植物尿苷二磷酸糖基转移酶超家族晶体结构

糖基转移酶(Glycosyltransferases,GTs)催化的糖基化反应几乎是植物中最为重要的反应。GTs家族1中的植物UGTs(UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases)成员主要运用尿苷二磷酸活化的糖作为糖基供体,因其成员众多、生物功能多样,仅仅通过序列比较和进化分析不能够精确预测其复杂的底物专一性和特有的催化机制,需要后续生化实验的进一步验证。文中主要总结了目前在蛋白结构数据库(Protein Data Bank,PDB)中报道的5种植物UGTs的晶体三维结构和定点突变功能研究进展。详细介绍了植物UGTs整体结构的特点以及蛋白与底物相互作用的细节,为更有效地生化定性UGTs以便深入理解底物专一性提供了有力的工具,从而为植物UGTs在酶工程和基因工程中的应用奠定基础。     

三萜皂苷的生物合成

异戊烯二磷酸在香叶二磷酸合成酶、法呢二磷酸合成酶、鲨烯合成酶和鲨烯环氧酶催化下合成2,3-氧化鲨烯,再经氧化鲨烯环化酶催化形成各种三萜类,三萜类经细胞色素P450、糖基转移酶和β-糖苷酶的修饰,形成各种类型的三萜皂苷。     

植物三萜皂苷生物合成中关键后修饰酶研究进展

三萜皂苷是由三萜苷元、糖基、糖醛酸等组成的C30萜类化合物,是许多药用植物的主要活性成分,具有广泛的药理作用。三萜皂苷的生物合成包括前体和三萜皂苷骨架的形成以及调控皂苷结构多样性的后修饰。三萜皂苷的后修饰包括三萜骨架的氧化/羟基化和糖基化,分别由不同超基因家族编码的细胞色素P450单加氧酶和糖基转移酶进行催化。三萜皂苷通过后修饰最终可形成多种单体皂苷。目前,已在少数植物中识别和确认了个别与三萜皂苷生物合成相关的关键后修饰酶,发现了部分很可能参与后修饰过程的候选基因。该文就近年来国内外有关三萜皂苷生物合成途径关键后修饰酶的研究进行综述,为进一步开展相关研究和对合成精细途径的解析提供参考。     

观赏植物UDP-糖基转移酶研究进展

糖基化修饰在植物的生长发育中扮演着至关重要的角色。糖基转移酶是催化糖苷化产物合成的核心酶,其中,主要以UDP-糖为糖基供体的UGT家族,能够催化次生代谢中的小分子化合物,在调节各种植物次生代谢物的溶解度、稳定性和生物活性等方面具有重要作用,并与植物品质性状、非生物胁迫和生物胁迫的响应等紧密相关,近年来成为备受关注的研究热点。本文对植物中UDP-糖基转移酶进行了全面的综述,涵盖了其结构特点、催化特性、反应类型、功能分类和命名方式等方面。此外,文中还总结了目前观赏植物中UDP-糖基转移酶对激素、萜类化合物和类黄酮化合物等的修饰情况,这些修饰过程进而影响植物的花色、叶色、株型、叶形、挥发性化合物的储存、植物对生物与非生物胁迫的抗性,以及功能性化合物成分的合成等多个方面。通过相关工作文献的回顾与总结,有助于进一步认知糖基转移酶在观赏植物代谢调控中的作用,也为今后的观赏植物种质改良创新和功能性成分的研发提供参考。     

三萜皂苷生物合成途径研究进展

三萜皂苷是一类重要的植物次生代谢产物,在体外具有抗癌、抗病毒、降低胆固醇等药理学作用。由于三萜皂苷生物合成途径中的关键酶在细胞中的表达水平较低,决定了其在植物中的含量低,因而对其生物合成途径的探讨具有重要的现实意义和应用价值。     

植物三萜皂苷生物合成途径及调控机制研究进展

三萜皂苷是一类天然存在的结构多样的三萜苷类化合物,广泛分布于植物中.三萜皂苷不仅是植物抵御病原微生物和食草动物的防御化合物,还具有多种药理活性,被广泛应用在医药、日化、食品、农业等领域.近年来,随着科学技术的发展和研究的深入,植物三萜皂苷生物合成途径的基本框架及调控机制研究已经取得了一定的进展.植物三萜皂苷种类繁多、结...     

植物中甾醇糖基转移酶的研究进展

甾醇(sterol)是植物细胞膜结构和天然植物激素的重要组成成分。甾醇糖基转移酶(sterol glycosyltransferases,SGTs)作为糖基转移酶一号家族(GT family 1)较为保守的一支,是一类参与甾醇下游修饰的酶,具有调控植物初期生长发育、信号转导、次生代谢产物合成以及响应生物、非生物胁迫等生物学功能。本文主要综述了SGTs在植物生长调控、生物合成、早期发育研究的进展,最后讨论了甾醇糖基转移酶在工业生产药用活性分子方面的前景和主要限制,旨在为更深入开展甾醇糖基转移酶的研究和应用提供参考。     

