Biochemical Characterization and Function of Eight Microbial Type Terpene Synthases from Lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii

Yapei Zhao,Guoyan Liang,Guanglin Li,Ruiqi Liu,Zhiqiang Hao,Tian Hu

doi:10.3390/ijms22020605

Yapei Zhao, Guoyan Liang + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020605

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Abstract

Selaginella moellendorffii is a lycophyte, a member of an ancient vascular plant lineage. Two distinct types of terpene synthase (TPS) genes were identified from this species, including S. moellendorffii TPS genes (SmTPSs) and S. moellendorffii microbial TPS-like genes (SmMTPSLs). The goal of this study was to investigate the biochemical functions of SmMTPSLs. Here, eight full-length SmMTPSL genes (SmMTPSL5, -15, -19, -23, -33, -37, -46, and -47) were functionally characterized from S. moellendorffii. Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant SmMTPSLs were tested for monoterpenes synthase and sesquiterpenes synthase activities. These enzymatic products were typical monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes that have been previous shown to be generated by typical plant TPSs when provided with geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) as the substrates. Meanwhile, SmMTPSL23, -33, and -37 were up-regulated when induced by alamethicin (ALA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), suggesting a role for these genes in plants response to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, this study pointed out that the terpenoids products of SmMTPSL23, -33, and -37 have an antibacterial effect on Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and Staphylococcus aureus. Taken together, these results provide more information about the catalytic and biochemical function of SmMTPSLs in S. moellendorffii plants.

Highlights

Terpenoids are the largest class of specialized secondary metabolites, which are widely distributed in nature with large quantities and diverse structures [1]
The sequential head-to-tail condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and DMAPP in the presence of prenyltransferases produces the immediate precursors of terpenes, geranyl diphosphate (GPP), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), which are converted into monoterpenes (C10), sesquiterpenes (C15), and diterpenes (C20), respectively, by the activity of terpene synthases (TPSs) [6,7,8]
In the previous search of the draft genome sequence of S. moellendorffii, eight putative full-length SmMTPSL genes were identified, which were named as SmMTPSL5, -15, -19, -23, -33, -37, -46, and -47 [12]

Summary

Introduction

Terpenoids are the largest class of specialized secondary metabolites, which are widely distributed in nature with large quantities and diverse structures [1]. Terpenoids form an essential part of direct and indirect defense systems against herbivores and pathogens [2]. They are the derivatives of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and its allylic isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), which are mainly produced by the cytosolic mevalonate (MVA) and the plastidial 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathways in plants [3,4,5]. In addition to the typical plant TPSs, a new type of microbial terpene synthase-like proteins (MTPSLs) has been found in previous studies, which occur widely in nonseed land plants [10]. The first kind was designated as S. moellendorffii TPS genes (SmTPSs), consisting of 18 members. The second kind was designated as S. moellendorffii microbial TPS-like genes (SmMTPSLs), consisting of 48 members [12]. In addition to the six MTPSL genes biochemically characterized from S. moellendorffii [12], MTPSLs have been successively characterized in other species, including liverworts [13], ferns [14], red algae [15], hornworts [16], and mosses [10]

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