Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: SUMMARY Plant‐specialized metabolism represents an inexhaustible source of active molecules, some of which have been used in human health for decades. Among these, monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) include a wide range of valuable compounds with anticancer, antihypertensive, or neuroactive properties. This is particularly the case for the pachysiphine derivatives which show interesting antitumor and anti‐Alzheimer activities but accumulate at very low levels in several Tabernaemontana species. Unfortunately, genome data in Tabernaemontanaceae are lacking and knowledge on the biogenesis of pachysiphine‐related MIAs in planta remains scarce, limiting the prospects for the biotechnological supply of many pachysiphine‐derived biopharmaceuticals. Here, we report a raw version of the toad tree (Tabernaemontana elegans) genome sequence. These new genomic resources led to the identification and characterization of a couple of genes encoding cytochrome P450 with pachysiphine synthase activity. Our phylogenomic and docking analyses highlight the different evolutionary processes that have been recruited to epoxidize the pachysiphine precursor tabersonine at a specific position and in a dedicated orientation, thus enriching our understanding of the diversification and speciation of the MIA metabolism in plants. These gene discoveries also allowed us to engineer the synthesis of MIAs in yeast through the combinatorial association of metabolic enzymes resulting in the tailor‐made synthesis of non‐natural MIAs. Overall, this work represents a step forward for the future supply of pachysiphine‐derived drugs by microbial cell factories.
Source: The Plant Journal
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.17085
Authors: Enzo Lezin, Mickael Durand, Caroline Birer Williams, Ana Luisa Lopez Vazquez, Thomas Perrot, Nicolas Gautron, Julien Pétrignet, Clément Cuello, Hans J. Jansen, Florent Magot, Sarah Szwarc, Pierre Le Pogam, Mehdi A. Beniddir, Konstantinos Koudounas, Audrey Oudin, Benoit St-Pierre, Nathalie Giglioli-Guivarc’h, Chao Sun, Nicolas Papon, Michael Krogh Jensen, Ron P. Dirks, Sarah E. O’Connor, Sébastien Besseau, Vincent Courdavault
Institutions: Université de Tours, Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Synthèse et Isolement de Molécules BioActives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Biomolécules : Conception, Isolement, Synthèse, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Université d'Angers, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Technical University of Denmark, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,190
OpenAlex ID: W4403583100