Publications

• Benzalacetone synthase. A novel polyketide synthase that plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of phenylbutanones in Rheum palmatum.

  Abe I., Takahashi Y., Morita H., Noguchi H.

  Benzalacetone synthase (BSA) is a novel plant-specific polyketide synthase that catalyzes a one step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce the C6-C4 skeleton of phenylbutanoids in higher plants. A cDNA encoding BAS was for the first time cloned and sequenced f ... >> More

  Benzalacetone synthase (BSA) is a novel plant-specific polyketide synthase that catalyzes a one step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce the C6-C4 skeleton of phenylbutanoids in higher plants. A cDNA encoding BAS was for the first time cloned and sequenced from rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), a medicinal plant rich in phenylbutanoids including pharmaceutically important phenylbutanone glucoside, lindleyin. The cDNA encoded a 42-kDa protein that shares 60-75% amino-acid sequence identity with other members of the CHS-superfamily enzymes. Interestingly, R. palmatum BAS lacks the active-site Phe215 residue (numbering in CHS) which has been proposed to help orient substrates and intermediates during the sequential condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA in CHS. On the other hand, the catalytic cysteine-histidine dyad (Cys164-His303) in CHS is well conserved in BAS. A recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli efficiently afforded benzalacetone as a single product from 4-coumaroyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA. Further, in contrast with CHS that showed broad substrate specificity toward aliphatic CoA esters, BAS did not accept hexanoyl-CoA, isobutyryl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, and acetyl-CoA as a substrate. Finally, besides the phenylbutanones in rhubarb, BAS has been proposed to play a crucial role for the construction of the C6-C4 moiety of a variety of natural products such as medicinally important gingerols in ginger plant. << Less

  Eur. J. Biochem. 268:3354-3359(2001) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Identification and characterization of multiple curcumin synthases from the herb Curcuma longa.

  Katsuyama Y., Kita T., Horinouchi S.

  Curcuminoids are pharmaceutically important compounds isolated from the herb Curcuma longa. Two additional type III polyketide synthases, named CURS2 and CURS3, that are capable of curcuminoid synthesis were identified and characterized. In vitro analysis revealed that CURS2 preferred feruloyl-CoA ... >> More

  Curcuminoids are pharmaceutically important compounds isolated from the herb Curcuma longa. Two additional type III polyketide synthases, named CURS2 and CURS3, that are capable of curcuminoid synthesis were identified and characterized. In vitro analysis revealed that CURS2 preferred feruloyl-CoA as a starter substrate and CURS3 preferred both feruloyl-CoA and p-coumaroyl-CoA. These results suggested that CURS2 synthesizes curcumin or demethoxycurcumin and CURS3 synthesizes curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin. The availability of the substrates and the expression levels of the three different enzymes capable of curcuminoid synthesis with different substrate specificities might influence the composition of curcuminoids in the turmeric and in different cultivars. << Less

  FEBS Lett. 583:2799-2803(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 2 other entries.