Very long chain primary alcohols are significant components in cuticle waxes of plants. Fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FARs) catalyze the formation of a fatty alcohol from an acyl-CoA. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome contains eight genes homologous to FAR genes from jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), silk moth, wheat and mouse. Expression of six Arabidopsis FAR homologs in Escherichia coli resulted in production of alcohols from endogenous E. coli fatty acids by five of these genes, confirming that they encode for FAR enzymes. Only a truncated splicing version of the sixth gene was found, and this gene yielded a protein with no FAR activity. The five functional FAR enzymes yielded distinctly different compositions of fatty alcohols when expressed in E. coli, indicating that the different enzymes may be involved in the production of different types of alcohols in plant cells.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2008.10.003DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

expression arabidopsis
8
fatty acyl-coa
8
escherichia coli
8
fatty
5
functional expression
4
arabidopsis
4
arabidopsis fatty
4
acyl-coa reductase
4
genes
4
reductase genes
4

Similar Publications

Modulation of stomatal development and movement is a promising approach for creating water-conserving plants. Here, we identified and characterized the PagHCF106 gene of poplar (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa). The PagHCF106 protein localized predominantly to the chloroplast, and the PagHCF106 gene exhibited tissue-specific expression pattern.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Suppressing Tymovirus replication in plants using a variant of ubiquitin.

PLoS Pathog

January 2025

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

RNA viruses have evolved numerous strategies to overcome host resistance and immunity, including the use of multifunctional proteases that not only cleave viral polyproteins during virus replication but also deubiquitinate cellular proteins to suppress ubiquitin (Ub)-mediated antiviral mechanisms. Here, we report an approach to attenuate the infection of Arabidopsis thaliana by Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus (TYMV) by suppressing the polyprotein cleavage and deubiquitination activities of the TYMV protease (PRO). Performing selections using a library of phage-displayed Ub variants (UbVs) for binding to recombinant PRO yielded several UbVs that bound the viral protease with nanomolar affinities and blocked its function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Tapetum Determinant 1 (TPD1) family proteins are known to play a crucial role in the regulation of reproduction in plants, including Cenchrus americanus (pearl millet). However, members of TPD1 family proteins have not been fully identified. The current study aims to identify and characterize the TPD1 family proteins in Cenchrus americanus (L.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The gene GAD1 encodes a glutamate decarboxylase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme for the biosynthesis of endogenous γ-aminobutyrate acid (GABA), but a potential role of GAD1 in regulating cadmium (Cd) tolerance needs to be further elucidated in plants. The objective of this study was to investigate Cd tolerance of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and transgenic yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing AsGAD1. The Cd-tolerant creeping bentgrass cultivar LOFTSL-93 accumulated more endogenous GABA in relation to a significant upregulation of AsGAD1 in leaf and root than the Cd-sensitive W66569 in response to Cd stress.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Arabidopsis has served as a model plant for studying the genetic networks that guide gynoecium development. However, less is known about other species such as tomato, a model for fleshy fruit development and ripening. Here, we study in tomato the transcription factor SPATULA (SPT), a bHLH-family member that in Arabidopsis is known to be important for gynoecium development.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!