O-Methyltransferases of Tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Biosynthesis in Papaver Somniferum
The present invention relates to methyl transfer enzymes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis in opium poppy. More particularly, the invention relates to proteins having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity, to proteins having (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity and to derivatives and analogues of these proteins. The invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the proteins, and their derivatives and analogues, and to their use in the production of methylated catechols and tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines.
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This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/888,656 filed on Jul. 8, 2004, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and which claims priority to European Patent Application Serial No. No. 03020023.2, filed Sep. 3, 2003.
The present invention relates to methyl transfer enzymes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis in opium poppy. More particularly, the invention relates to proteins having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity, to proteins having (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity and to derivatives and analogues of these proteins. The invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the proteins, and their derivatives and analogues, and to their use in the production of methylated catechols and tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines.
Enzymatic methylation is a ubiquitous reaction occurring in diverse organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, and resulting in the modification of acceptor molecules for different functional and regulatory purposes. Enzymatic O-methylation is catalyzed by O-methyltransferases [E.C. 2.1.1.6.x], and involves the transfer of the methyl group of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to the hydroxyl group of an acceptor molecule. S-Adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)1-dependent O-methyltransferases (OMTs) are important components of plant natural product biosynthesis, yielding methyl ether derivatives of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic low molecular weight compounds. Regiospecific oxygen methylation significantly contributes to the vast metabolic diversity of plant secondary metabolism.
Over the past few years, the structural genes of several plant OMTs have been isolated, often using homology-based cloning techniques which exploit the high amino acid sequence similarity observed between plant OMTs, and the presence of conserved sequence motifs (Refs 1-3). However, whilst amino acid sequence comparison can assist in the isolation of the genes, it cannot be used to reliably predict the in vivo function of plant OMTs because of the broad substrate specificities that can be found for closely related enzymes. Indeed, it has become clear that substrate discrimination by plant O-methyltransferases can vary among the same enzyme from different species, for example the different substrate specificity of coclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase of tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis from Thalictrum tuberosum (4) and from Coptis japonica (5). This can also occur within one species, as for caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase from Nicotiana tabacum (6). In addition, many metabolic pathways in plants are only putatively elucidated, further complicating the assignment of a function to an isolated OMT gene. Functional characterisation of the enzymes is thus not trivial.
O-Methyltransferases of phenylpropanoid and of alkaloid biosynthesis are probably the biochemically best studied in the plant natural product field. They play a particularly important role in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, which produces more than eighty tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline-derived alkaloids, including the narcotic analgesic phenanthrene alkaloids codeine and morphine, and the antitussive phthalidisoquinoline noscapine, the vasodilator papaverine and the antimicrobial benzo[c]phenanthridine sanguinarine.
As shown in
Requisite to metabolic engineering of commercial varieties of P. somniferum is the understanding of the alkaloid biosynthetic pathways at the molecular genetic level. However, of the enzymes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis in P. somniferum, genes encoding only six of them have been isolated to date. One of the first to be isolated was a cDNA encoding the cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase (S)—N-methylcoclaurine 3′-hydroxylase (8,9) and the corresponding cytochrome P-450 reductase (10). This enzyme is common to the biosynthetic pathways of all the P. somniferum alkaloids. Specific to the sanguinarine pathway is the cDNA encoding the berberine bridge enzyme (9, 11, 12). Finally, specific to morphine biosynthesis are the cDNAs for salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase (13) that results in the formation of the five-ring system of the morphinans and for codeinone reductase, the penultimate enzyme of the morphine pathway that reduces codeinone to codeine (14).
