A willow UDP-glycosyltransferase involved in salicinoid biosynthesis

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

Kulasekaran, S., Cerezo-Medina, S., Harflett, C., Lomax, C., DeJong, F., Rendour, A., Ruvo, G., Hanley, S. J., Beale, M. H. and Ward, J. L. 2020. A willow UDP-glycosyltransferase involved in salicinoid biosynthesis. Journal of Experimental Botany. 72 (5), p. 1634–1648. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraa562

AuthorsKulasekaran, S., Cerezo-Medina, S., Harflett, C., Lomax, C., DeJong, F., Rendour, A., Ruvo, G., Hanley, S. J., Beale, M. H. and Ward, J. L.
Abstract

The salicinoids are phenolic glycosides that are characteristic secondary metabolites of the Salicaceae, particularly willows and poplars. Despite the well-known pharmacology of salicin, that led to the development of aspirin over 100 years ago, the biosynthetic pathways leading to salicinoids have yet to be defined. Here, we describe the identification, cloning and biochemical characterisation of SpUGT71L2 and SpUGT71L3, - isozymic glycosyl transferases from Salix purpurea – that function in the glucosylation of ortho-substituted phenols. The best substrate in vitro was salicyl-7-benzoate. Its product, salicyl-7-benzoate glucoside, was shown to be endogenous in poplar and willow. Together they are inferred to be early intermediates in the biosynthesis of salicortin and related metabolites in planta. The role of this UGT was confirmed via the metabolomic analysis of transgenic plants produced by RNAi knockdown of the poplar orthologue (UGT71L1) in the hybrid clone Populus tremula x P. alba, INRA 717 1-B4.

KeywordsPoplar; Salicin; Salicinoid; Salicortin; Salicyl-7-benzoate; Salix; Tremulacin; UGT
Year of Publication2020
JournalJournal of Experimental Botany
Journal citation72 (5), p. 1634–1648
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraa562
Web address (URL)https://academic.oup.com/jxb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jxb/eraa562/6009073?guestAccessKey=6dbd3f3f-57f5-4871-befb-616d514ec1be
Open accessPublished as green open access
FunderBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Funder project or codeTailoring Plant Metabolism (TPM) - Work package 2 (WP2) - Designer Willows: high value phenolic glycosides for health and industry
Cropping Carbon (CC) [ISPG]
Accepted author manuscript
Output statusE-publication ahead of print
Publication dates
Online28 Nov 2020
Publication process dates
Accepted28 Nov 2020
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP)
ISSN0022-0957

Permalink - https://repository.rothamsted.ac.uk/item/980yy/a-willow-udp-glycosyltransferase-involved-in-salicinoid-biosynthesis

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