The stereospecific biosynthesis of phytoene and polyunsaturated carotenes

1. The incorporation of [2-(14)C,(5R)-5-(3)H(1)]mevalonic acid and [2-(14)C,5-(3)H(2)]-mevalonic acid into phytoene, phytofluene, zeta-carotene, neurosporene, alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-carotene and lycopene by slices of fruit from two tomato mutants (delta and tangerine) and into alpha- and beta-carotene by bean leaves has been studied. 2. In the formation of phytoene, all the pro-R-hydrogen atoms from C-5 of mevalonic acid are retained whereas two pro-S-hydrogen atoms are lost. 3. Possible mechanisms for the condensation of two molecules of all-trans-geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate are outlined. 4. In each dehydrogenation step from phytoene to the fully unsaturated carotenes, one pro-R-hydrogen atom from C-5 of mevalonic acid is lost, indicating that the sequential dehydrogenation is stereospecific and in the same sense at each step.     

The biosynthesis and nutritional uses of carotenoids

Carotenoids are isoprenoid molecules that are widespread in nature and are typically seen as pigments in fruits, flowers, birds and crustacea. Animals are unable to synthesise carotenoids de novo, and rely upon the diet as a source of these compounds. Over recent years there has been considerable interest in dietary carotenoids with respect to their potential in alleviating age-related diseases in humans. This attention has been mirrored by significant advances in cloning most of the carotenoid genes and in the genetic manipulation of crop plants with the intention of increasing levels in the diet. The aim of this article is to review our current understanding of carotenoid formation, to explain the perceived benefits of carotenoids in the diet and review the efforts that have been made to increase carotenoids in certain crop plants.     

A yeast strain that uses D-galacturonic acid as a substrate for L-ascorbic acid biosynthesis

Summary The bioconversion of D-galacturonic acid to L-ascorbic acid was demonstrated in a new yeast strain isolated from the Japanese Crystal. Both intact cells and a crude mitochondrial extract yielded L-ascorbic acid when D-galacturonic acid was present.     

Structure-Function Analyses of Cytochrome P450revI Involved in Reveromycin A Biosynthesis and Evaluation of the Biological Activity of Its Substrate,Reveromycin T

Numerous cytochrome P450s are involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The biosynthetic gene cluster for reveromycin A (RM-A), which is a promising lead compound with anti-osteoclastic activity, also includes a P450 gene, revI. To understand the roles of P450revI, we comprehensively characterized the enzyme by genetic, kinetic, and structural studies. The revI gene disruptants (ΔrevI) resulted in accumulation of reveromycin T (RM-T), and revI gene complementation restored RM-A production, indicating that the physiological substrate of P450revI is RM-T. Indeed, the purified P450revI catalyzed the C18-hydroxylation of RM-T more efficiently than the other RM derivatives tested. Moreover, the 1.4 Å resolution co-crystal structure of P450revI with RM-T revealed that the substrate binds the enzyme with a folded compact conformation for C18-hydroxylation. To address the structure-enzyme activity relationship, site-directed mutagenesis was performed in P450revI. R190A and R81A mutations, which abolished salt bridge formation with C1 and C24 carboxyl groups of RM-T, respectively, resulted in significant loss of enzyme activity. The interaction between Arg¹⁹⁰ and the C1 carboxyl group of RM-T elucidated why P450revI was unable to catalyze both RM-T 1-methyl ester and RM-T 1-ethyl ester. Moreover, the accumulation of RM-T in ΔrevI mutants enabled us to characterize its biological activity. Our results show that RM-T had stronger anticancer activity and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase inhibition than RM-A. However, RM-T showed much less anti-osteoclastic activity than RM-A, indicating that hemisuccinate moiety is important for the activity. Structure-based P450revI engineering for novel hydroxylation and subsequent hemisuccinylation will help facilitate the development of RM derivatives with anti-osteoclast activity.     

The stereospecific interaction between chlorophylls and chlorophyllase. Possible implication for chlorophyll biosynthesis and degradation.

