84A9 gene) in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) seeds was performed to reduce the anti-nutritive properties of the seeds by lowering the content of the major seed component sinapine (sinapoylcholine) and various minor sinapate esters. The transgenic seeds have been produced so far to the T6 generation and revealed a steady suppression of sinapate ester accumulation. HPLC analysis of the wild-type and transgenic seeds revealed, as in the previous generations, marked alterations of the sinapate ester pattern of the transformed seeds.

Sinapate esters in brassicaceous plants: biochemistry, molecular biology, evolution and metabolic engineering.

Brassicaceous plants are characterized by a pronounced metabolic flux toward sinapate, produced by the shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway, which is converted into a broad spectrum of O-ester conjugates. The abundant sinapate esters in Brassica napus and Arabidopsis thaliana reflect a well-known metabolic network, including UDP-glucose:sinapate glucosyltransferase (SGT), sinapoylglucose:choline sinapoyltransferase (SCT), sinapoylglucose:L-malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT) and sinapoylcholine (sinapine) esterase (SCE). 1-O-Sinapoylglucose, produced by SGT during seed development, is converted to sinapine by SCT and hydrolyzed by SCE in germinating seeds.

Genomic microstructure and differential expression of the genes encoding UDP-glucose:sinapate glucosyltransferase (UGT84A9) in oilseed rape (Brassica napus).

In oilseed rape (Brassica napus), the glucosyltransferase UGT84A9 catalyzes the formation of 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose, which feeds as acyl donor into a broad range of accumulating sinapate esters, including the major antinutritive seed component sinapoylcholine (sinapine). Since down-regulation of UGT84A9 was highly efficient in decreasing the sinapate ester content, the genes encoding this enzyme were considered as potential targets for molecular breeding of low sinapine oilseed rape. B.

Sinapoyltransferases in the light of molecular evolution.

Acylation is a prevalent chemical modification that to a significant extent accounts for the tremendous diversity of plant metabolites. To catalyze acyl transfer reactions, higher plants have evolved acyltransferases that accept beta-acetal esters, typically 1-O-glucose esters, as an alternative to the ubiquitously occurring CoA-thioester-dependent enzymes. Shared homology indicates that the beta-acetal ester-dependent acyltransferases are derived from a common hydrolytic ancestor of the Serine CarboxyPeptidase (SCP) type, giving rise to the name Serine CarboxyPeptidase-Like (SCPL) acyltransferases.

The role of UDP-glucose:hydroxycinnamate glucosyltransferases in phenylpropanoid metabolism and the response to UV-B radiation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Arabidopsis harbors four UDP-glycosyltransferases that convert hydroxycinnamates (HCAs) to 1-O-beta-glucose esters, UGT84A1 (encoded by At4g15480), UGT84A2 (At3g21560), UGT84A3 (At4g15490), and UGT84A4 (At4g15500). To elucidate the role of the individual UGT84A enzymes in planta we analyzed gene expression, UGT activities and accumulation of phenylpropanoids in Arabidopsis wild type plants, ugt mutants and overexpressing lines. Individual ugt84A null alleles did not significantly reduce the gross metabolic flux to the accumulating compounds sinapoylcholine (sinapine) in seeds and sinapoylmalate in leaves.

Tapetum-specific location of a cation-dependent O-methyltransferase in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Cation- and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet)-dependent plant natural product methyltransferases are referred to as CCoAOMTs because of their preferred substrate, caffeoyl coenzyme A (CCoA). The enzymes are encoded by a small family of genes, some of which with a proven role in lignin monomer biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis thaliana individual members of this gene family are temporally and spatially regulated.

Activities of Arabidopsis sinapoylglucose: malate sinapoyltransferase shed light on functional diversification of serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferases.

Analysis of the catalytic properties of the serine carboxypeptidase-like (SCPL) 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose:l-malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT) from Arabidopsis showed that the enzyme exhibits besides its primary sinapoylation of l-malate, minor hydrolytic and disproportionation activities, producing free sinapic acid and 1,2-di-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose, respectively. The ability of the enzyme to liberate sinapic acid from the donor molecule 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose indicates the existence of a short-lived acylenzyme intermediate in the proposed random sequential bi-bi mechanism of catalysis. SMT-catalyzed formation of disinapoylglucose has been corroborated by docking studies with an established homology structure model that illustrates the possible binding of two 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose molecules in the active site and the intermolecular reaction of the two glucose esters.

Dissection of a complex seed phenotype: novel insights of FUSCA3 regulated developmental processes.

A T-DNA insertion mutant of FUSCA3 (fus3-T) in Arabidopsis thaliana exhibits several of the expected deleterious effects on seed development, but not the formation of brown seeds, a colouration which results from the accumulation of large amounts of anthocyanin. A detailed phenotypic comparison between fus3-T and a known splice point mutant (fus3-3) revealed that the seeds from both mutants do not enter dormancy and can be rescued at an immature stage. Without rescue, mature fus3-3 seeds are non-viable, whereas those of fus3-T suffer only a slight loss in their germinability.

Heterologous expression of a serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferase and characterization of the kinetic mechanism.

In plant secondary metabolism, beta-acetal ester-dependent acyltransferases, such as the 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose:l-malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT; EC 2.3.1.

Role of a GDSL lipase-like protein as sinapine esterase in Brassicaceae.

The seeds of most members of the Brassicaceae accumulate high amounts of sinapine (sinapoylcholine) that is rapidly hydrolyzed during early stages of seed germination. One of three isoforms of sinapine esterase activity (BnSCE3) has been isolated from Brassica napus seedlings and subjected to trypsin digestion and spectrometric sequencing. The peptide sequences were used to isolate BnSCE3 cDNA, which was shown to contain an open reading frame of 1170 bp encoding a protein of 389 amino acids, including a leader peptide of 25 amino acids.

The genes BnSCT1 and BnSCT2 from Brassica napus encoding the final enzyme of sinapine biosynthesis: molecular characterization and suppression.

This study describes the molecular characterization of the genes BnSCT1 and BnSCT2 from oilseed rape (Brassica napus) encoding the enzyme 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose:choline sinapoyltransferase (SCT; EC 2.3.1.

Structure determinants and substrate recognition of serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferases from plant secondary metabolism.

Structures of the serine carboxypeptidase-like enzymes 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose:L-malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT) and 1-O-sinapoyl-beta-glucose:choline sinapoyltransferase (SCT) were modeled to gain insight into determinants of specificity and substrate recognition. The structures reveal the alpha/beta-hydrolase fold as scaffold for the catalytic triad Ser-His-Asp. The recombinant mutants of SMT Ser173Ala and His411Ala were inactive, whereas Asp358Ala displayed residual activity of 20%.

Secondary product glycosyltransferases in seeds of Brassica napus.

This study describes a systematic screen for secondary product UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs; EC 2.4.1) involved in seed development of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and was aimed at identifying genes related to UGT84A9 encoding UDP-glucose:sinapate glucosyltransferase (EC 2.

Resveratrol glucoside (Piceid) synthesis in seeds of transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.).

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced in various plants like wine, peanut or pine in response to fungal infection or UV irradiation, but it is absent in members of the Brassicaceae. Moreover, resveratrol and its glucoside (piceid) are considered to have beneficial effects on human health, known to reduce heart disease, arteriosclerosis and cancer mortality. Therefore, the introduction of the gene encoding stilbene synthase for resveratrol production in rapeseed is a tempting approach to improve the quality of rapeseed products.