Identification of isoliquiritigenin as an activator that stimulates the enzymatic production of glycyrrhetinic acid monoglucuronide

Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 2;7(1):12503. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-10154-y.

Abstract

Glycyrrhetinic acid monoglucuronide (GAMG) is a great value-added and has considerable commercial interest due to its strong pharmacological activities and functional low-calorie sweetener. However GAMG is quite rare in natural plants, and it must be prepared from glycyrrhizin (GL) by hydrolysing one terminal glucuronic acid. β-Glucuronidase is the key enzyme in the biotransformation of GL to GAMG, but its activities need to be enhanced to facilitate the industrial large-scale production of GAMG. In this study, we identified that isoliquiritigenin (ISL), as one of chemical compositions from the total flavonoids glycyrrhiza (TFG), can significantly enhance β-glucuronidase activity in vitro. Measurements using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the activity of β-glucuronidase could be increased by 2.66-fold via the addition of ISL to a β-glucuronidase solution that contained GL at a 3:10 molar ratio of ISL to GL. ISL was concluded to be an activator because ISL could reduce the Km and Ea of β-glucuronidase reacting with GL. This study sheds new light on the mechanism of β-glucuronidase and helps to make industrial production of GAMG through fermentation feasible.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Biotransformation
  • Chalcones / chemistry*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Glucuronidase / chemistry*
  • Glucuronidase / isolation & purification
  • Glucuronides / chemical synthesis*
  • Glycyrrhetinic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Glycyrrhetinic Acid / chemical synthesis
  • Glycyrrhiza / chemistry*
  • Glycyrrhizic Acid / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Penicillium / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry

Substances

  • 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucuronide
  • Chalcones
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Glucuronides
  • Plant Extracts
  • Glycyrrhizic Acid
  • isoliquiritigenin
  • Glucuronidase
  • Glycyrrhetinic Acid