Chlorophyllase-catalyzed hydrolysis and esterification of chlorophylls, bacteriochlorophylls, and their free acids, respectively, depend on the configuration around the C-13(2) atom of the corresponding substrate. The data suggest that the enzyme interacts preferentially with compounds having the isocyclic carbomethoxy and the C-17 propionic residues facing opposite sides of the porphyrin macrocycle. The relevance of this observation to chlorophyll biosynthesis and degradation in vivo is briefly discussed.     

A ketosynthase homolog uses malonyl units to form esters in cervimycin biosynthesis

Ketosynthases produce the carbon backbones of a vast number of biologically active polyketides by catalyzing Claisen condensations of activated acyl and malonyl building blocks. Here we report that a ketosynthase homolog from Streptomyces tendae, CerJ, unexpectedly forms malonyl esters during the biosynthesis of cervimycin, a glycoside antibiotic against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Deletion of cerJ yielded a substantially more active cervimycin variant lacking the malonyl side chain, and in vitro biotransformations revealed that CerJ is capable of transferring malonyl, methylmalonyl and dimethylmalonyl units onto the glycoside. According to phylogenetic analyses and elucidation of the crystal structure, CerJ is functionally and structurally positioned between the ketosynthase catalyzing Claisen condensations and acyl-ACP shuttles, and it features a noncanonical catalytic triad. Site-directed mutagenesis and structures of CerJ in complex with substrates not only allowed us to establish a model for the reaction mechanism but also provided insights into the evolution of this important subclass of the thiolase superfamily.     

Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate

Archaea have been shown to produce isoprenoids from mevalonate; however, genome analysis has failed to identify several genes in the mevalonate pathway on the basis of sequence similarity. A predicted archaeal kinase, coded for by the MJ0044 gene, was associated with other mevalonate pathway genes in the archaea and was predicted to be the "missing" phosphomevalonate kinase. The MJ0044-derived protein was tested for phosphomevalonate kinase activity and was found not to catalyze this reaction. The MJ0044 gene product was found to phosphorylate isopentenyl phosphate, generating isopentenyl diphosphate. Unlike other known kinases associated with isoprene biosynthesis, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii isopentenyl phosphate kinase is predicted to be a member of the aspartokinase superfamily.     

The stereospecific removal of a C-19 hydrogen atom in oestrogen biosynthesis

1. The synthesis of a number of 19-substituted androgens is described. 2. A method for the partially stereospecific introduction of a tritium label at C-19 in 19-hydroxyandrost-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol was developed. The 19-(3)H-labelled triol produced by reduction of 19-oxoandrost-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol with tritiated sodium borohydride is tentatively formulated as 19-hydroxy[(19-R)-19-(3)H]androst-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol and the 19-(3)H-labelled triol produced by reduction of 19-oxo[19-(3)H]-androst-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol with sodium borohydride as 19-hydroxy[(19-S)-19-(3)H]-androst-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol. 3. In the conversion of the (19-R)-19-(3)H-labelled compound into oestrogen by a microsomal preparation from human term placenta more radioactivity was liberated in formic acid (61.6%) than in water (38.4%). In a parallel experiment with the (19-S)-19-(3)H-labelled compound the order of radioactivity was reversed: formic acid (23.4%), water (76.2%). 4. These observations are interpreted in terms of the removal of the 19-S-hydrogen atom in the conversion of a 19-hydroxy androgen into a 19-oxo androgen during oestrogen biosynthesis. 5. It is suggested that the removal of C-19 in oestrogen biosynthesis occurs compulsorily at the oxidation state of a 19-aldehyde with the liberation of formic acid.     

Proof that the ACTVI genetic region of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is involved in stereospecific pyran ring formation in the biosynthesis of actinorhodin

Pyran ring formation in the biosynthesis of actinorhodin in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was studied using the act cluster deficient strain, CH999, carrying pRM5-based plasmids harbouring combinations of the actVI genes. The strain, CH999/pIJ5660 (pRM5 + actVI-ORF1), produced a chiral intermediate, (S)-DNPA, suggesting that the actVI-ORF1 product is a reductase determining the C-3 stereochemical centre.     

