Functional Diversity of Diterpene Synthases in the Biofuel Crop Switchgrass

Plant Physiology
Kyle A PelotPhilipp Zerbe

Abstract

Diterpenoids constitute a diverse class of metabolites with critical functions in plant development, defense, and ecological adaptation. Major monocot crops, such as maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa), deploy diverse blends of specialized diterpenoids as core components of biotic and abiotic stress resilience. Here, we describe the genome-wide identification and functional characterization of stress-related diterpene synthases (diTPSs) in the dedicated bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Mining of the allotetraploid switchgrass genome identified an expansive diTPS family of 31 members, and biochemical analysis of 11 diTPSs revealed a modular metabolic network producing a diverse array of diterpenoid metabolites. In addition to ent-copalyl diphosphate (CPP) and ent-kaurene synthases predictably involved in gibberellin biosynthesis, we identified syn-CPP and ent-labda-13-en-8-ol diphosphate (LPP) synthases as well as two diTPSs forming (+)-labda-8,13E-dienyl diphosphate (8,13-CPP) and ent-neo-cis-trans-clerodienyl diphosphate (CT-CLPP) scaffolds not observed previously in plants. Structure-guided mutagenesis of the (+)-8,13-CPP and ent-neo-CT-CLPP synthases revealed residue substitutions in the active sites that ...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 6, 2018·Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology·Kyle A PelotPhilipp Zerbe
Aug 28, 2020·Frontiers in Plant Science·Kyle G KochGautam Sarath
Sep 6, 2019·The Biochemical Journal·Cody LemkeReuben J Peters
Oct 22, 2019·Frontiers in Plant Science·Prema S Karunanithi, Philipp Zerbe
Apr 14, 2020·The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology·Prema S KarunanithiPhilipp Zerbe
Aug 19, 2020·Plant & Cell Physiology·Tomonobu ToyomasuKazunori Okada
Feb 10, 2020·Phytochemistry·Katherine M Murphy, Philipp Zerbe
Feb 24, 2020·Current Opinion in Plant Biology·Fei Zhou, Eran Pichersky
Jun 16, 2021·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Yezhang DingEric A Schmelz
Sep 14, 2021·The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology·Andrew MuchlinskiPhilipp Zerbe

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