Expression of a Tomato cDNA Coding for Phytoene Synthase in Escherichia coli, Phytoene Formation In Vivo and In Vitro, and Functional Analysis of the Various Truncated Gene Products1
作者:Norihiko Misawa、Mark R. Truesdale、Gerhard Sandmann、Paul D. Fraser、Colin Bird、Wolfgang Schuch、Peter M. Bramley
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a124656
日期:1994.11
Full length and truncated cDNA expression constructs of the phytoene synthase (psy) gene from tomato have been ligated into a pUC8 cloning vector. One of the truncated constructs was introduced into Escherichia coli carrying the Erwinia uredovora GGPP synthase gene. This transformant produced 15, 15' -cis-phytoene, which was identified on the basis of its UV and IR spectral data, from geranylgeranyl diphosphate. The function of this gene product was further confirmed by in vitro assay using cell-free extract of E. coli harboring the construct. On transformation with the above constructs together with a plasmid containing the carotenoid gene cluster from E. uredovora devoid of the phytoene synthase (crtB) gene, yellow, carotenoid-containing, E. coli colonies were produced. The amounts of carotenoids synthesized by the transformed cells, related to the steady-state levels of psy mRNA, varied depending upon the psy constructs. The full-length psy clone produced 16-fold less carotenoids per unit amount of RNA than cells containing phytoene synthase without the first 114 N-terminal amino acids. Removal of further amino acids from the N-terminus caused a large decrease in carotenogenesis. A Western blot of ripe fruit stroma with a monoclonal antibody raised against phytoene synthase revealed a single protein band of apparent molecular mass 38 kDa. Based upon this immunological evidence, we conclude that the size of the transit peptide of phytoene synthase from ripe tomato fruit is approximately 9 kDa, corresponding to about 80 amino acid residues. But removal of further N-terminal amino acids up to 114 from the enzyme, to yield a protein of apparent molecular mass 34 kDa, increases its catalytic activity in E. coli.
番茄植物烯合成酶(psy)基因的全长和截短 cDNA 表达构建体被连接到 pUC8 克隆载体中。其中一个截短的构建体被导入携带 Erwinia uredovora GGPP 合成酶基因的大肠杆菌中。该转化子产生了 15,15' -顺式植物烯,根据其紫外和红外光谱数据,确定其来自于香叶基二磷酸。利用携带该构建体的大肠杆菌的无细胞提取物进行体外检测,进一步证实了该基因产物的功能。将上述构建体与含有来自 E. uredovora 的类胡萝卜素基因簇(没有植物烯合成酶(crtB)基因)的质粒一起转化后,产生了黄色的、含有类胡萝卜素的大肠杆菌菌落。转化细胞合成类胡萝卜素的量与 psy mRNA 的稳态水平有关,因 psy 构建体而异。与含有不含前 114 个 N 端氨基酸的植物烯合成酶的细胞相比,全长 psy 克隆每单位 RNA 量产生的类胡萝卜素少 16 倍。去除 N 端更多的氨基酸会导致类胡萝卜素生成量大幅下降。用针对植物烯合成酶的单克隆抗体对成熟果实基质进行 Western 印迹,发现一条明显分子质量为 38 kDa 的蛋白质条带。根据这一免疫学证据,我们得出结论,成熟番茄果实中植物烯合成酶的转运肽大小约为 9 kDa,相当于约 80 个氨基酸残基。但从酶中去除更多的 N 端氨基酸,直至 114 个氨基酸,得到表观分子质量为 34 kDa 的蛋白质,可提高其在大肠杆菌中的催化活性。