Redirection of flux through the phenylpropanoid pathway by increased glucosylation of soluble intermediates

TY - JOUR

T1 - Redirection of flux through the phenylpropanoid pathway by increased glucosylation of soluble intermediates

AU - Lanot, Alexandra

AU - Hodge, Denise

AU - Lim, Eng-Kiat

AU - Vaistij, Fabian E.

AU - Bowles, Dianna J.

PY - 2008/9

Y1 - 2008/9

N2 - The phenylpropanoid pathway is used in biosynthesis of a wide range of soluble secondary metabolites including hydroxycinnamic acid esters, flavonoids and the precursors of lignin and lignans. In Arabidopsis thaliana a small cluster of three closely related genes, UGT72E1-E3, encode glycosyltransferases (GTs) that glucosylate phenyl-propanoids in vitro. This study explores the effect of constitutively over-expressing two of these GTs (UGT72E1 and E3) in planta using the CaMV-35S promoter to determine whether phenylpropanoid homeostasis can be altered in a similar manner to that achieved by over-expression of UGT72E2 as previously reported. The data show that impact of over-expressing UGT72E3 in leaves is highly similar to that of UGT72E2 in that the production of massive levels of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol 4-O-glucosides and a substantial loss in sinapoyl malate. In contrast, the over-expression of UGT72E1 in leaves led only to minimal changes in coniferyl alcohol 4-O-glucoside and no effect was observed on sinapoyl malate levels. In roots, overexpression of both UGTs led to some increase in the accumulation of the two glucosides. The cell specificity expression of the whole UGT72E gene cluster was investigated and interestingly only UGT72E3 was found to be wound and touch responsive.

AB - The phenylpropanoid pathway is used in biosynthesis of a wide range of soluble secondary metabolites including hydroxycinnamic acid esters, flavonoids and the precursors of lignin and lignans. In Arabidopsis thaliana a small cluster of three closely related genes, UGT72E1-E3, encode glycosyltransferases (GTs) that glucosylate phenyl-propanoids in vitro. This study explores the effect of constitutively over-expressing two of these GTs (UGT72E1 and E3) in planta using the CaMV-35S promoter to determine whether phenylpropanoid homeostasis can be altered in a similar manner to that achieved by over-expression of UGT72E2 as previously reported. The data show that impact of over-expressing UGT72E3 in leaves is highly similar to that of UGT72E2 in that the production of massive levels of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol 4-O-glucosides and a substantial loss in sinapoyl malate. In contrast, the over-expression of UGT72E1 in leaves led only to minimal changes in coniferyl alcohol 4-O-glucoside and no effect was observed on sinapoyl malate levels. In roots, overexpression of both UGTs led to some increase in the accumulation of the two glucosides. The cell specificity expression of the whole UGT72E gene cluster was investigated and interestingly only UGT72E3 was found to be wound and touch responsive.

KW - coniferyl alcohol glucoside

KW - ferulic acid glucoside

KW - glucosyltransferases

KW - phenylpropanoids

KW - sinapoyl malate

KW - sinapyl alcohol glucoside

KW - ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA

KW - LIGNIN BIOSYNTHESIS

KW - GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE

KW - IDENTIFICATION

KW - GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES

KW - METABOLISM

KW - GENES

KW - ACID

KW - ALDEHYDE

KW - ENCODES

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=48749118750&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s00425-008-0763-8

DO - 10.1007/s00425-008-0763-8

M3 - Article

SN - 0032-0935

VL - 228

SP - 609

EP - 616

JO - Planta

JF - Planta

IS - 4

ER -