With regard to the O-methyl transferases involved in P. somniferum alkaloid biosynthesis, very little is known to date. Norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity and (S)-3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine 4′-O-methyltransferase activity have been detected in protein extracts of P. somniferum (29). Recently, Facchini and Park published the mRNA and amino acid sequence of a putative norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase from P. somniferum (31) However the function of the enzyme was not investigated by these authors. Decker (30) carried out a study aimed at characterizing proteins in the latex of P. somniferum using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and demonstrated the presence of spots, which, once excised and micro-sequenced were seen to have homology with a maize O-methyl transferase. To date, however, no O-methyl transferases involved in P. somniferum alkaloid biosynthesis have been cloned and fully characterised. Moreover, to date no reports of (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity in P. somniferum have ever been made in the literature.
It is thus an object of the present invention to identify and characterise both at the protein and nucleic acid levels, and at the functional level, 0-methyl transferases involved in P. somniferum alkaloid biosynthesis.
More specifically, the present invention relates to the isolation and characterization of cDNAs encoding O-methyltransferases of tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in P. somniferum, namely (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase and (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase.
In the framework of the present invention, the inventors have isolated S-Adenosyl-L-methionine:(R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase, which converts reticuline to laudanine in tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline biosynthesis in Papaver somniferum. A proteomic analysis of P. somniferum latex indicated the presence of protein(s) showing homology to a maize O-methyltransferase (30), but gave no indication as to whether the fragments were from a single protein, and no indication of the possible function of the protein. The cDNA was amplified from P. somniferum RNA by reverse transcription PCR using primers based on the internal amino acid sequences. The recombinant protein was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells in a baculovirus expression vector. Steady state kinetic measurements with the heterologously expressed enzyme and mass spectrometric analysis of the enzymic products suggest that the enzyme is capable of carry through sequential O-methylations, first on the isoquinoline-, then on the benzyl moiety of several substrates. The tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines (R)-reticuline (4.20 s−1mM−1), (S)-reticuline (4.50), (R)-protosinomenine (1.67), and (R,S)-isoorientaline (1.44) as well as guaiacol (5.87) and isovanillic acid (1.21) are O-methylated by the enzyme with the ratio kcat/Km shown in parentheses. A phylogenetic comparison of the amino acid sequence of this O-methyltransferase to those from forty-three other plant species suggests that this enzyme groups more closely to isoquinoline biosynthetic O-methyltransferases from Coptis japonica than to those from Thalictrum tuberosum. In addition, P. somniferum cDNAs encoding two (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferases have been isolated and similarly characterized. The present inventors have thus surprisingly discovered that different alleles of (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase exist in P. somniferum.
More specifically, the invention concerns a first protein, comprising or consisting of the Papaver somniferum (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase protein illustrated in
-
- i) the amino acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 2) (“PSOMT1”) or, - ii) a fragment of the amino acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 2), said fragment having at least 100 amino acids (“i.e. fragments of PSOMT1”), or - iii) a variant of the amino acid sequence of
FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 2), said variant having at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence ofFIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 2) over a length of at least 300 amino acids (i.e. “variants of PSOMT1”).
- i) the amino acid sequence illustrated in
The fragments or variants of the PSOMT1 protein as defined above will be collectively referred to herein as the “PSOMT1 derivatives”.
Preferably, the PSOMT1 protein and derivatives are in dimeric form, i.e. the protein is a dimer comprising two protein sub-units, each sub-unit being chosen from any one of proteins (i), (ii) or (iii) as defined above. Both homodimers and heterodimers are within the scope of the invention. In the context of the invention, the designation “PSOMT1 proteins” includes dimeric forms of said proteins. The proteins may be purified from natural sources, or made by chemical or recombinant techniques.
According to the invention, the PSOMT1 protein and derivatives, and dimers thereof, generally have O-methyltransferase activity, particularly (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity. In the context of the invention, “(R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity” signifies the capacity of a protein to methylate (R) or (S) or (R,S)-reticuline at the 7-hydroxyl group, forming (R)-7-O-methylreticuline, (S)-7-O-methylreticuline, and (R,S)-7-O-methylreticuline, respectively. The proteins of the invention catalyse this reaction both in vivo and in vitro. Preferably, the enzymes of the invention methylate (R) or (S)-reticuline with equal efficiency, as shown by substantially equal kcat/Km ratios. The 7-O-methylation by PSOMT1 and derivatives preferably has a pH optimum of approximately pH 8.0, and a temperature optimum of 37° C. The (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity in vitro is measured using the experimental protocols described in the Examples below on purified enzyme as obtained from a eukaryotic cell, for example further to heterologous expression in a eukaryotic host, or any other suitable technique.
