BAHD superfamily of acyl-CoA dependent acyltransferases in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>: bioinformatics and gene expression

Plant acyl-CoA dependent acyltransferases constitute a large specific protein superfamily, named BAHD. Using the conserved sequence motifs of BAHD members, we searched the genome sequences of Populus and Arabidopsis, and identified, respectively, 94- and 61-putative genes. Subsequently, we analyzed the phylogeny, gene structure, and chromosomal distribution of BAHD members of both species; then, we profiled expression patterns of BAHD genes by “in silico” northern- and microarray-analyses based on public databases, and by RT-PCR. While our genomic- and bioinformatic- analyses provided full sets of BAHD superfamily genes, and cleaned up a few existing annotation errors, importantly it led to our recognizing several unique Arabidopsis BAHD genes that inversely overlapped with their neighboring genes on the genome, and disclosing a potential natural anti-sense regulation for gene expressions. Systemic gene-expression profiling of BAHD members revealed distinct tissue-specific/preferential expression patterns, indicating their diverse biological functions. Our study affords a strong knowledge base for understanding BAHD members’ evolutionary relationships and gene functions implicated in plant growth, development and metabolism. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Synthesis and Use of New Semispecific Substrates for Trypsin-Catalyzed Peptide Bond Formation

Two series of semispecific acyl donors, hydroxyalkyl esters of Z-Ala-OH and TV-modified carboxamidomethyl (Cam) esters of Z-Xaa-OH (Xaa = Ala, Leu, Phe) were synthesized as substrates for trypsin-catalyzed peptide synthesis. It follows from the specificity constants of these compounds, that the carboxamidomethyl derivatives are well accepted by trypsin due to favourable S₂′ – P₂′ interactions. These new substrates can be successfully used for the trypsin-mediated formation of dipeptide amides. The synthesis outcome depends on the amino acid in the P₁ position, the ability of the leaving group to provide efficient interactions with the enzyme subsite and the hydrophobicity of the nucleophilic amino acid amide. The modified Cam esters give better peptide yields in comparison to the unmodified ones.     

Substrate interaction with recombinant amidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa during biocatalysis

The interaction of a variety of substrates with Pseudomonas aeruginosa native amidase (E.C. 3.5.1.4), overproduced in an Escherichia coli strain, was investigated using difference FTIR spectroscopy. The amides used as substrates showed an increase in hydrogen bonding upon association in multimers, which was not seen with esters. Evidence for an overall reduction or weakening of hydrogen bonding while amide and ester substrates are interacting with the enzyme is presented. The results describe a spectroscopic approach for analysis of substrate–amidase interaction and in situ monitoring of the hydrolysis and transferase reaction when amides or esters are used as substrates.     

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of (R)‐ and (S)‐ricinoleic acid amides and their acetates

An environment‐friendly, free of solvent, process for the synthesis of (R )‐ and (S )‐ricinoleic acid amides has been developed. Starting from methyl ricinoleates and pyrrolidine or ethanolamine, the corresponding amides were obtained with yields ranging from 83–88%. Among 12 synthesized derivatives of ricinoleic acid, including the starting methyl esters, amides, and their acetates, nine compounds were obtained and tested for the first time. Studies on ricinoleic acid derivatives cytotoxicity showed that methyl esters were the least cytotoxic compounds and modification of their structure resulted in increasing cytotoxicity of the obtained products against both cancer cells and normal lymphocytes. Both enantiomers of the ethanolamine‐derived amides showed the most promising anticancer potential.     

The Synthesis of Some 5-Vinyluracil-Nucleoside Analogues

Abstract

The reaction of 5-iodouridine with esters of acrylic acid in the palladium-catalysed Heck reaction was used to generate a series of esters of the acid (E) -5- (2-carboxyvinyl)uridine in poor to moderate yield. An alternative method starts from the acid by protection of the sugar moiety followed by in situ generation of the acid chloride then ester formation followed by simultaneous sugar deprotection. Treatment of the methyl ester with ammonia and methylamine gave the corresponding amides, while treatment with dimethylamine gave 5-(1-dimethylamino-2-carboxy)ethyluridine as the major product.     

