Abstract
The triterpenes in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) show a variety of medicinal activities. Oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) plays an indispensable role in the formation of triterpene skeletons during triterpene biosynthesis. In this study, we identified nine genes encoding OSCs from bitter gourd (McOSC1–9). Analyses of their expression patterns in different tissues suggested that characteristic triterpenoids may be biosynthesized in different tissues and then transported. We constructed a hairy root system in which McOSC7 overexpression led to an increased accumulation of camaldulenic acid, enoxolone, and quinovic acid. Thus, the overexpression of McOSC7 increased the active components content in bitter gourd. Our data provide an important foundation for understanding the roles of McOSCs in triterpenoid synthesis.
Highlights
Triterpenoids are compounds with a carbon skeleton based on six isoprene units
Highly similar bitter gourd protein sequences were screened as candidate Oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and were renamed sequentially as McOSC1, McOSC2, McOSC3, McOSC4, McOSC5, McOSC6, McOSC7, McOSC8, McOSC9, McOSC10, McOSC11, and McOSC12
The analyses revealed that the amino acid residue at the X site of the MWCXCR motif differs in lanosterol synthase (LAS) (McOSC3), cucurbitadienol synthase (CS) (McOSC1), and cycloartenol synthase (CAS) (McOSC2), while Tyr is present at the X site of β-amyrin synthase (β-AS) (McOSC4) and isomultiflorenol synthase (IMS)
Summary
Triterpenoids are compounds with a carbon skeleton based on six isoprene units. More than 20,000 triterpenoids with nearly 200 different skeletons have been identified in eukaryotic organisms. Triterpenoids represent a category of specialized metabolites with vast structural diversity and pharmacological activities [1]. Since plants contain triterpenoids and other active substances, they have been used as herbal medicines for thousands of years. Triterpenoids in plants function in protection against pests, diseases, and abiotic stresses such as low temperature. Many studies have focused on the diverse pharmacological activities of triterpenoids, such as their anticancer, antiviral, and cholesterol-lowering activities [2]. Due to their unique physicochemical properties, triterpenoids are commonly used in medicinal, agricultural, cosmetics, and food industries as natural emulsifiers, foaming agents, and sweeteners [3,4]
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