Methanococcus jannaschii uses a pyruvoyl-dependent arginine decarboxylase in polyamine biosynthesis

The genome sequence of the hyperthermophilic methanogen Methanococcus jannaschii contains homologs of most genes required for spermidine polyamine biosynthesis. Yet genomes from neither this organism nor any other euryarchaeon have orthologs of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent ornithine or arginine decarboxylase genes, required to produce putrescine. Instead, as shown here, these organisms have a new class of arginine decarboxylase (PvlArgDC) formed by the self-cleavage of a proenzyme into a 5-kDa subunit and a 12-kDa subunit that contains a reactive pyruvoyl group. Although this extremely thermostable enzyme has no significant sequence similarity to previously characterized proteins, conserved active site residues are similar to those of the pyruvoyl-dependent histidine decarboxylase enzyme, and its subunits form a similar (alphabeta)(3) complex. Homologs of PvlArgDC are found in several bacterial genomes, including those of Chlamydia spp., which have no agmatine ureohydrolase enzyme to convert agmatine (decarboxylated arginine) into putrescine. In these intracellular pathogens, PvlArgDC may function analogously to pyruvoyl-dependent histidine decarboxylase; the cells are proposed to import arginine and export agmatine, increasing the pH and affecting the host cell's metabolism. Phylogenetic analysis of Pvl- ArgDC proteins suggests that this gene has been recruited from the euryarchaeal polyamine biosynthetic pathway to function as a degradative enzyme in bacteria.     

A potato skin SSH library yields new candidate genes for suberin biosynthesis and periderm formation

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers are underground storage organs covered by the skin or periderm, a suberized layer that protects inner flesh from dehydration and pathogens. Understanding the molecular processes associated with periderm formation is of great importance for a better knowledge of this protective tissue and for improving the storage life of tubers. Here, to isolate new candidate genes for potato periderm, a suppression subtractive hybridization library from potato skin was performed. This library yielded a comprehensive list of 108 candidate genes that were manually sorted in functional categories according to the main cellular and metabolic processes in periderm. As expected, the list contains Suberin and wax genes, including some genes with a demonstrated role in the biosynthesis of these cell wall aliphatic compounds. Moreover, Regulation and Stress and defence genes are highly abundant in the library in general agreement with previous potato skin proteomic studies. The putative function of the genes in periderm is discussed.     

A potential role for fatty acid biosynthesis genes during molting and cuticle formation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans undergoes a developmental molting process that involves a coordinated interplay among diverse intracellular pathways. Here, we investigated the functions of two fatty acid biosynthesis genes; pod-2, encoding acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fasn-1, encoding fatty acid synthase, in the C. elegans molting process. Although both the pod-2 and fasn-1 genes were expressed at constant levels throughout C. elegans development, knockdown of the proteins encoded by these genes using RNA interference produced severe defects in triglyceride production, molting, and reproduction that were coupled to suppression of NAS-37, a metalloprotease. An assessment of the structure and integrity of the cuticle using a COL-19::GFP marker and Hoechst 33258 staining showed that downregulation of either pod-2 or fasn-1 impaired cuticle formation and disrupted the integrity of the cuticle and the hypodermal membrane.     

A novel biosynthetic pathway providing precursors for fatty acid biosynthesis and secondary metabolite formation in myxobacteria

