The G4 Gene of Arabidopsis thaliana Encodes a Chlorophyll Synthase of Etiolated Plants

The gene coding for a putative chlorophyll synthase gene (C4) from Arabidopsis thaliana was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and cloned into the expression vector pQE- 31. Lysates of bacteria (E.coli) that had been transformed with this construct were used for in vitro enzymatic assays. The chlorophyll synthase catalyzed esterification of chlorophyllides a and b at the same rate but preferred geranylgeranyl-PP over phytyl-PP. This corresponds to the enzyme specificity previously described for etiolated plants and differed from that of green plants.     

Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA encoding mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase

Sequence comparison with the mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD) amino acid sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae identified an EST clone corresponding to a cDNA that may encode Arabidopsis thaliana MVD (AtMVD1). This enzyme catalyses the synthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate, the building block of sterol and isoprenoid biosynthesis, and uses mevalonate diphosphate as a substrate. Sequencing of the full-length cDNA was performed. The predicted amino acid sequence presents about 55% identity with the yeast, human and rat MVDs. The sequence of the genomic region of A. thaliana MVD was also obtained and Southern blot analysis on genomic DNA showed that A. thaliana could have at least one homologous MVD gene. In order to allow heterologous expression in S. cerevisiae, the MVD open reading frame (ORF) was then cloned under the control of the yeast PMA1 strong promoter. When expressed in yeast, the A. thaliana cDNA complemented both the thermosensitive MN19-34 strain deficient in MVD, and the lethal phenotype of an ERG19 deleted strain. However, the wild-type sterol content was not fully restored suggesting that the A. thaliana MVD activity may not be optimal in yeast. A two-hybrid assay was also performed to evaluate homodimer formation of the A. thaliana MVD and heterodimer formation between the plant and yeast heterologous enzymes.     

牻牛儿基牻牛儿基焦磷酸合酶和紫杉二烯合酶基因在灰盖鬼伞中的组合表达

紫杉二烯是紫杉醇合成途径中的前体物质。紫杉醇是红豆杉的一种重要的次级代谢产物,是一种重要的新型抗癌药物。然而,紫杉醇在植物中含量低且难提取,限制了高效应用。利用基因工程手段,借助担子菌类真菌灰盖鬼伞具有的内源类异戊二烯合成途径,构建含有牻牛儿基牻牛儿基焦磷酸(Geranylgeranyl diphosphate,GGPP)合酶和紫杉二烯合酶的融合基因表达载体p Bg GGTS和独立表达盒表达载体p Bg GGg TS,并分别转入灰盖鬼伞LT2菌株中,经过选择性筛选、PCR鉴定、Southern blotting杂交验证,分别获得了5株融合表达的灰盖鬼伞工程菌和5株独立表达盒的灰盖鬼伞工程菌株。各随机挑选了1株工程菌株,分别提取菌丝体和发酵液分析。GC-MS分析表明,两种工程菌株与原出发菌株的菌丝提取物无明显差异峰,而与出发菌株的发酵液提取物相比,两种转基因灰盖鬼伞的发酵液中均出现了明显的差异峰,采用GC-MS特征质量离子分析方法判定为紫杉二烯,分别为44 ng/L(转化p Bg GGg TS)和30 ng/L(转化p Bg GGTS)。结果表明,通过在灰盖鬼伞融合基因或各自独立表达的形式共表达ggpps和ts基因,可以生物合成紫杉二烯。     

A New Form of Structural Peptidoglycan in Selenomonas ruminantium: Existence of Polyamine in Peptidoglycan

The chemical constituents of calluses of Thujopsis dolabrata (Hiba), Chamaecyparis obtusa (Hinoki), Chamaecyparis pisifera (Sawara), and Platycladus orientalis (Konotegashiwa), all of which belong to Cupressaceae, were examined by GC analysis. The main components of these calluses were diterpenoids of an abietane-type and sitosterol in common, while the chemical constituents of these parent plants were different from each other.     

The first prenylation step in hyperforin biosynthesis

Prenylation reactions contribute considerably to the diversity of natural products. Polyprenylated secondary metabolites include hyperforin which is both quantitatively and pharmacologically a major constituent of the medicinal plant Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort). Cell cultures of the related species Hypericum calycinum were found to contain a prenyltransferase activity which is likely to catalyze the first prenylation step in hyperforin biosynthesis. The enzyme was soluble and dependent on a divalent cation, with Fe2+ leading to maximum activity (Km=3.8 mM). The preferred prenyl donor was DMAPP (Km=0.46 mM) and the preferred prenyl acceptor was phlorisobutyrophenone (Km=0.52 mM). A broad pH optimum from 6.5 to 8.5 and a temperature optimum from 35 to 40 degrees C were observed. The formation of hyperforins in H. calycinum cell cultures was preceded by an increase in dimethylallyltransferase activity, with the maximum specific activity being 3.6 microkat/kg protein.     

