A new geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene from Ginkgo biloba, which intermediates the biosynthesis of the key precursor for ginkgolides. |
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| Authors: | Zhihua Liao Min Chen Yifu Gong Liang Guo Qiumin Tan Xiaoqi Feng Xiaofen Sun Feng Tan Kexuan Tang |
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| Institution: | Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Morgan-Tan International Center for Life Sciences, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China. |
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| Abstract: | Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS, EC: 2.5.1.29) catalyzes the biosynthesis of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), which is a key precursor for ginkgolide biosynthesis. Here we reported for the first time the cloning of a new full-length cDNA encoding GGPPS from the living fossil plant Ginkgo biloba. The full-length cDNA encoding G. biloba GGPPS (designated as GbGGPPS) was 1657bp long and contained a 1176bp open reading frame encoding a 391 amino acid protein. Comparative analysis showed that GbGGPPS possessed a 79 amino acid transit peptide at its N-terminal, which directed GbGGPPS to target to the plastids. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that GbGGPPS was a member of polyprenyltransferases with two highly conserved aspartate-rich motifs like other plant GGPPSs. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that plant GGPPSs could be classified into two groups, angiosperm and gymnosperm GGPPSs, while GbGGPPS had closer relationship with gymnosperm plant GGPPSs. |
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