Rice (
Rice (Oryza sativa) produces momilactone diterpenoids as both phytoalexins and allelochemicals. Accordingly, the committed step in biosynthesis of these natural products is catalyzed by the class I terpene synthase that converts syn-copalyl diphosphate to the corresponding polycyclic hydrocarbon intermediate syn-pimara-7,15-diene. Here, a functional genomics approach was utilized to identify a syn-copalyl diphosphate specific 9β-pimara-7,15-diene synthase (OsDTS2). To our knowledge, this is the first identified terpene synthase with this particular substrate stereoselectivity and, by comparison with the previously described and closely related ent-copalyl diphosphate specific cassa-12,15-diene synthase (OsDTC1), provides a model system for investigating the enzymatic determinants underlying the observed difference in substrate specificity. Further, OsDTS2 mRNA in leaves is up-regulated by conditions that stimulate phytoalexin biosynthesis but is constitutively expressed in roots, where momilactones are constantly synthesized as allelochemicals. Therefore, transcription of OsDTS2 seems to be an important regulatory point for controlling production of these defensive compounds. Finally, the gene identified here as OsDTS2 has previously been mapped at 14.3 cM on chromosome 4. The class II terpene synthase producing syn-copalyl diphosphate from the universal diterpenoid precursor geranylgeranyl diphosphate was also mapped to this same region. These genes catalyze sequential cyclization steps in momilactone biosynthesis and seem to have been evolutionarily coupled by physical linkage and resulting cosegregation. Further, the observed correlation between physical proximity and common metabolic function indicates that other such class I and class II terpene synthase gene clusters may similarly catalyze consecutive reactions in shared biosynthetic pathways.
水稻(Oryza sativa)产生莫米松二萜作为植物保护素和化感物质。因此,这些天然产物生物合成的承诺步骤由一类萜烯合酶催化,将syn-茄榄烯二磷酸酯转化为相应的多环烃中间体syn-哌麻烷-7,15-二烯。本研究采用功能基因组学方法鉴定了一种syn-茄榄烯二磷酸酯特异性的9β-哌麻烷-7,15-二烯合酶(OsDTS2)。据我们所知,这是第一个具有这种底物立体选择性的萜烯合酶,并与先前描述的密切相关的ent-茄榄烯二磷酸酯特异性cassa-12,15-二烯合酶(OsDTC1)进行比较,为研究底物特异性的酶学决定因素提供了一个模型系统。此外,叶中的OsDTS2 mRNA在刺激植物保护素生物合成的条件下被上调,但在根中被恒定地表达,其中莫米松作为化感物质不断被合成。因此,OsDTS2的转录似乎是控制这些防御化合物产生的重要调节点。最后,在这里鉴定的基因OsDTS2以前已被定位在第4染色体的14.3 cM处。产生syn-茄榄烯二磷酸酯的第二类萜烯合酶从万能二萜类前体青蒿烯二磷酸酯中催化,也被映射到同一区域。这些基因在莫米松生物合成中催化顺序环化步骤,并似乎通过物理连锁和结果共分离而进化耦合。此外,物理接近和共同代谢功能之间的观察到的相关性表明,其他类似的一类和二类萜烯合酶基因簇可能同样在共享的生物合成途径中催化连续反应。