A Novel Polyamine Acyltransferase Responsible for the Accumulation of Spermidine Conjugates in Arabidopsis Seed

Hydroxycinnamic acid amides are a class of secondary metabolites distributed widely in plants. We have identified two sinapoyl spermidine derivatives, N-((4′-O-glycosyl)-sinapoyl),N′-sinapoylspermidine and N,N′-disinapoylspermidine, which comprise the two major polyamine conjugates that accumulate in Arabidopsis thaliana seed. Using metabolic profiling of knockout mutants to elucidate the functions of members of the BAHD acyltransferase family in Arabidopsis, we have also identified two genes encoding spermidine disinapoyl transferase (SDT) and spermidine dicoumaroyl transferase (SCT) activities. At2g23510, which is expressed mainly in seeds, encodes a spermidine sinapoyl CoA acyltransferase (SDT) that is required for the production of disinapoyl spermidine and its glucoside in Arabidopsis seed. The structurally related BAHD enzyme encoded by At2g25150 is expressed specifically in roots and has spermidine coumaroyl CoA acyltransferase (SCT) activity both in vitro and in vivo.     

Aminolysis of 2-hydroxy esters catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase

Candida antarctica lipase catalyzed the aminolysis of 2-hydroxy esters with amines in organic solvents to yield the corresponding 2-hydroxy amides. The reactions proceeded at 28–30 °C in dioxane for 6 h with 3 mM substrates with yields ranging between 45% (w/w) (for branched substrates) to 88% (w/w) (for linear substrates). Although the reaction was not enantioselective, because of its simplicity it represents an alternative method for the synthesis of functionalised amides.     

Longer tongues and swifter handling: why do more bumble bees (Bombus spp.) than honey bees (Apis mellifera) forage on lavender (Lavandula spp.)?

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Convenient solid phase synthesis method for the preparation of cysteine C-terminally derivatized peptides

Summary This paper describes a novel solid phase peptide synthesis method for the systematic C-terminal modification of cysteine-containing peptides. In this method, cysteine is linked to chloromethylated polystyrene resin by its thiol functionality, followed by protection of the N-terminus and derivatization of the carboxylic acid to esters or amides. We report here on examples of the methodology and its application to the synthesis of Ac-Asp-cyclo(Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys)-NHBzl, a cyclic peptide amide. The method has been applied to the synthesis of complex esters as well as amides.Abbreviations Ac acetyl - AcN acetonitrile - Ac₂O acetic anhydride - AcOH acetic acid - Boc t-butyloxycarbonyl - BOP benzotriazol-1-yl-oxy-tris-(dimethylamino)-phosphonium hexafluorophosphate - Bzl benzyl - cHex cyclohexyl - DBU 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene - DCC N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide - DCM dichloromethane - DIEA diisopropylethylamine - DMF dimethylformamide - DMS dimethylsulfide - HOB 1-hydroxybenzotriazole - MBzl 4-methyl benzyl - MeOH methanol - TEA triethylamine - TEAP triethylammonium phosphate - TFA trifluoroacetic acid     

Purification and properties of an enantioselective and thermoactive amidase from the thermophilic actinomycete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudonocardia thermophila</Emphasis>

A constitutively expressed thermoactive amidase from the thermophilic actinomycete Pseudonocardia thermophila was purified to homogeneity by applying hydrophobic interaction, anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography, giving a yield of 26% and a specific activity of 19.5 units mg^–1. The purified enzyme has an estimated molecular mass of 108 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.2. The amidase is active at a broad pH range (pH 4–9) and temperature range (40–80°C) and has a half-life of 1.2 h at 70°C. Inhibition of enzyme activity was observed in the presence of metal ions, such as Co²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and thiol reagents. The amidase has a broad substrate spectrum, including aliphatic, aromatic and amino acid amides. The presence of a double bond or a methyl group near the carboxamide group of aliphatic and amino acid amides enhances the enzymatic activity. Among aromatic amides with substitutions at the o-, m-, or p-position, the p-substituted amides are the preferred substrates. The highest acyl transferase activity was detected with hexanoamide, isobutyramide and propionamide. The K_m values for propionamide, methacrylamide, benzamide and 2-phenylpropionamide are 7.4, 9.2, 4.9 and 0.9 mM, respectively. The amidase is highly S-stereoselective for 2-phenylpropionamide; and the racemic amide was converted to the corresponding S-acid with an enantiomeric excess of >95% at 50% conversion of the substrate. In contrast, the d,l-tryptophanamide and d,l-methioninamide were converted to the corresponding d,l-acids at the same rate. This thermostable enzyme represents the first reported amidase from a thermophilic actinomycete.     

