Publications

• Stearoyl-acyl-carrier-protein desaturase from higher plants is structurally unrelated to the animal and fungal homologs.

  Shanklin J., Somerville C.R.

  Stearoyl-acyl-carrier-protein (ACP) desaturase (EC 1.14.99.6) was purified to homogeneity from avocado mesocarp, and monospecific polyclonal antibodies directed against the protein were used to isolate full-length cDNA clones from Ricinus communis (castor) seed and Cucumis sativus (cucumber). The ... >> More

  Stearoyl-acyl-carrier-protein (ACP) desaturase (EC 1.14.99.6) was purified to homogeneity from avocado mesocarp, and monospecific polyclonal antibodies directed against the protein were used to isolate full-length cDNA clones from Ricinus communis (castor) seed and Cucumis sativus (cucumber). The nucleotide sequence of the castor clone pRCD1 revealed an open reading frame of 1.2 kilobases encoding a 396-amino acid protein of 45 kDa. The cucumber clone pCSD1 encoded a homologous 396-amino acid protein with 88% amino acid identity to the castor clone. Expression of pRCD1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in the accumulation of a functional stearoyl-ACP desaturase, demonstrating that the introduction of this single gene product was sufficient to confer soluble desaturase activity to yeast. There was no detectable identity between the deduced amino acid sequences of the castor delta 9-stearoyl-ACP desaturase and either the delta 9-stearoyl-CoA desaturase from rat or yeast or the delta 12 desaturase from Synechocystis, suggesting that these enzymes may have evolved independently. However, there was a 48-residue region of 29% amino acid sequence identity between residues 53 and 101 of the castor desaturase and the proximal border of the dehydratase region of the fatty acid synthase from yeast. Stearoyl-ACP mRNA was present at substantially higher levels in developing seeds than in leaf and root tissue, suggesting that expression of the delta 9 desaturase is developmentally regulated. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88:2510-2514(1991) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Transcriptional activation of two palmitoyl-ACP delta9 desaturase genes by MYB115 and MYB118 is critical for biosynthesis of omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid in the endosperm of Arabidopsis seeds.

  Troncoso-Ponce M.A., Barthole G., Tremblais G., To A., Miquel M., Lepiniec L., Baud S.

  In angiosperms, double fertilization of the embryo sac initiates the development of the embryo and the endosperm. In Arabidopsis thaliana, an exalbuminous species, the endosperm is reduced to one cell layer during seed maturation and reserves such as oil are massively deposited in the enlarging em ... >> More

  In angiosperms, double fertilization of the embryo sac initiates the development of the embryo and the endosperm. In Arabidopsis thaliana, an exalbuminous species, the endosperm is reduced to one cell layer during seed maturation and reserves such as oil are massively deposited in the enlarging embryo. Here, we consider the strikingly different fatty acid (FA) compositions of the oils stored in the two zygotic tissues. Endosperm oil is enriched in ω-7 monounsaturated FAs, that represent more than 20 mol% of total FAs, whereas these molecular species are 10-fold less abundant in the embryo. Two closely related transcription factors, MYB118 and MYB115, are transcriptionally induced at the onset of the maturation phase in the endosperm and share a set of transcriptional targets. Interestingly, the endosperm oil of myb115 myb118 double mutants lacks ω-7 FAs. The identification of two Δ9 palmitoyl-ACP desaturases responsible for ω-7 FA biosynthesis, which are activated by MYB115 and MYB118 in the endosperm, allows us to propose a model for the transcriptional control of oil FA composition in this tissue. In addition, an initial characterization of the structure-function relationship for these desaturases reveals that their particular substrate specificity is conferred by amino acid residues lining their substrate pocket that distinguish them from the archetype Δ9 stearoyl-ACP desaturase. << Less

  Plant Cell 28:2666-2682(2016) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Fat metabolism in higher plants. Properties of a soluble stearyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase from maturing Carthamus tinctorius.

