Study of Terpenoid Synthesis and Prenyltransferase in Roots of Rehmannia glutinosa Based on iTRAQ Quantitative Proteomics

Rehmannia glutinosa has important medicinal value; terpenoid is one of the main active components in R. glutinosa. In this study, iTRAQ technique was used to analyze the relative abundance of proteins in roots of R. glutinosa, and 6,752 reliable proteins were quantified. GO enrichment results indicated that most proteins were involved in metabolic process or cellular process, 57.63% proteins had catalytic activity, and 65.80% proteins were enriched in membrane-bounded organelle. In roots of R. glutinosa, there were 38 KEGG enrichments with significance, more DEPs were found in some pathways, especially the proteasome pathway and TCA cycle with 15.0% DEPs between elongation stage and expansion stage of roots. Furthermore, five KEGG pathways of terpenoid synthesis were found. Most prenyltransferases belong to FPP/GGPP synthase family, involved in terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, and all interacted with biotin carboxylase CAC2. Compared with that at the elongation stage, many prenyltransferases exhibited higher expression at the expansion stage or maturation stage of roots. In addition, eight FPP/GGPP synthase encoding genes were cloned from R. glutinosa, namely FPPS, FPPS1, GGPS, GGPS3, GGPS4, GGPS5, GPPS and GPPS2, introns were also found in FPPS, FPPS1, GGPS5 and GGPS2, and FPP/GPP synthases were more conservative in organisms, especially in viridiplantae, in which the co-occurrence of GPPS or GPPS2 was significantly higher in plants. Further analysis found that FPP/GGPP synthases of R. glutinosa were divided into three kinds, GGPS, GPPS and FPPS, and their gene expression was significantly diverse in different varieties, growth periods, or tissues of R. glutinosa. Compared with that of GGPS, the expression of GPPS and FPPS was much higher in R. glutinosa, especially at the expansion stage and maturation stage. Thus, the synthesis of terpenoids in roots of R. glutinosa is intricately regulated and needs to be further studied.

Expressional diversity of grapevine 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (VvHMGR) in different grapes genotypes

Background 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) is a key enzyme in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway, which regulates the metabolism of terpenoids in the cytoplasm and determines the type and content of downstream terpenoid metabolites. Results Results showed that grapevine HMGR family has three members, such as VvHMGR1, VvHMGR2, and VvHMGR3. The expression of VvHMGRs in 'Kyoho' has tissue specificity, for example, VvHMGR1 keeps a higher expression, VvHMGR2 is the lowest, and VvHMGR3 gradually decreases as the fruit development. VvHMGR3 is closely related to CsHMGR1 and GmHMGR9 and has collinearity with CsHMGR2 and GmHMGR4. By the prediction of interaction protein, it can interact with HMG-CoA synthase, MVA kinase, FPP/GGPP synthase, diphosphate mevalonate decarboxylase, and participates in the synthesis and metabolism of terpenoids. VvHMGR3 have similar trends in expression with some of the genes of carotenoid biosynthesis and MEP pathways. VvHMGR3 responds to various environmental and phytohormone stimuli, especially salt stress and ultraviolet (UV) treatment. The expression level of VvHMGRs is diverse in grapes of different colors and aroma. VvHMGRs are significantly higher in yellow varieties than that in red varieties, whereas rose-scented varieties showed significantly higher expression than that of strawberry aroma. The expression level is highest in yellow rose-scented varieties, and the lowest in red strawberry scent varieties, especially ‘Summer Black’ and ‘Fujiminori’. Conclusion This study confirms the important role of VvHMGR3 in the process of grape fruit coloring and aroma formation, and provided a new idea to explain the loss of grape aroma and poor coloring during production. There may be an additive effect between color and aroma in the HMGR expression aspect.

Several geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase isoforms supply metabolic substrates for carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato

ABSTRACTGeranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) produced by GGPP synthase (GGPPS) serves as a precursor for many plastidial isoprenoids, including carotenoids. Here we show that five different GGPPS isoforms exist in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). From these, SlGGPPS1, 2 and 3 (or SlG1-3 in short) produce GGPP in plastids and exhibit similar kinetic parameters. Phytoene synthase (PSY) converts GGPP into phytoene, the first committed intermediate of the carotenoid pathway. Gene expression and co-expression network analyses showed a preferential association of individual GGPPS and PSY isoforms in processes linked to carotenoid biosynthesis such as root mycorrhization, seedling deetiolation and fruit ripening. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that SlG2, but not SlG3, physically interacts with PSY proteins. By contrast, CRISPR-Cas9 mutants defective in SlG3 showed a stronger impact on carotenoid levels and derived metabolic, physiological and developmental phenotypes that those impaired in SlG2. Double mutants with a simultaneous knockout of both genes could not be found. Our work demonstrates that the bulk of GGPP production in tomato chloroplasts and chromoplasts relies on two cooperating GGPPS paralogs, unlike other plant species such as Arabidopsis thaliana, rice or pepper, which produce their essential plastidial isoprenoids using a single GGPPS isoform.