The PSOMT1 protein of the invention also has the capacity to methylate substrates other than (R) and (S)-reticuline. In particular, the PSOMT1 protein has the capacity to methylate in vitro the following substrates, in addition to (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, at the 7-hydroxy position: guaiacol, isovanillic acid, (R,S)-orientaline, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline. Optimal pH for these methylations are isovanillic acid: pH 7.5: (R)-protosinomenine pH 9.0; guaiacol: pH 8.0; (R,S)-isoorientaline: pH 7.5-9.0.
The PSOMT1 protein derivatives of the invention may also exhibit this capacity to methylate the above substrates in vitro.
A first preferred embodiment of the invention thus comprises the full length PSOMT1 (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase protein whose amino acid sequence is shown in
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the PSOMT1 protein may comprise or consist of a fragment of the amino acid sequence illustrated in
By protein “fragment” is meant any segment of the full length sequence of
The protein fragments of the invention may or may not have (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity. Normally, fragments comprising at least 250, or at least 300 consecutive amino acids of the protein shown in
A particularly preferred class of peptides according to the invention are peptides which comprise or consist of a stretch (or “tract”) of at least 8, preferably at least 10, and most preferably at least 25 amino acids unique to the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase (PSOMT1) illustrated in
In general, the PSOMT1 fragments of the invention may consist exclusively of part of the
According to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the protein comprises or consists of a “variant” of the amino acid sequence of
Particularly preferred “variant” proteins of the invention are allelic variants of PSOMT1, or PSOMT1 proteins arising from expression of other members of a PSOMT1 gene family. For example, there may exist within a given species of Papaver, or within a given genotype of P. somniferum, variants of the PSOMT1 gene containing a number of single point polymorphisms, some of which may give rise to changes in amino acid sequence. Typically, these variants contain one to fifteen amino acid substitutions, for example one to ten, or one to six, with respect to the
Other PSOMT1 variants of the invention include proteins which again have at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of
using the one-letter amino acid code, and wherein “X” represents any amino acid.
The invention thus also includes variants of the
The PSOMT1 proteins of the invention can be used for the production of methylated catechols or methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines. An example of such a method comprises the steps of:
-
- i) contacting in vitro a PSOMT2 protein having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity with a substrate chosen from guaiacol, isovanillic acid, (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, (R,S)-orientaline, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline at a pH between 7.5 to 9,
- ii) recovering the methylated catechols or methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines thus produced.
The PSOMT1 proteins used in this in vitro method are generally used in purified, dimeric form.
In addition to the proteins described above, the invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the PSOMT1 proteins, for example cDNA, single and double stranded DNA and RNA, genomic DNA, synthetic DNA, or to their complementary sequences.
Examples of particularly preferred nucleic acid molecules are molecules comprising or consisting of:
-
- i) the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 1), or - ii) a fragment of the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 1), said fragment having a length of at least 60 nucleotides, or - iii) a variant of the sequence illustrated in
FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 1), said variant having at least 70% identity with the sequence ofFIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 1) over a length of at least 900 bases, or - iv) a sequence complementary to sequences (i), (ii) or (iii), or
- v) any one of sequences (i), (ii) or (iii) in double-stranded form, or
- vi) the RNA equivalent of any of sequences (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v).
- i) the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
The nucleic acid molecules (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) are also referred to herein collectively as “(R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene or derivatives thereof”.
