Evolution of rosmarinic acid biosynthesis

Rosmarinic acid and chlorogenic acid are caffeic acid esters widely found in the plant kingdom and presumably accumulated as defense compounds. In a survey, more than 240 plant species have been screened for the presence of rosmarinic and chlorogenic acids. Several rosmarinic acid-containing species have been detected. The rosmarinic acid accumulation in species of the Marantaceae has not been known before. Rosmarinic acid is found in hornworts, in the fern family Blechnaceae and in species of several orders of mono- and dicotyledonous angiosperms. The biosyntheses of caffeoylshikimate, chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid use 4-coumaroyl-CoA from the general phenylpropanoid pathway as hydroxycinnamoyl donor. The hydroxycinnamoyl acceptor substrate comes from the shikimate pathway: shikimic acid, quinic acid and hydroxyphenyllactic acid derived from l-tyrosine. Similar steps are involved in the biosyntheses of rosmarinic, chlorogenic and caffeoylshikimic acids: the transfer of the 4-coumaroyl moiety to an acceptor molecule by a hydroxycinnamoyltransferase from the BAHD acyltransferase family and the meta-hydroxylation of the 4-coumaroyl moiety in the ester by a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase from the CYP98A family. The hydroxycinnamoyltransferases as well as the meta-hydroxylases show high sequence similarities and thus seem to be closely related. The hydroxycinnamoyltransferase and CYP98A14 from Coleus blumei (Lamiaceae) are nevertheless specific for substrates involved in RA biosynthesis showing an evolutionary diversification in phenolic ester metabolism. Our current view is that only a few enzymes had to be “invented” for rosmarinic acid biosynthesis probably on the basis of genes needed for the formation of chlorogenic and caffeoylshikimic acid while further biosynthetic steps might have been recruited from phenylpropanoid metabolism, tocopherol/plastoquinone biosynthesis and photorespiration.     

Study of antioxidant and membrane activity of rosmarinic acid using different model systems

Rosmarinic acid is found in many species of different families of higher plants and its chemical structure is phenol propanoid with various biological activity. In this paper, we conducted a comparative study of antioxidant (radical-scavenging) properties of rosmarinic acid in systems of 2,2tāzo-bis(2-methylpropionamidin)dihydrochloride-luminol and hemoglobin-hydrogen peroxide-luminol, determined its protective potential in preventing peroxidation of linoleic acid, and evaluated the effect on the permeability of planar bilayer lipid membranes. Linoleic acid peroxidation was assessed by iron-thiocyanate method. In these studies, trolox was used as a reference antioxidant, and ascorbic acid, and dihydroquercetin were taken as standards. Rosmarinic acid is significantly superior to trolox, ascorbic acid and dihydroquercetin in the tests for antioxidant activity in the systems studied, as well as in inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation. According to their activity the investigated substances can be arranged in the following order: rosmarinic acid > dihydroquercetin trolox > ascorbic acid. Rosmarinic acid does not cause significant changes in the permeability of planar bilayer membranes in a dose range of 0.5 to 10 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of rosmarinic acid is due to the neutralization of reactive oxygen species and/or luminol radicals generated in model systems. The observed features of the antioxidant and membrane activity of rosmarinic acid, which may underlie the previously mentioned pharmacological effects are discussed.     

Rosmarinic acid inhibits some metabolic enzymes including glutathione S-transferase,lactoperoxidase, acetylcholinesterase,butyrylcholinesterase and carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural polyphenol contained in many aromatic plants with promising biological activities. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) are widespread and intensively studied metalloenzymes present in higher vertebrates. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, E.C. 3.1.1.7) is intimately associated with the normal neurotransmission by catalysing the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to acetate and choline and acts in combination with butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) to remove acetylcholine from the synaptic cleft. Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is an enzyme involved in fighting pathogenic microorganisms, whereas glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are dimeric proteins present both in prokaryotic and in eukaryotic organisms and involved in cellular detoxification mechanisms. In the present study, the inhibition effects of rosmarinic acid on tumour-associated carbonic anhydrase IX and XII isoenzymes, AChE, BChE, LPO and GST enzymes were evaluated. Rosmarinic acid inhibited these enzymes with K_is in the range between micromolar to picomolar. The best inhibitory effect of rosmarinic acid was observed against both AChE and BChE.     

Effect of yeast elicitor on the secondary metabolism of Ti-transformed Salvia miltiorrhiza cell suspension cultures

 Salvia miltiorrhiza contains two groups of biologically active secondary metabolites termed phenolic compounds (e.g. rosmarinic acid) and tanshinones (e.g. cryptotanshinone). Their roles in plant defense responses were examined using a simplified system consisting of a yeast elicitor and a Ti C58 transformed S. miltiorrhiza cell line. Both dosage and time course studies were carried out on the effects of yeast elicitor on the formation of rosmarinic acid and cryptotanshinone. It was found that the yeast elicitor reduced the constituent level of rosmarinic acid (from ca. 5% to ca. 3.0% of dry cell weight) whereas the level of cryptotanshinone was enhanced greatly (from a negligible amount to ca. 20 mg/l). These results suggest that in S. miltiorrhiza, rosmarinic acid and cryptotanshinone may take part in plant passive and active defense responses, respectively, against pathogen attack. Cryptotanshinone was identified as a phytoalexin in S. miltiorrhiza for the first time. Results of the treatment of cell cultures with 2-aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid, a highly specific and potent inhibitor of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5), indicated that this compound did not inhibit yeast elicitor induced tanshinone formation, but did inhibit rosmarinic acid biosynthesis. Received: 22 May 1999 / Revision received: 27 August / Accepted: 1 September 1999     

Biosynthesis and accumulation of rosmarinic acid in suspension cultures ofColeus blumei

