Characterization and structural features of a chalcone synthase mutation in a white-flowering line of Matthiola incana R. Br. (Brassicaceae (original) (raw)
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Plant Molecular Biology, 1984
For Matthiola incana (Brassicaceae), used as a model system to study biochemical and genetical aspects of anthocyanin biosynthesis, several nearly isogenic colored wild type lines and white-flowering mutant lines are available, each with a specific defect in the genes responsible for anthocyanin production (genes e, f, and g). For gene f supposed to code for chalcone synthase (CHS; EC 2.3.1.74), the key enzyme of the flavonoid/ anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway belonging to the group of type III polyketide synthases (PKS), the wild type genomic sequence of M. incana line 04 was determined in comparison to the white-flowering CHS mutant line 18. The type of mutation in the chs gene was characterized as a single nucleotide substitution in a triplet AGG coding for an evolutionary conserved arginine into AGT coding for serine (R72S). Northern blots and RT-PCR demonstrated that the mutated gene is expressed in flower petals. Heterologous expression of the wild type and mutated CHS cDNA in Escherichia coli, verified by Western blotting and enzyme assays with various starter molecules, revealed that the mutant protein had no detectable activity, indicating that the strictly conserved arginine residue is essential for the enzymatic reaction. This mutation, which previously was not detected by mutagenic screening, is discussed in the light of structural and functional information on alfalfa CHS and related type III PKS enzymes.
Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) strategies, two chalcone synthase (CHS) cDNAs were cloned from developing seeds of blue-grained wheat, both of the deduced peptides contain 394 amino acids, and share 98.9% of amino acid sequence identity and the nucleotide sequences have the identity of 96.0%, and one flavonoid 3'5'hydroxylase (F3 '5 'H) 3'-end cDNA was isolated. Four CHS genomic DNAs were cloned from Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z. W. Liu et R. R.-C. Wang (ThpCHS.tg), blue-grained wheat (TaCHS.bg), white-grained offspring of light blue-grained wheat (TaCHS.wg) and Chinese Spring (2n=42)(TaCHS.csg), respectively. Although these four genomic DNAs were isolated from different materials, they are very high homologous and each has one intron. The difference of the four CHS genomic DNAs mainly exists in intron. Through DNA alignment we found that one CHS cDNA (TaCHS.t1) came from one of the parents, Th. ponticum, the other one (TaCHS.w1) had the identity of 100% with white grain parent. This indicated that CHS genes from two parents expressed at the same developing stage in blue-grained wheat. Southern blotting analysis showed that they have at least four copies in wheat, the copy numbers in different color grains are not significantly different, but they are different from that of Th. ponticum. CHS in blue-grained wheat belongs to a CHS multifamily. Reverse Northern analysis indicated that the CHS expressed strongly in the developing blue-grained seeds at early stage (15 d after flowering, DAF), but F3 '5 'H and dihydroflavonol 4reductase (DFR) transcripts accumulated less than that of CHS at early stage. However, at the later developing stage (21 DAF), F3 '5'H and DFR transcripts accumulated more than that of CHS, the transcripts of CHS could hardly be detected. The expression order of the three genes is the same as the order of the biosynthetic steps in anthocyanin biosynthesis. At the same time, CHS genes cloned from seeds have not been detected in leaves of blue-grained wheat, but F3 '5 'H and DFR expressed strongly in leaves. This showed that the expression of CHS genes cloned by us had tissue specificity. RT-PCR indicated that the transcripts of F3 '5'H accumulated a lot in the developing seeds of blue-and whitegrained wheats at 21 DAF, but the transcripts of CHS and DFR accumulated in the blue-grained wheat more than those of white-grained wheat and Chinese Spring at the same developing stage. Therefore, we proposed that anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway existed in blue-grained wheat and the expression of the secondary structure genes in anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway was coordinately regulated by regulatory gene(s) during the period of blue pigment formation.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006
Screening of a cDNA library of the hop cv. Osvald's 72 and genomic cloning were used to isolate members of an oligofamily of chs_H1 genes that codetermine the biosynthesis of prenylated chalcones known to be valuable medicinal compounds present in hop (Humulus lupulus L.). chs_H1 oligofamily members showed more than 99% and 98% identity on nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively, and retained all conserved amino acids that form the catalytic center characteristic for "true" chalcone synthases. The chs_H1 promoter exhibited low sequence variability in addition to conservation of all predicted cis-regulatory elements. Possible transactivation of the chs_H1 gene with the transcription factor PAP1 from Arabidopsis thaliana was assayed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens infiltrations of Nicotiana benthamiana and Petunia hybrida plants. Infiltration of N. benthamiana leaves with chs_H1 promoter/GUS chimeras led to a 24.8-fold increase of the GUS activity when coinfiltrated with the pap1 gene. Coinfiltration of the "native" chs_H1 gene with pap1 led to an increased accumulation of chs_H1 mRNA as observed by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Transgenic lines of P. hybrida expressing the pap1 gene showed unusual patterns of UV-A-inducible pigmentation and anthocyanin accumulation in parenchymatic and medulla cells. Infiltration of transgenic leaves of P. hybrida with chs_H1 and pap1 genes arranged as a tandem led to quick pigmentation within 12 h after UV-A irradiation. It is indicated that the chs_H1 promoter contains functional element(s) mediating an efficient response to PAP1 expression and UV-A irradiation. UV-A also induced chs_H1 mRNA and accumulation of flavonol glycosides in hop leaves. It can be expected that the PAP1 factor could significantly influence the expression of the chs_H1 oligofamily in transgenic hop and modify the hop metabolome.