The sequence of
Also within the scope of the invention are molecules comprising or consisting of fragments of the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
Other fragments include 5′- or 3′-terminal truncations, or an internal fragment, of the sequence of
Molecules comprising fragments of the
The nucleic acid molecules of the invention may also be a variant of the nucleotide sequence illustrated in
Typically, nucleic acid variants of the invention have the capacity to hybridise to the sequence illustrated in
Particularly preferred nucleic acid variants of the invention are variants of the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene occurring within a given species of P. somniferum, such as allelic variants or gene family members. Allelic variants usually have up to 1% difference in nucleotide sequence with respect to the full length coding sequence, for example with respect to the coding sequence shown in
According to the invention, members of a gene family usually differ by up to 5% with respect to the full length coding sequence, for example with respect to the coding sequence shown in
Nucleic acid variants and fragments of the invention may encode an enzymatically active protein or not. Preferred variants encode proteins having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity, as defined previously.
Further variants of the nucleic acid sequences of the invention include mutants obtained for example, by mutagenesis, either directed or random, producing new enzymes with modified specificities. For example, mutants capable of methylating a broader range of substrates, or capable of methylating substrates totally different from the natural substrates can be generated, for example mutants capable of methylating morphine to produce codeine. Variants generated in such directed evolution methods generally differ by up to 5% with respect to the full length coding sequence, for example with respect to the coding sequence shown in
A further major aspect the invention relates to a second methyl transferase enzyme involved in alkaloid biosynthesis in opium poppy, namely (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase. In the framework of the invention, it has been discovered that different allelic variants of the gene encoding this protein exist in P. somniferum. The invention thus relates to the different variants of this protein, and to the corresponding genes and derivatives thereof.
More particularly, the invention concerns the so-called PSOMT2 proteins illustrated in
According to a preferred embodiment, the invention thus concerns a protein having O-methyltransferase activity, particularly (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity, said protein comprising or consisting of:
-
- i) the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) or, - ii) the PSOMT2a amino acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) or - iii) a fragment of the PSOMT2 or PSMOT2a amino acid sequences illustrated in
FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3), andFIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21),said fragment having at least 100 amino acids, or - iv) a variant of the PSOMT2 or PSMOT2a amino acid sequence of
FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3), orFIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21), said variant having at least 70% identity, and preferably at least 80% or 90% identity, most preferable at least 97% identity, for example at least 99% identity, with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence ofFIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) orFIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21), over a length of at least 300 amino acids.
- i) the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence illustrated in
The fragments or variants of the PSOMT2 and PSOMT2a protein as defined above will be collectively referred to herein as the “PSOMT2 derivatives”.
Again, as with the PSOMT1 proteins, the PSOMT2 protein and derivatives are preferably in dimeric form, i.e. the protein is a dimer comprising two protein sub-units, each sub-unit being chosen from any one of proteins (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) as defined above. Both homodimers and heterodimers of the PSOMT2 proteins and derivatives are within the scope of the invention. In the context of the invention, the designation “PSOMT2 proteins” includes dimeric forms of said proteins. The proteins may be purified from natural sources, or made by chemical or recombinant techniques.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protein comprises or consists of a variant of the amino acid sequence illustrated in
The invention thus encompasses allelic variants of the
It has been established by the inventors that the naturally occurring variants of the P. somniferum (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase are particularly susceptible to have variation at any one of amino acid positions 93, 150, 233, 245 and 274, wherein the amino acid positions referred to are those illustrated in
Typically, the PSMOT2 proteins of the invention comprise or consist of the sequence illustrated in
Advantageously, X93 is not Pro when X150, X233, X245, X274 together represent the following amino acids: Xaa150 is Glu, Xaa233 is Ser, Xaa245 is Ala and Xaa274 is Gly.