This communication reviews data on the accumulation and biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid in cell suspension cultures ofColeus blumei. The influence of the medium, mainly the carbohydrate source on growth and rosmarinic acid production in these cell cultures is described. The biosynthetic pathway of rosmarinic acid was elucidated inColeus blumei cell cultures: eight enzymatic activities are involved in the transformation of the precursors phenylalanine and tyrosine to the end product rosmarinic acid.Abbreviations CAH cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase - 4CL 4-coumarate:CoA ligase - HPPR hydroxyphenylpyruvate reductase - 3-H hydroxycinnamoyl-hydroxyphenyllactate 3-hydroxylase - 3-H hydroxycinnamoyl-hydroxyphenyllactate 3-hydroxylase - PAL phenylalanine ammonia-lyase - RAS rosmarinic acid synthase (hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:hydroxyphenyllactate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase) - TAT tyrosine aminotransferase     

迷迭香酸的研究进展

迷迭香酸(Rosemarinic acid)是一种含多酚羟基的酸。迷迭香酸具有抗氧化及清除自由基作用和抗炎、免疫调节、抗血栓生成、抗菌、抗病毒、抗肾小球细胞增殖、抗抑郁等生物活性,广泛应用于食品、化妆品、医药等方面。本文对其生物及化学合成、生物技术生产、药理研究进展进行了综述。     

Cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase from cell cultures of the hornwort<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Anthoceros agrestis</Emphasis>

Cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.11), a cytochrome P450-dependent hydroxylase was for the first time characterized from a hornwort, Anthoceros agrestis Paton (Anthocerotaceae). In suspension cultures of A. agrestis up to 5% of the dry weight was accumulated as rosmarinic acid, a natural product commonly known from higher plants (e.g. species of the Lamiaceae and Boraginaceae). Cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase is involved in the biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid. The participation of cytochrome P450 was demonstrated by the inhibition of hydroxylase activity by cytochrome c and the inhibition of cinnamic acid hydroxylation in a CO-containing atmosphere, which is partially released by illumination with blue light. The apparent K(m) values were determined to be at 60 microM and 5 microM for NADPH and cinnamic acid, respectively. A comparatively high hydroxylation activity was seen with NADH as electron donor. While the hydroxylase activity with NADPH was strongly inhibited by the competitive electron acceptor cytochrome c, the activity with NADH was less susceptible, indicating the possibility of different electron-transfer pathways.     

Rosmarinic acid synthesis in transformed callus culture of Coleus blumei benth

Agrobacteria mediated Coleus blumei tumour tissues were cultured in vitro on MS medium. Sixteen diversified transformed callus cultures were maintained for several years in the absence of plant growth regulators and antibiotics without affecting the growth rate. Rosmarinic acid was detected spectrophotometrically in all tissue lines but in different quantities. The highest rosmarinic acid accumulation detected was 11% of dry tissue mass. The relation between culture growth and rosmarinic acid production was investigated in three callus lines. The lines showed different rosmarinic acid accumulation in relation to their growth rate; it was either parallel or inversely related to the tissue growth. The effects of certain medium constituents on the callus growth and rosmarinic acid accumulation were examined in four tumour cell lines. Addition of 4% or 5% sucrose stimulated rosmarinic acid synthesis and decreased callus growth. Nitrogen reduction to one half or one quarter of initial concentration did not affect rosmarinic acid synthesis and decreased callus growth in three lines, while it increased rosmarinic acid accumulation and callus growth in one line. Addition of 0.1 mg/l Phe stimulated rosmarinic acid production in two lines but had little effect on the rosmarinic acid level in others. Rosmarinic acid production was significantly improved on modified macronutrients, where the Ac2 line produced 16.5 mg of rosmarinic acid per tube (0.2 g of dry wt) after being in culture for 35 days.     

Purification of rosmarinic acid synthase from cell cultures of Coleus blumei Benth

Rosmarinic acid synthase from cell cultures of Coleus blumei Benth. was purified to apparent homogeneity by fractionated ammonium sulfate precipitation (60–80% saturation), hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography and gel filtration. This purification procedure resulted in a 225-fold-enriched specific enzyme activity with a yield of 9%. The protein preparation was apparently pure according to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The apparent molecular mass determined by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE was 77 kDa, indicating that rosmarinic acid synthase is a monomeric enzyme.Abbreviations DTT dithiothreitol - HIC hydrophobic interaction chromatography - RA rosmarinic acid - RAS rosmarinic acid synthase - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis The financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is gratefully acknowledged. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was done with the help of Dr. Guy Bauw, University of Gent, Belgium.     

Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives: biotechnology and applications

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is one of the first secondary metabolites produced in plant cell cultures in extremely high yields, up to 19% of the cell dry weight. More complex derivatives of RA, such as rabdosiin and lithospermic acid B, later were also obtained in cell cultures at high yields. RA and its derivatives possess promising biological activities, such as improvement of cognitive performance, prevention of the development of Alzheimer’s disease, cardioprotective effects, reduction of the severity of kidney diseases and cancer chemoprevention. The TNF-α-induced NF-κB signaling pathway has emerged as a central target for RA. Despite these impressive activities and high yields, the biotechnological production of these metabolites on an industrial scale has not progressed. We summarized data suggesting that external stimuli, the Ca²⁺-dependent NADPH oxidase pathway and processes of protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation are involved in the regulation of biosynthesis of these substances in cultured plant cells. In spite of growing information about pathways regulating biosynthesis of RA and its derivatives in cultured plant cells, the exact mechanism of regulation remains unknown. We suggest that further progress in the biotechnology of RA and its derivatives can be achieved by using new high-throughput techniques.