  Jaworski J.G., Stumpf P.K.

  Arch Biochem Biophys 162:158-165(1974) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturases are associated with floral isolation in sexually deceptive orchids.

  Schlueter P.M., Xu S., Gagliardini V., Whittle E., Shanklin J., Grossniklaus U., Schiestl F.P.

  The orchids Ophrys sphegodes and O. exaltata are reproductively isolated from each other by the attraction of two different, highly specific pollinator species. For pollinator attraction, flowers chemically mimic the pollinators' sex pheromones, the key components of which are alkenes with differe ... >> More

  The orchids Ophrys sphegodes and O. exaltata are reproductively isolated from each other by the attraction of two different, highly specific pollinator species. For pollinator attraction, flowers chemically mimic the pollinators' sex pheromones, the key components of which are alkenes with different double-bond positions. This study identifies genes likely involved in alkene biosynthesis, encoding stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturase (SAD) homologs. The expression of two isoforms, SAD1 and SAD2, is flower-specific and broadly parallels alkene production during flower development. SAD2 shows a significant association with alkene production, and in vitro assays show that O. sphegodes SAD2 has activity both as an 18:0-ACP Δ(9) and a 16:0-ACP Δ(4) desaturase. Downstream metabolism of the SAD2 reaction products would give rise to alkenes with double-bonds at position 9 or position 12, matching double-bond positions observed in alkenes in the odor bouquet of O. sphegodes. SAD1 and SAD2 show evidence of purifying selection before, and positive or relaxed purifying selection after gene duplication. By contributing to the production of species-specific alkene bouquets, SAD2 is suggested to contribute to differential pollinator attraction and reproductive isolation among these species. Taken together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that SAD2 is a florally expressed barrier gene of large phenotypic effect and, possibly, a genic target of pollinator-mediated selection. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108:5696-5701(2011) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• The Arabidopsis stearoyl-acyl carrier protein-desaturase family and the contribution of leaf isoforms to oleic acid synthesis.

  Kachroo A., Shanklin J., Whittle E., Lapchyk L., Hildebrand D., Kachroo P.

  In plants, changes in the levels of oleic acid (18:1), a major monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), results in the alteration of salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated defense responses. This is evident in the Arabidopsis ssi2/fab2 mutant, which encodes a defective stearoyl-acyl carrier ... >> More

  In plants, changes in the levels of oleic acid (18:1), a major monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), results in the alteration of salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated defense responses. This is evident in the Arabidopsis ssi2/fab2 mutant, which encodes a defective stearoyl-acyl carrier protein-desaturase (S-ACP-DES) and consequently accumulates high levels of stearic acid (18:0) and low levels of 18:1. In addition to SSI2, the Arabidopsis genome encodes six S-ACP-DES-like enzymes, the native expression levels of which are unable to compensate for a loss-of-function mutation in ssi2. The presence of low levels of 18:1 in the fab2 null mutant indicates that one or more S-ACP-DES isozymes contribute to the 18:1 pool. Biochemical assays show that in addition to SSI2, four other isozymes are capable of desaturating 18:0-ACP but with greatly reduced specific activities, which likely explains the inability of these SSI2 isozymes to substitute for a defective ssi2. Lines containing T-DNA insertions in S-ACP-DES1 and S-ACP-DES4 show that they are altered in their lipid profile but contain normal 18:1 levels. However, overexpression of the S-ACP-DES1 isoform in ssi2 plants results in restoration of 18:1 levels and thereby rescues all ssi2-associated phenotypes. Thus, high expression of a low specific activity S-ACP-DES is required to compensate for a mutation in ssi2. Transcript level of S-ACP-DES isoforms is reduced in high 18:1-containing plants. Enzyme activities of the desaturase isoforms in a 5-fold excess of 18:1-ACP show product inhibition of up to 73%. Together these data indicate that 18:1 levels are regulated at both transcriptional and post-translational levels. << Less

  Plant Mol. Biol. 63:257-271(2007) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Heterologous expression of stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase (S-ACP-DES) from Arabidopsis thaliana in Escherichia coli.

