AbstractSeven cDNA clones encoding terpene synthases (TPSs), their structures closely related to each other, were isolated from the flower of Camellia hiemalis (‘Kantsubaki’). Their putative TPS proteins were phylogenetically positioned in a sole clade with the TPSs of other Camellia species. The obtained Tps genes, one of which was designated ChTps1 (ChTps1a), were introduced into mevalonate-pathway-engineered Escherichia coli, which carried the genes for utilizing acetoacetate as a substrate, and cultured in a medium including lithium acetoacetate. Volatile products generated in the E. coli cells transformed with ChTps1 were purified from the cell suspension culture, and analyzed by NMR. Consequently, the predominant product with ChTPS1 was identified as valerianol, indicating that the ChTps1 gene codes for valerianol synthase. This is the first report on a gene that can mediate the synthesis of valerianol. We next synthesized a Tps ortholog encoding ChTPS1variant R477H (named CsiTPS8), whose sequence had been isolated from a tea tree (Camellia sinensis), carried out similar culture experiment with the E. coli transformant including CsiTps8, and consequently found valerianol production equally. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis of several teas revealed that valerianol had been an unknown ingredient in green tea and black tea.
摘要:从“寒瑞香”(“Kantsubaki”)的花中分离了七个编码萜类合成酶(TPS)的cDNA克隆,它们的结构彼此密切相关。它们的推测TPS蛋白在一个单一的分支中与其他山茶属(Camellia)物种的TPS紧密相关。获得的Tps基因之一被指定为ChTps1(ChTps1a),并被引入了甲酰辅酶A途径工程化的大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli),该菌株携带了利用乙酰乙酸为底物的基因,并在含有乙酰乙酸锂的培养基中培养。转化了ChTps1的E. coli细胞中产生的挥发性产物从细胞悬浮液培养物中纯化并进行了NMR分析。结果,ChTPS1的主要产物被鉴定为缬草醇,表明ChTps1基因编码缬草醇合成酶。这是关于介导缬草醇合成的基因的首次报告。接下来,我们合成了一个Tps同源基因编码ChTPS1变体R477H(命名为CsiTPS8),其序列已从茶树(Camellia sinensis)中分离出来,并进行了类似的培养实验,包括CsiTps8的E. coli转化体,结果同样发现了缬草醇的产生。此外,对几种茶叶进行的GC-MS分析表明,缬草醇是绿茶和红茶中的未知成分。