Membrane-bound geranylgeranyl diphosphate phosphatases: purification and characterization from Croton stellatopilosus leaves

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate phosphatase is an enzyme catalyzing the dephosphorylation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) to form geranylgeraniol (GGOH). The enzyme activity of GGPP phosphatase was detected in leaves of Croton stellatopilosus, a Thai medicinal plant containing plaunotol, a commercial anti-peptic acyclic diterpenoid. Enzymological studies of GGPP phosphatase in C. stellatopilosis leaves revealed that the enzyme is a membrane-bound protein that could be removed from 20,000g pellet by 0.1% Triton X-100 without significant loss of enzyme activity. The solubilized enzyme preparation was separated into two activity peaks, PI and PII, by BioGel A gel filtration chromatography. PI and PII were both partially purified and characterized. PI appeared to be a tetrameric enzyme with its native molecular mass of 232kDa and subunit size of 58kDa, whereas PII was a monomeric enzyme with a molecular mass of 30-34kDa. Both phosphatases utilized GGPP as the preferred substrate over farnesyl and geranyl diphosphates. The apparent K(m) values for GGPP of PI and PII appeared to be 0.2 and 0.1mM, respectively. Both activities were Mg(2+) independent and exhibited slightly acidic pH optima, 6.0-6.5 for PI and 6.5-7.0 for PII. The catalytic activities of PII was strongly inhibited by 1.0mM of Zn(2+), Mn(2+) and Co(2+), whereas that of PI was not affected. Both enzyme preparations were very stable upon storage at -20 degrees C for 45 days without significant loss of phosphatase activity. The presence of GGPP phosphatase enzymes in C. stellatopilosus is consistent with its putative involvement in the biosynthetic pathway of plaunotol although whether PI or PII is the actual enzyme involved in the pathway remains to be clarified.     

ggpps 5'-侧翼序列的克隆及其启动子功能验证

目的:研究牻牛儿基牻牛儿基焦磷酸合成酶(geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase,GGPPs)基因启动子的活性;方法:从曼地亚红豆杉细胞中克隆ggpps基因5'-侧翼序列,并将该侧翼序列代替pBI121质粒上的CaMV35S启动子,以Gus基因作为报告基因构建植物表达载体,并进一步导入农杆菌LBA4404中获得阳性转化子,然后用叶盘转化法验证该侧翼序列的启动子活性;结果:本研究从曼地亚红豆杉细胞中成功克隆了ggpps基因的5'-侧翼序列,并且验证了该侧翼序列具有启动子活性;结论:ggpps基因的5'-侧翼序列的测序结果表明本实验成功克隆了该侧翼序列,启动子功能验证结果表明ggpps 5'-侧翼序列具有启动子活性,这些结果为进一步的通过缺失法进行ggpps基因启动子功能研究奠定了基础.     

紫杉醇生物合成酶的研究进展

抗癌药紫杉醇是具有萜类环状结构的天然次生代谢产物.研究紫杉醇生物合成酶,特别是其合成关键酶,将为利用基因工程手段大量生产紫杉醇打下基础.对紫杉醇生物合成过程中参与酶的研究进展作一综述.     

ggpps 5′-侧翼序列的克隆及其启动子功能验证

目的：研究栊牛儿基栊牛儿基焦磷酸合成酶（geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase,GGPPs）基因启动子的活性;方法：从曼地亚红豆杉细胞中克隆ggpps基因5′-侧翼序列,并将该侧翼序列代替pBI121质粒上的CaMV35S启动子,以Gus基因作为报告基因构建植物表达载体,并进一步导入农杆菌LBA4404中获得阳性转化子,然后用叶盘转化法验证该侧翼序列的启动子活性;结果：本研究从曼地亚红豆杉细胞中成功克隆了ggpps基因的5′-侧翼序列,并且验证了该侧翼序列具有启动子活性;结论：ggpps基因的5′-侧翼序列的测序结果表明本实验成功克隆了该侧翼序列,启动子功能验证结果表明ggpps 5′-侧翼序列具有启动子活性,这些结果为进一步的通过缺失法进行ggpps基因启动子功能研究奠定了基础。