Rosmarinic acid synthase is a new member of the superfamily of BAHD acyltransferases

Purification of rosmarinic acid synthase (hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:hydroxyphenyllactate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase) from suspension cells of Coleus blumei Benth. (Lamiaceae) by fractionated ammonium sulphate precipitation, hydrophobic interaction chromatography and two affinity chromatography steps led to the identification of peptide sequences, which enabled a PCR-based approach to isolate the full-length cDNA encoding this enzyme. The open reading frame of the cDNA had a length of 1290 base pairs encoding a protein of 430 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 47,932 Da with typical characteristics of an acyltransferase of the BAHD superfamily. The cDNA was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme displayed the activity of rosmarinic acid synthase using 4-coumaroyl- and caffeoyl-coenzyme A and 4-hydroxyphenyllactate as well as 3.4-dihydroxyphenyllactate as substrates. Shikimic acid and quinic acid were not able to serve as hydroxycinnamoyl acceptors. This therefore is the first report of the cDNA-cloning of a rosmarinic acid synthase.     

Engineering a bacterial platform for total biosynthesis of caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides

Caffeic acid has been widely recognized as a versatile pharmacophore for synthesis of new chemical entities, among which caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides are the most extensively-investigated bioactive compounds with potential therapeutical applications. However, the natural biosynthetic routes for caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters or amides remain enigmatic, limiting their bio-based production. Herein, product-directed design of biosynthetic schemes allowed the development of thermodynamically favorable pathways for these compounds via acyltransferase (ATF) mediated trans-esterification. Production based screening identified a microbial O-ATF from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a plant N-ATF from Capsicum annuum capable of forming caffeic acid derived esters and amides, respectively. Subsequent combinatorial incorporation of caffeic acid with various aromatic alcohol or amine biosynthetic pathways permitted the de novo bacterial production of a panel of caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters or amides in Escherichia coli for the first time. Particularly, host strain engineering via systematic knocking out endogenous caffeoyl-CoA degrading thioesterase and pathway optimization via titrating co-substrates enabled production enhancement of five caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides, with titers ranging from 9.2 to 369.1 mg/L. This platform expanded the capabilities of bacterial production of high-value natural aromatic esters and amides from renewable carbon source via tailoring non-natural biosynthetic pathways.     

The Carboxylesterase Gene Family from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Carboxylesterases hydrolyze esters of short-chain fatty acids and have roles in animals ranging from signal transduction to xenobiotic detoxification. In plants, however, little is known of their roles. We have systematically mined the genome from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana for carboxylesterase genes and studied their distribution in the genome and expression profile across a range of tissues. Twenty carboxylesterase genes (AtCXE) were identified. The AtCXE family shares conserved sequence motifs and secondary structure characteristics with carboxylesterases and other members of the larger / hydrolase fold superfamily of enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis of the AtCXE genes together with other plant carboxylesterases distinguishes seven distinct clades, with an Arabidopsis thaliana gene represented in six of the seven clades. The AtCXE genes are widely distributed across the genome (present in four of five chromosomes), with the exception of three clusters of tandemly duplicated genes. Of the interchromosomal duplication events, two have been mediated through newly identified partial chromosomal duplication events that also include other genes surrounding the AtCXE loci. Eighteen of the 20 AtCXE genes are expressed over a broad range of tissues, while the remaining 2 (unrelated) genes are expressed only in the flowers and siliques. Finally, hypotheses for the functional roles of the AtCXE family members are presented based on the phylogenetic relationships with other plant carboxylesterases of known function, their expression profile, and knowledge of likely esterase substrates found in plants.     

