植物次生代谢基因簇研究进展

类似于原核生物的操纵子，在真核生物（如酵母、真菌、昆虫等）基因组中也出现了彼此功能相关的非同源基因成簇存在的现象。这些基因形成基因簇，可参与多种次生代谢途径。近年来，植物中也发现了越来越多的参与次生代谢产物合成的基因簇，它们已成为植物生物学研究的热点。本文总结并分析了植物中已鉴定的次生代谢基因簇。这些基因簇存在于玉米（Zea mays L.）、水稻（Oryza sativa L.）、拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.） Heynh.）、番茄（Solanum lycopersicum L.）等植物的基因组中，分别参与合成苯并噁唑嗪酮类、萜类和生物碱类等次生代谢产物。本文通过解析这些基因簇的组成及结构特点，对其特征进行总结，探讨了基因簇形成的分子机理及其调控机制，对植物次生代谢基因簇在合成生物学及代谢工程学中的研究方向和应用前景进行了展望。

Advances on the study of gene clusters involved in plant secondary metabolism

Genes encoding enzymes involved in the sequential biosynthesis steps of secondary metabolites are clustered together in the prokaryotic genome,also known as ‘operons’.In the genome of eukaryotes (e.g.yeasts,fungi,and insects),a set of functional genes responsible for special metabolite biosynthesis has also been discovered clustered in the chromosome.Recently,several secondary metabolic gene clusters have been identified in plants,such as Zea mays L.,Oryza sativa L.Arabidopsis thaliana(L.) Heynh.,and Solanum lycopersicum L..In this review,we summarize the identified gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of benzoxazinoids,terpenoids,and alkaloids in plants,as well as analyze the mechanisms of gene cluster formation and regulation.In addition,the application prospects of these gene clusters are discussed.Increasing knowledge of plant metabolic gene clusters will facilitate the development of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.