Structure and mechanism of the evolutionarily unique plant enzyme chalcone isomerase
Nature structural biology, 2000
Chalcone isomerase (CHI) catalyzes the intramolecular cyclization of chalcone synthesized by chalcone synthase (CHS) into (2S)-naringenin, an essential compound in the biosynthesis of anthocyanin pigments, inducers of Rhizobium nodulation genes, and antimicrobial phytoalexins. The 1.85 A resolution crystal structure of alfalfa CHI in complex with (2S)-naringenin reveals a novel open-faced beta-sandwich fold. Currently, proteins with homologous primary sequences are found only in higher plants. The topology of the active site cleft defines the stereochemistry of the cyclization reaction. The structure and mutational analysis suggest a mechanism in which shape complementarity of the binding cleft locks the substrate into a constrained conformation that allows the reaction to proceed with a second-order rate constant approaching the diffusion controlled limit. This structure raises questions about the evolutionary history of this structurally unique plant enzyme.
Functional Promiscuity of Two Divergent Paralogs of Type III Plant Polyketide Synthases
Plant Physiology, 2016
Plants effectively defend themselves against biotic and abiotic stresses by synthesizing diverse secondary metabolites, including health-protective flavonoids. These display incredible chemical diversity and ubiquitous occurrence and confer impeccable biological and agricultural applications. Chalcone synthase (CHS), a type III plant polyketide synthase, is critical for flavonoid biosynthesis. It catalyzes acyl-coenzyme A thioesters to synthesize naringenin chalcone through a polyketidic intermediate. The functional divergence among the evolutionarily generated members of a gene family is pivotal in driving the chemical diversity. Against this backdrop, this study was aimed to functionally characterize members of the CHS gene family from Rheum emodi, an endangered and endemic high-altitude medicinal herb of northwestern Himalayas. Two full-length cDNAs (1,179 bp each), ReCHS1 and ReCHS2, encoding unique paralogs were isolated and characterized. Heterologous expression and purification in Escherichia coli, bottom-up proteomic characterization, high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, and enzyme kinetic studies using five different substrates confirmed their catalytic potential. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of higher synonymous mutations in the intronless divergents of ReCHS. ReCHS2 displayed significant enzymatic efficiency (V max /K m) with different substrates. There were significant spatial and altitudinal variations in messenger RNA transcript levels of ReCHSs correlating positively with metabolite accumulation. Furthermore, the elicitations in the form of methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, ultraviolet B light, and wounding, chosen on the basis of identified cis-regulatory promoter elements, presented considerable differences in the transcript profiles of ReCHSs. Taken together, our results demonstrate differential propensities of CHS paralogs in terms of the accumulation of flavonoids and their relative substrate selectivities. Plants, as ground-anchored sessile creatures, invest significant amounts of energy in the production of secondary metabolites to combat environmental pressures. These metabolites often are produced through complex and highly regulated biosynthetic pathways under the influence of different enzymatic machineries. One of the important classes of secondary metabolites is phenylpropanoids. These represent a significant proportion of secondary metabolites, encompassing nearly 20% of total carbon in the terrestrial biosphere. Flavonoids exhibit remarkable chemical diversity and ubiquitous occurrence and play an important role in many aspects of plant development, like flower coloration, photoprotection, pollen development, cell wall growth, and response to stress conditions like UV light protection, herbivory, wounding, interaction with soil microbes, and defense against pathogens (Yu and Jez, 2008; Pandey et al., 2015). Apart from performing numerous imperative roles in plants, flavonoids also have been reported as potent phytoceuticals with putative health benefits (Jiang et al., 2015). Flavonols are generally the most copious of all the flavonoids, and
Molecular evolution of the chalcone synthase multigene family in the morning glory genome
Plant Molecular Evolution, 2000
Plant genomes appear to exploit the process of gene duplication as a primary means of acquiring biochemical and developmental flexibility. Thus, for example, most of the enzymatic components of plant secondary metabolism are encoded by small families of genes that originated through duplication over evolutionary time. The dynamics of gene family evolution are well illustrated by the genes that encode chalcone synthase (CHS), the first committed step in flavonoid biosynthesis. We review pertinent facts about CHS evolution in flowering plants with special reference to the morning glory genus, Ipomoea. Our review shows that new CHS genes are recruited recurrently in flowering plant evolution. Rates of nucleotide substitution are frequently accelerated in new duplicate genes, and there is clear evidence for repeated shifts in enzymatic function among duplicate copies of CHS genes. In addition, we present new data on expression patterns of CHS genes as a function of tissue and developmental stage in the common morning glory (I. purpurea). These data show extensive differentiation in gene expression among duplicate copies of CHS genes. We also show that a single mutation which blocks anthocyanin biosynthesis in the floral limb is correlated with a loss of expression of one of the six duplicate CHS genes present in the morning glory genome. This suggests that different duplicate copies of CHS have acquired specialized functional roles over the course of evolution. We conclude that recurrent gene duplication and subsequent differentiation is a major adaptive strategy in plant genome evolution.
New Phytologist, 2014
Chalcone synthase (CHS) is the key enzyme in the first committed step of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway and catalyzes the stepwise condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA to naringenin chalcone. In plants, CHS is often encoded by a small family of genes that are temporally and spatially regulated. Our earlier studies have shown that GCHS4 is highly activated by ectopic expression of an MYB-type regulator GMYB10 in gerbera (Gerbera hybrida).