  Cao Y., Xian M., Yang J., Xu X., Liu W., Li L.

  Fatty acid desaturases are enzymes that introduce double bonds into fatty acyl chains, among which stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase (S-ACP-DES) was widely distributed in the plant kingdom. We cloned the cDNA coding for fab2/ssi2, an S-ACP-DES from Arabidopsis thaliana, into the vector pET3 ... >> More

  Fatty acid desaturases are enzymes that introduce double bonds into fatty acyl chains, among which stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase (S-ACP-DES) was widely distributed in the plant kingdom. We cloned the cDNA coding for fab2/ssi2, an S-ACP-DES from Arabidopsis thaliana, into the vector pET30a and heterologously expressed this fatty acid desaturase in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). After being induced with IPTG, the fusion protein was efficiently expressed in a soluble form. The SSI2 desaturase was purified by nickel ion affinity chromatography and the product obtained showed a single band by SDS-PAGE analysis. The expression of ssi2 modified the fatty acid composition of the recombinant strain. The ratio of palmitic acid (16:0) decreased from 45.2% (the control strain) to 35.2% while palmitoleate (16:1Delta9) and cis-vaccenate (18:1Delta11) levels were enhanced to some extent. The desaturase enzymatic activity was measured in vivo when the enzyme substrate stearic acid was provided in the culture medium. A new fatty acid, oleic acid (18:1Delta9) was found in the recombinant strain which did not exist in wild-type E. coli. These results demonstrated that the cofactors of the host system can complement the requirement of the SSI2 desaturase. << Less

  Protein Expr Purif 69:209-214(2010) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Enzymatic desaturation of stearyl acyl carrier protein.

  Nagai J., Bloch K.

  J Biol Chem 243:4626-4633(1968) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Redesign of soluble fatty acid desaturases from plants for altered substrate specificity and double bond position.

  Cahoon E.B., Lindqvist Y., Schneider G., Shanklin J.

  Acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturases introduce double bonds at specific positions in fatty acids of defined chain lengths and are one of the major determinants of the monounsaturated fatty acid composition of vegetable oils. Mutagenesis studies were conducted to determine the structural bas ... >> More

  Acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturases introduce double bonds at specific positions in fatty acids of defined chain lengths and are one of the major determinants of the monounsaturated fatty acid composition of vegetable oils. Mutagenesis studies were conducted to determine the structural basis for the substrate and double bond positional specificities displayed by acyl-ACP desaturases. By replacement of specific amino acid residues in a Delta6-palmitoyl (16:0)-ACP desaturase with their equivalents from a Delta9-stearoyl (18:0)-ACP desaturase, mutant enzymes were identified that have altered fatty acid chain-length specificities or that can insert double bonds into either the Delta6 or Delta9 positions of 16:0- and 18:0-ACP. Most notably, by replacement of five amino acids (A181T/A200F/S205N/L206T/G207A), the Delta6-16:0-ACP desaturase was converted into an enzyme that functions principally as a Delta9-18:0-ACP desaturase. Many of the determinants of fatty acid chain-length specificity in these mutants are found in residues that line the substrate binding channel as revealed by x-ray crystallography of the Delta9-18:0-ACP desaturase. The crystallographic model of the active site is also consistent with the diverged activities associated with naturally occurring variant acyl-ACP desaturases. In addition, on the basis of the active-site model, a Delta9-18:0-ACP desaturase was converted into an enzyme with substrate preference for 16:0-ACP by replacement of two residues (L118F/P179I). These results demonstrate the ability to rationally modify acyl-ACP desaturase activities through site-directed mutagenesis and represent a first step toward the design of acyl-ACP desaturases for the production of novel monounsaturated fatty acids in transgenic oilseed crops. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94:4872-4877(1997) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.