FaGT2: a multifunctional enzyme from strawberry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fragaria</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">ananassa</Emphasis>) fruits involved in the metabolism of natural and xenobiotic compounds

Fragaria × ananassa UDP-glucose:cinnamate glucosyltransferase (FaGT2) catalyzes the formation of cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid glucose esters during strawberry fruit ripening. Here, the ripening and oxidative stress induced enzyme was further characterized by testing a range of structurally different substrates of natural and unnatural origin in vitro and comparing their kinetic parameters to elucidate its additional biological functions. The accepted substrates ranged from derivatives of cinnamic acid and benzoic acid to heterocyclic and aliphatic compounds resulting in the formation of O- and S-glucose esters, as well as O-glucosides. In planta assays confirmed the formation of glucose derivatives after injection of the substrates into strawberry fruits. Common chemical and structural features required for activity were the easy subtraction of a proton from the glucosylation site and the conjugation of the formed anion with π-electrons as best realized in the simplest substrate sorbic acid. In addition to cinnamic acid, the natural compounds anthranilic acid, trans-2-hexenoic acid, nicotinic acid and 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3[2H]-furanone were glucosylated in vitro. But FaGT2 was also capable of efficiently converting xenobiotic substances like the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenol and the herbicide analogue 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The results suggest that FaGT2 is involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics in accordance to its induction by oxidative stress. GenBank Accession number of FaGT2: AY663785.     

Perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) leaves contain hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:tartaric acid hydroxycinnamoyl transferase activity and accumulate hydroxycinnamoyl-tartaric acid esters

Many plants accumulate hydroxycinnamoyl esters to protect against abiotic and biotic stresses. Caffeoyl esters in particular can be substrates for endogenous polyphenol oxidases (PPOs). Recently, we showed that perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) leaves contain PPO and identified one PPO substrate, caftaric acid (trans-caffeoyl-tartaric acid). Additional compounds were believed to be cis- and trans-p-coumaroyl tartaric acid and cis- and trans-feruloyl-tartaric acid, but lack of standards prevented definitive identifications. Here we characterize enzymatic activities in peanut leaves to understand how caftaric acid and related hydroxycinnamoyl esters are made in this species. We show that peanut leaves contain a hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:tartaric acid hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HTT) activity capable of transferring p-coumaroyl, caffeoyl, and feruloyl moieties from CoA to tartaric acid (specific activities of 11 ± 2.8, 8 ± 1.8, 4 ± 0.8 pkat mg^?1 crude protein, respectively). The HTT activity was used to make cis- and trans-p-coumaroyl- and -feruloyl-tartaric acid in vitro. These products allowed definitive identification of the corresponding cis- and trans-hydroxycinnamoyl esters extracted from leaves. We tentatively identified sinapoyl-tartaric acid as another major phenolic compound in peanut leaves that likely participates in secondary reactions with PPO-generated quinones. These results suggest hydroxycinnamoyl-tartaric acid esters are made by an acyltransferase, possibly a BAHD family member, in perennial peanut. Identification of a gene encoding HTT and further characterization of the enzyme will aid in identifying determinants of donor and acceptor substrate specificity for this important class of biosynthetic enzymes. An HTT gene could also provide a means by genetic engineering for producing caffeoyl- and other hydroxycinnamoyl-tartaric acid esters in forage crops that lack them.     

Synthetic esters recognized by glucuronoyl esterase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizophyllum commune</Emphasis>

Glucuronoyl esterase is a novel carbohydrate esterase recently discovered in the cellulolytic system of the wood-rotting fungus Schizophyllum commune on the basis of its ability to hydrolyze methyl ester of 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid. This substrate was not fully corresponding to the anticipated function of the enzyme to hydrolyze esters between xylan-bound 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid and lignin alcohols occurring in plant cell walls. In this work we showed that the enzyme was capable of hydrolyzing two synthetic compounds that mimic the ester linkages described in lignin-carbohydrate complexes, esters of 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic and d-glucuronic acid with 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propyl alcohol. A comparison of kinetics of hydrolysis of methyl and 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propyl esters indicated that the glucuronoyl esterase recognizes the uronic acid part of the substrates better than the alcohol type. The catalytic efficiency of the enzyme was much higher with the ester of 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid than with that of d-glucuronic acid. Examination of the action of glucuronoyl esterase on a series of methyl esters of 4-O-methyl-d-glucopyranuronosyl residues α-1,2-linked to xylose and several xylooligosaccharides suggested that the rate of deesterification is independent of the character of the carbohydrate part glycosylated by the 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid.