甜菊醇糖苷生物合成关键基因的导入和鉴定分析

甜叶菊（Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni）生产的甜菊醇糖苷因具有高甜度、低热能、不参与人体内代谢兼具保健功能等特点,被誉为最有发展前途的新糖源。从甜叶菊叶片克隆了甜菊醇糖苷生物合成途径中的关键基因SrUGT85C2、SrUGT91D2m和SrUGT76G1,构建植物基因过量表达载体,以单独或组合的形式将这些基因导入到甜叶菊中,获得转基因植株。与野生型对照植株相比,单独导入SrUGT85C2的转基因植株中甜菊醇单糖苷含量提高,总糖苷、莱包迪苷A含量及占比没有明显变化;单独导入SrUGT91D2m的转基因植株中甜菊醇单糖苷含量显著降低,而甜菊醇双糖苷含量显著增加;单独导入SrUGT76G1的转基因植株中,总糖苷含量显著提高,莱包迪苷A含量达到10%以上,比对照提高了2倍,而甜菊糖苷含量减少了一半。3个基因组合同时导入的转基因甜叶菊植株与单独导入SrUGT76G1的转基因甜叶菊植株类似,其总糖苷、莱包迪苷A含量及其占比均显著提高。这些结果为以后通过分子生物学技术来调控甜菊醇糖苷生物合成关键基因的表达,培育莱包迪苷A含量高的高品质甜叶菊新品系提供了理论依据和技术方法。     

甜菊愈伤组织生长、分化与甜菊糖苷积累的关系

耐菊（Steviarebaudiana）愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷的积累与愈伤组织的生长呈负相关、与愈伤组织细胞的组织化及转绿呈正相关。愈伤组织芽的分化并不是积累较高水平甜菊糖苷的必要前提。绿色、质地致密、生长缓慢的愈伤组织,不论有芽分化或无芽分化时,其甜菊糖苷含量均较高。在电镜下观察到,这两种愈伤组织细胞具有类似的超微结构特征：细胞高度液泡化;叶绿体发育成熟,光合膜系统结构发达,基质浓厚且含有质体小球;微体具有典型的晶格结构,常与叶绿体紧密相靠。黄色、质地致密、生长缓慢的愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷含量较低,其细胞内质体富含淀粉粒,只有少量分散的片层结构,有的质体甚至完全被淀粉粒所充塞。黄色、质地疏松、生长快速的愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷含量最低,其细胞内质体结构简单,片层稀少。质体的发育和液泡的分化与甜菊糖苷的积累密切相关。愈伤组织具有较高的甜菊糖苷含量在于愈伤组织细胞的组织化以及细胞的高度液泡化并具有发育成熟的叶绿体。     

甜菊愈伤组织生化,分化与甜菊糖苷积累的关系

甜菊愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷的积累与愈伤组织的生长呈负相关、与愈伤组织细胞的组织化及转绿呈正相关。愈伤组织芽的分化并不是积累较高水平甜菊糖苷的必要前提。绿色、质地致密、生长缓慢的愈伤组织,不论有芽分化或无芽分化时,其甜菊糖苷含量均较高。在电镜下观察到,这两种愈伤组织细胞具有类似的超微结构特征：细胞高度液泡化;叶绿体发育成熟,光合膜系统结构发达,基质浓厚且含有质体小球;微体具有典型的晶格结构,常与叶绿体紧     

甜菊醇糖苷生物合成及关键酶研究进展

甜菊醇糖苷(steviol glycosides,SGs)是甜叶(Stevia rebaudian)叶片中一类天然甜味剂,具有高甜度、低热量、无毒副作用等特点,同时还具有一定的药理作用.植物体内主要是通过甲基赤藓糖醇(MEP)途径形成祝(牛)儿(牦)牛儿焦磷酸(GGPP),之后该物质在古巴焦磷酸合酶(CPPS)、贝壳杉烯合酶(KS)、贝壳杉烯氧化酶(KO)、糖菊苷转移酶(UGTs)等一系列结构功能各异的酶的作用下最终生成甜菊醇糖苷.SGs生物合成途径的调控及该途径中关键酶的研究已成为目前国内外生物学领域的一大热点.综述了甜叶菊SGs生物合成途径和参与该途径中的关键酶及其基因的研究进展,并展望了其应用前景.     

一种作用于花青素和甜菊醇的甜菊糖基转移酶的基因克隆和功能分析

本文对一种新的甜菊糖基转移酶进行了基因克隆和功能分析。获得的基因cDNA全长1419bp,编码473个氨基酸,蛋白质分子量约53．2KDa。与常见的糖基转移酶基因比较,相似性达44％以上,工具有糖基转移酶的保守序列。体外异源表达获得的融合蛋白,具有在花青素类和甜菊醇等糖基受体上转糖基的酶活性。在对一系列不同底物的酶活性进行比较后,推测这种糖基转移酶在体内参与了甜菊糖苷的合成。结果表明,具有广泛的底物活性的类黄酮类糖基转移酶,在甜菊体内不仅对类黄酮转糖基,而且在生成水溶性甜菊糖苷的过程中也扮演重要的角色。     

高效液相色谱法测定甜菊糖苷中甜菊醇的含量

建立高效液相色谱法测定甜菊糖苷中甜菊醇的含量。色谱条件:色谱柱为Phenomenex C18(4.6 mm×250 mm,5μm);流动相为乙腈-水(50∶50);流速1.0 mL/min;检测波长213 nm;柱温30℃;进样量10μL。线性范围为1.046μg/mL~52.3μg/mL(r=0.9997),加标平均回收率为96.60%,RSD为0.51%(n=6)。本方法准确度高、精密度高、重复性好、简捷易操作,可以作为甜菊糖苷中甜菊醇含量的测定方法。     

一种作用于花青素和甜菊醇的甜菊糖基转移酶的基因克隆和功能分析

本文对一种新的甜菊糖基转移酶进行了基因克隆和功能分析。获得的基因cDNA全长1419bp,编码473个氨基酸,蛋白质分子量约53.2K Da。与常见的糖基转移酶基因比较,相似性达44%以上,且具有糖基转移酶的保守序列。体外异源表达获得的融合蛋白,具有在花青素类和甜菊醇等糖基受体上转糖基的酶活性。在对一系列不同底物的酶活性进行比较后,推测这种糖基转移酶在体内参与了甜菊糖苷的合成。结果表明,具有广泛的底物活性的类黄酮类糖基转移酶,在甜菊体内不仅对类黄酮转糖基,而且在生成水溶性甜菊糖苷的过程中也扮演重要的角色。     

利用毛细管电泳法分析甜菊糖苷的含量

本文介绍了一种用毛细管区带电泳法筛选甜菊糖苷突变体的有效方法。根据实验结果,优化的电泳条件为：60 mmol/L Tris 硼酸缓冲液(pH 8.0),柱温30℃,工作电压25 kV。优化条件下,甜菊苷(Stevioside)迁移时间的R.S.D为0.45%(15次),且在7.45×10-5～1.74×10-2 mol/L的浓度范围内存在良好的线性关系(r=0.9994),甜菊主要糖苷在5 min内均可实现分离。在优化条件下,本实验研究了低能离子注入后甜菊主要糖苷含量变化,结果令人满意。     

棘孢曲霉转化甜菊糖为甜菊醇及纯化莱鲍迪苷A

【目的】本工作对棘孢曲霉固体发酵抽提酶液转化甜菊糖进行了研究,并对转化产物进行鉴定及纯化分析。【方法】用高效液相色谱、液质联用及红外光谱等方法对转化新产物进行鉴定,对上清液中莱鲍迪苷A(RA)成分进行纯化。【结果】棘孢曲霉酶液在10 h内对甜菊糖中的甜菊苷(SS)、莱鲍迪苷C(RC)进行高效特异性转化,以沉淀的形式析出的转化产物经鉴定为甜菊醇,转化率高达98.0%,分离提纯后纯度为95.2%,回收率达84.0%.由于甜菊醇的沉淀分离,留在溶液中的RA更易被纯化。RA通过树脂吸附分离的回收率为80.5%.【结论】棘孢曲霉酶液对甜菊糖的一次转化可以同时得到甜菊醇和莱鲍迪苷A两种产品,是一种经济高效的工艺。     

甜菊糖苷积累与其生物合成基因表达的关系

为探究甜叶菊叶片中甜菊糖苷积累与其合成途径上关键基因表达的关系,本研究分别检测了鑫丰3号苗期不同冠层和3个不同品种甜叶菊(守田3号、江甜3号、谱星1号)收获期混合叶片样品中多种糖苷的含量,同时定量检测对应样品中甜菊糖苷合成关键基因的表达水平。结果显示,总糖苷在鑫丰3号顶叶中最高,底叶中最低,而多数检测基因(6/8)表达水平也在顶叶最高底叶中最低;单一糖苷甜菊苷在顶叶中积累最高,而其催化酶编码基因Sr UGT74G1表达也在顶叶中最高;莱鲍迪苷A则在底叶中积累最多,其催化酶编码基因Sr UGT76G1表达水平也在底叶中表达最高。3个品种相比,总糖苷和莱鲍迪苷A的积累在江甜3号中最高,谱星1号中最低;甜菊苷的积累在守田3号中最高,江甜3号中最低,但基因表达水平与糖苷积累趋势一致的类似结果并未在不同品种间出现。由此可知,甜菊糖苷合成基因的表达水平可以影响总糖苷的积累,且在同一甜叶菊品种中单一糖苷合成调控基因的表达水平可以反映其调控的单糖苷的积累量。     

Glucosylation of Steviol and Steviol-Glucosides in Extracts from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

To evaluate and characterize stevioside biosynthetic pathway in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni cv Houten, two enzyme fractions that catalyze glucosylation of steviol (ent-13-hydroxy kaur-16-en-19-oic acid) and steviol-glucosides (steviol-13-O-glucopyranoside, steviolbioside and stevioside), utilizing UDP-glucose as the glucose donor, were prepared from the soluble extracts of S. rebaudiana leaves. Enzyme fraction I, passed through DEAE-Toyopearl equilibrated with 50 millimolar K-phosphate pH 7.5, catalyzed the glucosylation to steviol and 19-O-methylsteviol, but not to iso-steviol and 13-O-methylsteviol, indicating that 13-hydroxyl group of the steviol skeleton is glucosylated first from UDP-glucose to produce steviol-13-O-glucopyranoside. Enzyme fraction II, eluted from the DEAE-Toyopearl column with 0.15 molar KCI, catalyzed the glucose transfer from UDP-glucose to steviol-13-O-glucopyranoside, steviolbioside and stevioside, but not to rubusoside (13, 19-di-O-glucopyranoside) and rebaudioside A. The reaction products glucosylated from steviol-13-O-glucopyranoside, steviolbioside and stevioside were identified to be steviolbioside, stevioside and rebaudioside A, respectively. These results indicate that in the steviol-glucoside biosynthetic pathway, steviol-13-O-glucopyranoside produced from the steviol glucosylation is successively glucosylated to steviolbioside, then to stevioside producing rebaudioside A.     

Synthesis and antituberculosis activity of the derivatives of glycoside steviolbioside from the plant Stevia rebaudiana and diterpenoid isosteviol containing hydrazone, hydrazide and pyridinoyl moieties

Conjugates of antitubercular drug Isoniazid (hydrazide of isonicotinic acid), nicotinic and alpha-picolinic acid hydrazides and glycoside steviolbioside from the plant Stevia rebaudiana as well as the product of its acid hydrolysis, diterpenoid isosteviol, were synthesized. Besides, isosteviol hydrazide and hydrazone derivatives as well as conjugates containing two isosteviol moieties connected by dihydrazide linker were also obtained. Both initial compounds and their synthetic derivatives inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv in vitro). The minimum concentration at which the growth of M. tuberculosis was inhibited by 100% (MIC) for stevioside and steviolbioside equals 7.5 and 3.8 microg/mL, respectively. MIC values for conjugates of the hydrazides of pyridine carbonic acids and steviolbioside as well as isosteviol are in the ranges 5-10 and 10-20 microg/mL, respectively. Maximum inhibitory effect against M. tuberculosis showed the conjugates of isosteviol and adipic acid dihydrazide (MIC values ranged from 1.7 to 3.1 microg/mL). Antitubercular activity of the compounds studied is higher than the activity of antitubercular drug Pyrizanamide (MIC = 12.5-20 microg/mL) but lower than the activity of antitubercular drug Isoniazid (MIC = 0.02-0.04 microg/mL).     

Characterization of bacterial mutagenicity mediated by 13-hydroxy-ent-kaurenoic acid (steviol) and several structurally-related derivatives and evaluation of potential to induce glutathione S-transferase in mice

Stevioside is a sweet-tasting diterpene glycoside that is derived from Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni (Compositae). It is used commercially in Japan and other parts of the world as a sucrose substitute. Whereas stevioside demonstrates no mutagenic activity in a variety of test systems, the aglycone, steviol (13-hydroxy-ent-kaurenoic acid), is mutagenic toward Salmonella typhimurium strain TM677 in the presence of a metabolic activating system derived from the liver of Aroclor 1254-pretreated rats. The required activating component is localized in the microsomal fraction of rat liver, suggestive of a cytochrome P-450-mediated reaction. Partially purified epoxide hydrolase does not inhibit steviol-induced mutagenicity, indicating that an active metabolite is not an epoxide that serves as a substrate for this enzyme preparation. The 13-hydroxy group of steviol is required for the expression of mutagenicity since ent-kaurenoic acid is nonmutagenic, and acetylation of steviol at this position negates mutagenicity. Similarly, diterpenes bearing a strong structural resemblance to steviol, cafestol and kahweol, were found to demonstrate no mutagenic activity toward Salmonella typhimurium TM677, as were their respective acetates and palmitic acid esters. Conversely, 19-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl steviol, a potential hydrolysis product of stevioside, is mutagenic and bactericidal in the presence of a metabolic activating system. Additionally, in contrast to the nonmutagenic diterpenes cafestol and kahweol that are effective as inducers of glutathione S-transferase activity, evaluation by administration to mice proved steviol, isosteviol and various steviol glycosides to be inactive in this process. Thus, structural differences among these naturally occurring and semi-synthetic diterpenes appear to impart major differences in biological activity that may relate to human health upon dietary ingestion.     

Metabolism of stevioside by healthy subjects

Stevioside (250-mg capsules) was given thrice daily for 3 days to 10 healthy subjects. Blood samples were collected and blood pressure measured after nocturnal fasting, before and at different time points during the third day of the administration of stevioside. No significant differences were found between the control and the stevioside condition for blood pressure and blood biochemical parameters. The 24-hr urinary volume and urinary excretion of electrolytes were not significantly different. Likewise, no significant difference was found for mean blood glucose and insulin between control and stevioside conditions. Thus, oral stevioside is not directly effective as a hypotensive or hypoglycemic agent in healthy subjects at the dose administered in this study. Stevioside, free steviol, and steviol metabolites were analyzed in blood, feces, and urine after 3 days of stevioside administration. No uptake was found of stevioside by the gastrointestinal tract or the amounts taken up were very low and below the detection limit of the UV detector. Stomach juice did not degrade stevioside. All the stevioside reaching the colon was degraded by micro-organisms into steviol, the only metabolite found in feces. In blood plasma, no stevioside, no free steviol or other free steviol metabolites were found. However, steviol glucuronide (SV glu) was found in maximum concentrations of 33 micro g/ml (21.3 micro g steviol equivalents/ml). In urine, no stevioside or free steviol were present, but SV glu was found in amounts of up to 318 mg/24-hr urine (205 mg steviol equivalents/24 hrs). No other steviol derivatives were detected. In feces, besides free steviol, no other steviol metabolites or conjugates were detected. Steviol was excreted as SV glu in urine.     

Study on the bioactivity of steviol and isosteviol in stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)

Steviol and isosteviol are diterpene metabolites that are produced from a shared biosynthesis pathway with gibberellins in stevia leaves. These compounds share a chemically similar structure with gibberellins. An experiment was conducted to find the bioactivity properties of steviol and isosteviol in stevia. During vegetative growth, external solutions of steviol and isosteviol (1.6 × 10^?5 and 1 × 10^?5 M, respectively) were sprayed on stevia shoots and then the stevia growth and metabolites were assessed. The results showed that the stevia leaf growth was reduced by external application of steviol. The leaf growth was not affected by external isosteviol while the stevia height and stem dry weight significantly increased. The antioxidant capacity and steviol glycosides content were increased by external steviol. Our results implicated that the isosteviol bioactivity is similar to that of gibberellin hormone. On the other hand, steviol induces the antioxidant system and stimulates the steviol glycosides biosynthesis in stevia leaves.     

Synthesis and antituberculosis activity of derivatives of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stevia rebaudiana</Emphasis> glycoside steviolbioside and diterpenoid isosteviol containing hydrazone,hydrazide, and pyridinoyl moieties

Conjugates of the antituberculosis drug isoniazid (isonicotinyl hydrazine) and isomeric hydrazides of nicotinic and α-picolinic acid with glycoside steviolbioside from the Stevia rebaudiana plant and the product of its acid hydrolysis, diterpenoid isosteviol, were synthesized. In addition, isosteviol hydrazide and hydrazone derivatives as well as conjugates containing two isosteviol moieties joined by a dihydrazide linker were obtained. The parental compounds and their synthetic derivatives were found to inhibit the in vitro growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H₃₇R_V). The measured minimal concentrations of stevio-side and steviolbioside, at which the growth of M. tuberculosis was inhibited by 100% (MIC), were 7.5 and 3.8 μg/ml, respectively. MIC values for steviolbioside and isosteviol conjugates with hydrazides of pyridine carbonic acid were within the ranges of 5–10 and 10–20 μg/ml, respectively. The maximal inhibitory effect against M. tuberculosis was shown by the isosteviol conjugates with adipic acid dihydrazide (MIC 1.7 and 3.1 μg/ml). Antituberculosis activities of the tested compounds were higher than the activity of antituberculosis drug Pyrizanamide (MIC 20 μg/ml) but lower than that of antituberculosis drug isoniazid (MIC 0.02–0.04 μg/ml).     

Functional genomics uncovers three glucosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of the major sweet glucosides of Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana leaves accumulate a mixture of at least eight different steviol glycosides. The pattern of glycosylation heavily influences the taste perception of these intensely sweet compounds. The majority of the glycosides are formed by four glucosylation reactions that start with steviol and end with rebaudioside A. The steps involve the addition of glucose to the C-13 hydroxyl of steviol, the transfer of glucose to the C-2' and C-3' of the 13-O-glucose and the addition of glucose to the hydroxyl of the C-4 carboxyl group. We used our collection of ESTs, an UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT)-specific electronic probe and key word searches to identify candidate genes resident in our collection. Fifty-four expressed sequence tags (ESTs) belonging to 17 clusters were found using this procedure. We isolated full length cDNAs for 12 of the UGTs, cloned them into an expression vector, and produced recombinant enzymes in Escherichia coli. An in vitro glucosyltransferase activity enzyme assay was conducted using quercetin, kaempferol, steviol, steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, and stevioside as sugar acceptors, and (14)C-UDP-glucose as the donor. Thin layer chromatography was used to separate the products and three of the recombinant enzymes produced labelled products that co-migrated with known standards. HPLC and LC-ES/MS were then used to further define those reaction products. We determined that steviol UGTs behave in a regioselective manner and propose a modified pathway for the synthesis of rebaudioside A from steviol.     