植物花青素糖基转移酶研究进展

花青素是植物体内重要的次生代谢物,具有较强的药理活性,如抗氧化、抗癌等,广泛用于营养保健领域。自然条件下,植物体内的花青素以糖苷形式存在,带有各种糖基化修饰,而花青素糖基转移酶是专门负责催化这种糖基化反应的酶,能够把糖基供体转移到花青素不同的位点,形成了不同的花青素种类,从而改变这些分子的特性,影响生物活性和药用功能。本文重点综述了植物花青素糖基转移酶的分类和修饰反应特点,以及主要花青素资源植物中糖基转移酶的研究进展,有助于深入挖掘和鉴定植物中花青素相关糖基转移酶,解析其催化和调控机理,为花青素生物合成、富含花青素的植物资源研发提供新的思路。     

天然产物的糖基化及糖基侧链改造

抗生素和抗癌药物等多种天然产物的活性都依赖于其糖基侧链,糖基侧链结构的变化对母体化合物的生物活性、底物适应性及药理学性质具有重要影响。糖基侧链结构变化多端,修饰、改变天然产物的糖基侧链已成为获得临床候选药物的重要方法。利用化学法和酶法,研究者创造了多种改造天然产物糖基化的方法。详细介绍了天然产物的糖基化过程,并从组合生物学、糖基转移酶改造、糖类随机化及新型糖类随机化和糖基转移酶可逆性四方面阐述了糖基侧链的改造方法。     

参与木葡聚糖合成的糖基转移酶基因研究进展

半纤维素多糖木葡聚糖(XyG)存在于大多数植物的初生细胞壁中, 对细胞壁的结构组织和生长发育具有重要的调控作用。XyG在植物进化中存在结构的多样性。该文概述了参与XyG合成的糖基转移酶的最新研究进展, XyG合成需要多种糖基转移酶参与, 这些酶类很可能以蛋白酶复合体的形式存在并发挥作用, XyG的结构和组成的改变对植物的生长发育也产生影响。     

A triterpenoid saponin from Ficaria ranunculoides tubers

One of the minor saponins extracted from the tubers of Ficaria ranunculoides and purified by fermentation may be 3-O-(α-arabinopyranosyl-1′)28-O-[β-glucopyranosyl → 6″(α-rhamnopyranosyl-1? → 4″) β-glucopyranosyl-1″]-hederagenin. On the basis of chemical degradation and spectral analysis, the structure of this new saponin is proposed.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of a new triterpenoid saponin from carthamus tinctorius linn

A new bioactive triterpenoid saponin 3β-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl(1 → 3)-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl]-lup-12-ene-28 oic acid-28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl ester compound (A), was isolated from the methanolic fraction of the roots of this plant by various colour reactions, chemical degradations and spectral analysis. Compound (A) showed anti-inflammatory activity.     

走马胎三萜皂苷合成相关基因表达分析北大核心CSCD

走马胎是我国华南地区重要的民族药物,其体内的次生代谢物三萜皂苷具有多种药用功效。为了解三萜皂苷含量变化以及生物合成通路相关基因的调控规律,该研究对走马胎在不同组织部位以及不同外源激素处理下所呈现的表达模式进行了比较分析。结果表明:(1)三萜皂苷含量在不同组织部位间和外源激素处理下均存在显著差异,具体表现为根部组织的含量显著高于叶部组织的,而用外源水杨酸(SA)与茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)喷施处理后其含量低于对照组(CK)。(2)对这两个差异比较组进行qRT-PCR分析结果显示,相比叶部组织,在根部组织中AkPMD、AkHDS、AkSS、AkSM以及与三萜皂苷合成相关的走马胎P450家族、UGT家族基因皆有不同程度的上调;外源SA与MeJA处理会导致合成途径上游的AkPMD、AkHDS、AkSS、AkSM上调,而下游的P450家族、UGT家族基因则有所下调。因此,通过对不同组织部位和不同外源激素处理这两种差异表达模式的比较研究,可推测在这两种表达模式下走马胎三萜皂苷的合成更多地与下游特异化修饰的酶相关。     

Functional specialization of UDP‐glycosyltransferase 73P12 in licorice to produce a sweet triterpenoid saponin,glycyrrhizin

Glycyrrhizin, a sweet triterpenoid saponin found in the roots and stolons of Glycyrrhiza species (licorice), is an important active ingredient in traditional herbal medicine. We previously identified two cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, CYP88D6 and CYP72A154, that produce an aglycone of glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, in Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The sugar moiety of glycyrrhizin, which is composed of two glucuronic acids, makes it sweet and reduces its side‐effects. Here, we report that UDP‐glycosyltransferase (UGT) 73P12 catalyzes the second glucuronosylation as the final step of glycyrrhizin biosynthesis in G. uralensis; the UGT73P12 produced glycyrrhizin by transferring a glucuronosyl moiety of UDP‐glucuronic acid to glycyrrhetinic acid 3‐O‐monoglucuronide. We also obtained a natural variant of UGT73P12 from a glycyrrhizin‐deficient (83‐555) strain of G. uralensis. The natural variant showed loss of specificity for UDP‐glucuronic acid and resulted in the production of an alternative saponin, glucoglycyrrhizin. These results are consistent with the chemical phenotype of the 83‐555 strain, and suggest the contribution of UGT73P12 to glycyrrhizin biosynthesis in planta. Furthermore, we identified Arg32 as the essential residue of UGT73P12 that provides high specificity for UDP‐glucuronic acid. These results strongly suggest the existence of an electrostatic interaction between the positively charged Arg32 and the negatively charged carboxy group of UDP‐glucuronic acid. The functional arginine residue and resultant specificity for UDP‐glucuronic acid are unique to UGT73P12 in the UGT73P subfamily. Our findings demonstrate the functional specialization of UGT73P12 for glycyrrhizin biosynthesis during divergent evolution, and provide mechanistic insights into UDP‐sugar selectivity for the rational engineering of sweet triterpenoid saponins.     