High-Level Production of Beta-Carotene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Successive Transformation with Carotenogenic Genes from Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous

ABSTRACT To determine whether Saccharomyces cerevisiae can serve as a host for efficient carotenoid and especially β-carotene production, carotenogenic genes from the carotenoid-producing yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous were introduced and overexpressed in S. cerevisiae. Because overexpression of these genes from an episomal expression vector resulted in unstable strains, the genes were integrated into genomic DNA to yield stable, carotenoid-producing S. cerevisiae cells. Furthermore, carotenoid production levels were higher in strains containing integrated carotenogenic genes. Overexpression of crtYB (which encodes a bifunctional phytoene synthase and lycopene cyclase) and crtI (phytoene desaturase) from X. dendrorhous was sufficient to enable carotenoid production. Carotenoid production levels were increased by additional overexpression of a homologous geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase from S. cerevisiae that is encoded by BTS1. Combined overexpression of crtE (heterologous GGPP synthase) from X. dendrorhous with crtYB and crtI and introduction of an additional copy of a truncated 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase gene (tHMG1) into carotenoid-producing cells resulted in a successive increase in carotenoid production levels. The strains mentioned produced high levels of intermediates of the carotenogenic pathway and comparable low levels of the preferred end product β-carotene, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. We finally succeeded in constructing an S. cerevisiae strain capable of producing high levels of β-carotene, up to 5.9 mg/g (dry weight), which was accomplished by the introduction of an additional copy of crtI and tHMG1 into carotenoid-producing yeast cells. This transformant is promising for further development toward the biotechnological production of β-carotene by S. cerevisiae.

The Branch Point Enzyme of the Mevalonate Pathway for Protein Prenylation Is Overexpressed in theob/ob Mouse and Induced by Adipogenesis

ABSTRACT We have recently reported that skeletal muscle of theob/ob mouse, an animal model of genetic obesity with extreme insulin resistance, exhibits alterations in the expression of multiple genes. Analysis and cloning of a full-length cDNA of one of the overexpressed mRNAs revealed a 300-amino-acid protein that could be identified as the mouse geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPP synthase) based on its homology to proteins cloned from yeast and fungus. GGPP synthase catalyzes the synthesis of all-trans-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), an isoprenoid used for protein isoprenylation in animal cells, and is a branch point enzyme in the mevalonic acid pathway. Three mRNAs for GGPP synthase of 4.3, 3.2, and 1.7 kb were detected in Northern blot analysis. Western blot analysis of tissue homogenates using specific antipeptide antibodies revealed a single band of 34.8 kDa. Expression level of this protein in different tissues correlated with expression of the 4.3- and 3.2-kb mRNAs. GGPP synthase mRNA expression was increased 5- to 20-fold in skeletal muscle, liver, and fat of ob/obmice by Northern blot analysis. Western blot analysis also showed a twofold overexpression of the protein in muscle and fat but not in liver, where the dominant isoform is encoded by the 1.7-kb mRNA. Differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts into adipocytes induced GGPP synthase expression more than 20-fold. Using the immunoprecipitated protein, we found that mammalian GGPP synthase synthesizes not only GGPP but also its metabolic precursor farnesyl diphosphate. Thus, the expression of GGPP synthase is regulated in multiple tissues in obesity and is induced during adipocyte differentiation. Altered regulation in the synthesis of isoprenoids for protein prenylation in obesity might be a factor determining the ability of the cells to respond to hormonal stimulation requiring both Ras-related small GTPases and trimeric G protein-coupled receptors.

Purification of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase from bovine brain.

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase was purified to homogeneity from bovine brain in a one-step affinity column procedure. For the construction of the affinity column, a farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) analog, O-(6-amino-1-hexyl)-P-farnesylmethyl phosphonophosphate, was synthesized and linked to the spacer of the matrix of Affigel 10 via the amino group. The native enzyme appeared to be homooligomer (150-195 kDa) with a molecular mass of the monomer of 37.5 kDa. The pI for the enzyme was 6.2. The Km values for dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and FPP were estimated to be 33 microM, 0.80 microM and 0.74 microM, respectively. The Km value for isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) in the presence of both IPP and FPP mixture was 2 microM. The ratio of the reaction velocity for formation of GGPP from DMAPP, GPP or FPP was 0.004:0.145:1. The intermediate FPP was formed in the reaction with GPP as an allylic primer. FPP synthase catalyzing the formation of FPP from DMAPP and IPP was also purified to homogeneity from the same organ by a similar affinity chromatography procedure using a GPP analog, O-(6-amino-1-hexyl)-P-geranylmethyl phosphonophosphate as a ligand. The enzyme was a homodimer with a monomeric molecular mass of 40.0 kDa. These results indicate that GGPP, a lipid precursor for the biosynthesis of a majority of prenylated proteins, is synthesized from DMAPP and IPP by the action of FPP synthase catalyzing the reactions C5-->C15 followed by the action of GGPP synthase catalyzing the reaction C15-->C20.