Cytotoxic and Apoptosis‐Inducing Activities of Steviol and Isosteviol Derivatives against Human Cancer Cell Lines

Seventeen steviol derivatives, i.e., 2 – 18 , and 19 isosteviol derivatives, i.e., 19 – 37 , were prepared from a diterpenoid glycoside, stevioside ( 1 ). Upon evaluation of the cytotoxic activities of these compounds against leukemia (HL60), lung (A549), stomach (AZ521), and breast (SK‐BR‐3) cancer cell lines, nine steviol derivatives, i.e., 5 – 9 and 11 – 14 , and five isosteviol derivatives, i.e., 28 – 32 , exhibited activities with single‐digit micromolar IC₅₀ values against one or more cell lines. All of these active compounds possess C(19)‐O‐acyl group, and among which, ent‐kaur‐16‐ene‐13,19‐diol 19‐O‐4′,4′,4′‐trifluorocrotonate ( 14 ) exhibited potent cytotoxicities against four cell lines with IC₅₀ values in the range of 1.2–4.1 μM . Compound 14 induced typical apoptotic cell death in HL60 cells upon evaluation of the apoptosis‐inducing activity by flow‐cytometric analysis. These results suggested that acylation of the 19‐OH group of kaurane‐ and beyerane‐type diterpenoids might be useful for enhancement of their cytotoxicities with apoptosis‐inducing activity.     

Characterization of a novel steviol-producing β-glucosidase from Penicillium decumbens and optimal production of the steviol

This study aimed to develop an economically viable enzyme for the optimal production of steviol (S) from stevioside (ST). Of 9 commercially available glycosidases tested, S-producing β-glucosidase (SPGase) was selected and purified 74-fold from Penicillium decumbens naringinase by a three-step column chromatography procedure. The 121-kDa protein was stable at pH 2.3–6.0 and at 40–60 °C. Hydrolysis of ST by SPGase produced rubusoside (R), steviolbioside (SteB), steviol mono-glucoside (SMG), and S, as determined by HPLC, HPLC-MS, and ¹H- and ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance. SPGase showed higher activity toward steviol mono-glucosyl ester, ST, R, and SMG than other β-linked glucobioses. The optimal conditions for S production (30 mM, 64 % yield) were 47 mM ST and 43 μl of SPGase at pH 4.0 and 55 °C. This is the first report detailing the production of S from ST hydrolysis by a novel β-glucosidase, which may be useful for the pharmaceutical and agricultural areas.     

Efficient enzymatic production of rebaudioside A from stevioside

Stevioside and rebaudioside A are the chief diterpene glycosides present in the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. Rebaudioside A imparts a desirable sweet taste, while stevioside produces a residual bitter aftertaste. Enzymatic synthesis of rebaudioside A from stevioside can increase the ratio of rebaudioside A to stevioside in steviol glycoside products, providing a conceivable strategy to improve the organoleptic properties of steviol glycoside products. Here, we demonstrate the efficient conversion of stevioside to rebaudioside A by coupling the activities of recombinant UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT76G1 from S. rebaudiana and sucrose synthase AtSUS1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. The conversion occurred via regeneration of UDP-glucose by AtSUS1. UDP was applicable as the initial material instead of UDP-glucose for UDP-glucose recycling. The amount of UDP could be greatly reduced in the reaction mixture. Rebaudioside A yield in 30?h with 2.4?mM stevioside, 7.2?mM sucrose, and 0.006?mM UDP was 78%.