Short chain carboxylic acids are well known as the precursors of fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis. Iso-fatty acids, which are important for the control of membrane fluidity, are formed from branched chain starter units (isovaleryl-CoA and isobutyryl-CoA), which in turn are derived from the degradation of leucine and valine, respectively. Branched chain carboxylic acids are also employed as starter molecules for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, e.g. the therapeutically important anthelmintic agent avermectin or the electron transport inhibitor myxothiazol. During our studies on myxothiazol biosynthesis in the myxobacterium, Stigmatella aurantiaca, we detected a novel biosynthetic route to isovaleric acid. After cloning and inactivation of the branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase complex, which is responsible for the degradation of branched chain amino acids, the strain is still able to produce iso-fatty acids and myxothiazol. Incorporation studies employing deuterated leucine show that it can only serve as precursor in the wild type strain but not in the esg mutant. Feeding experiments using (13)C-labeled precursors show that isovalerate is efficiently made from acetate, giving rise to a labeling pattern in myxothiazol that provides evidence for a novel branch of the mevalonate pathway involving the intermediate 3,3-dimethylacryloyl-CoA. 3,3-Dimethylacrylic acid was synthesized in deuterated form and fed to the esg mutant, resulting in strong incorporation into myxothiazol and iso-fatty acids. Similar experiments employing Myxococcus xanthus revealed that the discovered biosynthetic route described is present in other myxobacteria as well.     

Functional complementation of pyran ring formation in actinorhodin biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) by ketoreductase genes for granaticin biosynthesis

A mutation in actVI-ORF1, which controls C-3 reduction in actinorhodin biosynthesis by Streptomyces coelicolor, was complemented by gra-ORF5 and -ORF6 from the granaticin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces violaceoruber Tü22. It is hypothesized that, while gra-ORF5 alone is a ketoreductase for C-9, gra-ORF6 gives the enzyme regiospecificity also for C-3.     

Aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster gene cypA is required for G aflatoxin formation

Aspergillus flavus isolates produce only aflatoxins B1 and B2, while Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus nomius produce aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. Sequence comparison of the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway gene cluster upstream from the polyketide synthase gene, pksA, revealed that A. flavus isolates are missing portions of genes (cypA and norB) predicted to encode, respectively, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and an aryl alcohol dehydrogenase. Insertional disruption of cypA in A. parasiticus yielded transformants that lack the ability to produce G aflatoxins but not B aflatoxins. The enzyme encoded by cypA has highest amino acid identity to Gibberella zeae Tri4 (38%), a P450 monooxygenase previously shown to be involved in trichodiene epoxidation. The substrate for CypA may be an intermediate formed by oxidative cleavage of the A ring of O-methylsterigmatocystin by OrdA, the P450 monooxygenase required for formation of aflatoxins B1 and B2.     

Naphthaquinone biosynthesis in moulds: the mechanism for formation of javanicin

1. The following compounds, added to the growth medium of Fusarium javanicum, were converted into labelled javanicin with the percentage incorporations noted in parentheses: [Me-¹⁴C]methionine (0·83); [1-¹⁴C]acetate (0·70); [2-¹⁴C]malonate (0·07). 2. Labelled samples of javanicin were degraded by Zeisel reaction, Kuhn–Roth oxidation and reaction with sodium hypoiodite; acetic acid obtained from the Kuhn–Roth reaction was further degraded by the Schmidt reaction. Labelled methionine was used only for the formation of the methoxyl group, and the remaining carbon atoms were derived by the acetate-plus-polymalonate pathway. The methyl group attached directly to the naphthaquinone ring is derived by the reduction of a carboxyl group. 3. The demonstration of this biosynthetic pathway supports the assignment of the methoxyl group at position 7.     

The cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus PCC 7421 uses bacterial-type phytoene desaturase in carotenoid biosynthesis

Carotenoid composition and its biosynthetic pathway in the cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus PCC 7421 were investigated. beta-Carotene and (2S,2'S)-oscillol 2,2'-di(alpha-L-fucoside), and echinenone were major and minor carotenoids, respectively. We identified two unique genes for carotenoid biosynthesis using in vivo functional complementation experiments. In Gloeobacter, a bacterial-type phytoene desaturase (CrtI), rather than plant-type desaturases (CrtP and CrtQ), produced lycopene. This is the first demonstration of an oxygenic photosynthetic organism utilizing bacterial-type phytoene desaturase. We also revealed that echinenone synthesis is catalyzed by CrtW rather than CrtO. These findings indicated that Gloeobacter retains ancestral properties of carotenoid biosynthesis.