A new complex triterpenoid saponin from Calliandra pulcherrima with haemolytic activity and adjuvant effect

A new complex triterpenoid saponin was isolated from the leaves of Calliandra pulcherrima by using chromatographic methods. On the basis of chemical evidence, spectroscopic analyses and comparison of known compounds its structure was established as 3-[(O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-2-(acetylamino)-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-(3β)-olean-12-en-28-oic acid O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-[(β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-O-6-deoxy-α-l-mannopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-6-O-[(2E,6S)-6-[[2-O-[(2E,6S)-6-[[6-deoxy-2-O-[(2E,6S)-2,6-dimethyl-1-oxo-6-(β-d-xylopyranosyloxy)-2,7-octadienyl]-β-d-glucopyranosyl]oxy]-2,6-dimethyl-1-oxo-2,7-octadienyl]-β-d-xylopyranosyl]oxy]-2,6-dimethyl-1-oxo-2,7-octadienyl]-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (1). The haemolytic activity of the saponin was evaluated using in vitro assays, and its adjuvant potential on the cellular immune response against ovalbumin antigen was investigated using in vivo models     

The 1.9 A crystal structure of Escherichia coli MurG, a membrane-associated glycosyltransferase involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis

The 1.9 A X-ray structure of a membrane-associated glycosyltransferase involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis is reported. This enzyme, MurG, contains two alpha/beta open sheet domains separated by a deep cleft. Structural analysis suggests that the C-terminal domain contains the UDP-GlcNAc binding site while the N-terminal domain contains the acceptor binding site and likely membrane association site. Combined with sequence data from other MurG homologs, this structure provides insight into the residues that are important in substrate binding and catalysis. We have also noted that a conserved region found in many UDP-sugar transferases maps to a beta/alpha/beta/alpha supersecondary structural motif in the donor binding region of MurG, an observation that may be helpful in glycosyltransferase structure prediction. The identification of a conserved structural motif involved in donor binding in different UDP-sugar transferases also suggests that it may be possible to identify--and perhaps alter--the residues that help determine donor specificity.     

Identification and characterization of glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of soyasaponin I in Glycine max

Triterpene saponins are a diverse group of compounds with a structure consisting of a triterpene aglycone and sugars. Identification of the sugar-transferase involved in triterpene saponin biosynthesis is difficult due to the structural complexity of triterpene saponin. Two glycosyltransferases from Glycine max, designated as GmSGT2 and GmSGT3, were identified and characterized. In vitro analysis revealed that GmSGT2 transfers a galactosyl group from UDP-galactose to soyasapogenol B monoglucuronide, and that GmSGT3 transfers a rhamnosyl group from UDP-rhamnose to soyasaponin III. These results suggest that soyasaponin I is biosynthesized from soyasapogenol B by successive sugar transfer reactions.     

Identification of an additional protein involved in mannan biosynthesis

Galactomannans comprise a β‐1,4‐mannan backbone substituted with α‐1,6‐galactosyl residues. Genes encoding the enzymes that are primarily responsible for backbone synthesis and side‐chain addition of galactomannans were previously identified and characterized. To identify additional genes involved in galactomannan biosynthesis, we previously performed deep EST profiling of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) seed endosperm, which accumulates large quantities of galactomannans as a reserve carbohydrate during seed development. One of the candidate genes encodes a protein that is likely to be a glycosyltransferase. Because this protein is involved in mannan biosynthesis, we named it ‘mannan synthesis‐related’ (MSR). Here, we report the characterization of a fenugreek MSR gene (TfMSR) and its two Arabidopsis homologs, AtMSR1 and AtMSR2. TfMSR was highly and specifically expressed in the endosperm. TfMSR, AtMSR1 and AtMSR2 proteins were all determined to be localized to the Golgi by fluorescence confocal microscopy. The level of mannosyl residues in stem glucomannans decreased by approximately 40% for Arabidopsis msr1 single T‐DNA insertion mutants and by more than 50% for msr1 msr2 double mutants, but remained unchanged for msr2 single mutants. In addition, in vitro mannan synthase activity from the stems of msr1 single and msr1 msr2 double mutants also decreased. Expression of AtMSR1 or AtMSR2 in the msr1 msr2 double mutant completely or partially restored mannosyl levels. From these results, we conclude that the MSR protein is important for mannan biosynthesis, and offer some ideas about its role.