Unraveling the triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis of the African shrub Maesa lanceolata

Tessa Moses; Jacob Pollier; Ahmad Faizal; Sandra Apers; Luc Pieters; Johan M Thevelein; Danny Geelen; Alain Goossens

doi:10.1016/j.molp.2014.11.004

Unraveling the triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis of the African shrub Maesa lanceolata

Mol Plant. 2015 Jan;8(1):122-35. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2014.11.004. Epub 2014 Dec 11.

Authors

Tessa Moses¹, Jacob Pollier², Ahmad Faizal³, Sandra Apers⁴, Luc Pieters⁴, Johan M Thevelein⁵, Danny Geelen³, Alain Goossens⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium; Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Belgium; Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Belgium.
² Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium.
³ Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
⁴ Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Belgium; Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Belgium.
⁶ Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: algoo@psb.vib-ugent.be.

PMID: 25578277
DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2014.11.004

Abstract

Maesasaponins produced by the African shrub Maesa lanceolata are oleanane-type saponins with diverse biological activities. Through a combination of transcript profiling of methyl jasmonate-elicited M. lanceolata shoot cultures, functional analysis in transgenic M. lanceolata plants and the heterologous hosts Medicago truncatula and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we identified three maesaponin biosynthesis genes. These include a β-amyrin synthase and two cytochrome P450s, CYP716A75 and CYP87D16, which catalyze the C-28 and C-16α oxidations of β-amyrin, respectively.

Keywords: C-16α oxidase; C-28 oxidase; Maesa lanceolata; cytochrome P450; oxidosqualene cyclase; triterpenoid saponin.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
Intramolecular Transferases / metabolism
Molecular Sequence Data
Oxidoreductases / metabolism
Primulaceae / enzymology
Primulaceae / metabolism*
Saponins / biosynthesis*
Triterpenes / metabolism*

Substances

Saponins
Triterpenes
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
Oxidoreductases
Intramolecular Transferases
lanosterol synthase

Associated data

GENBANK/KF318730
GENBANK/KF318731
GENBANK/KF318732
GENBANK/KF318733
GENBANK/KF318734
GENBANK/KF318735
GENBANK/KF318736
GENBANK/KF425519