According to one embodiment of this mode of the invention, the methyl transferase enzyme thus comprises the full length PSOMT2 (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase protein whose amino acid sequence is shown in
The PSOMT2 proteins and derivatives as defined above, and dimers thereof, generally have O-methyltransferase activity, particularly (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity. In the context of the invention, “(R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity” signifies the capacity of a protein to carry out methylation of (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (S)-norcoclaurine, and/or (R)-norcoclaurine at the 6-hydroxyl group, forming (R,S)-coclaurine, forming (S)-coclaurine, and (R)-coclaurine, respectively. The proteins of the invention catalyse this reaction both in vivo and in vitro. The 6-O-methylation by PSOMT2 and derivatives preferably occurs over a wide range of pH (pH 6.0 to 9.0), and a temperature optimum of 37 to 41° C. The (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity in vitro is measured using the experimental protocols described in the Examples below on purified enzyme as obtained from a eukaryotic cell, for example further to heterologous expression in a eukaryotic host, or any other suitable technique.
The PSOMT2 proteins and derivatives of the invention also have the in vitro capacity to methylate substrates other than (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (S)-norcoclaurine, and/or (R)-norcoclaurine. In particular, the PSOMT2 proteins have the capacity to methylate in vitro the following substrates, in addition to (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, at the 6-hydroxy position: (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline. Optimal pH for these 6-O-methylations is at pH 7.5, with a temperature optima again at 37 to 41° C.
In accordance with another embodiment of the PSOMT2 aspect of the invention, the protein or peptide may be comprise or consist a portion or fragment of the full length protein illustrated in
By PSOMT2 protein “fragment” is meant any segment of the full length sequence of
Examples of PSOMT2 protein fragments and peptides thus include proteins comprising or consisting of amino acids 1 to 150 of the
The PSOMT2 protein fragments of the invention may or may not have (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity. Normally, fragments comprising at least 250, or at least 300 consecutive amino acids of the protein shown in
A particularly preferred class of PSOMT2 peptides according to the invention are peptides which comprise or consist of a stretch (or “tract”) of at least 8, preferably at least 10, and most preferably at least 25 amino acids unique to the (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase (PSOMT2) illustrated in
Other PSOMT2 variants of the invention include proteins which again have at least 95 or 97% identity with the amino acid sequence of
using the one-letter amino acid code, and wherein “X” represents any amino acid.
The PSOMT2 proteins of the invention can be used for the production of methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines. An example of such a method comprises the steps of:
-
- i) contacting in vitro a protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity, for example a PSOMT2 protein or derivative as defined above, with a substrate chosen from (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (R,S)-isoorientaline, (R)-norprotosinomenine and (S)-norprotosinomenine at pH 6.0 to 9.0,
- ii) recovering the methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines thus produced.
The PSOMT2 proteins used in this in vitro method are generally used in purified, dimeric form.
In addition to the PSOMT2 proteins described above, the invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the PSOMT2 proteins, for example cDNA, single and double stranded DNA and RNA, genomic DNA, synthetic DNA, or to their complementary sequences.
Examples of particularly preferred nucleic acid molecules are molecules comprising or consisting of:
-
- i) the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 10 (SEQ ID NO: 18), or - ii) the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO: 20), or - iii) a fragment of the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
FIG. 10 or 11, said fragment having a length of at least 60 nucleotides, or - iv) a variant of the sequence illustrated in
FIG. 10 or 11, said variant having at least 70% identity, for example at least 80% or 90% identity, and preferably at least 99 to 99.9% identity, with the sequence ofFIG. 10 or 11 over a length of at least 900 bases, or - v) a sequence complementary to sequences (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv),
- vi) any one of sequences (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) in double-stranded form, or
- vii) the RNA equivalent of any of sequences (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) or (vi).
- i) the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
The nucleic acid molecules (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vi) are also referred to herein collectively as the “norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase gene or derivatives thereof”.
Preferred nucleic acid molecule of the invention are variants of the sequence illustrated in
Such variants include the nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of the PSOMT2 coding sequence illustrated in
Also within the scope of the invention are molecules comprising or consisting of fragments of the nucleic acid sequence illustrated in
Particularly preferred PSOMT2 nucleic acid fragments comprise or consist of a stretch (or tract) of the sequence illustrated in
Other PSOMT2 fragments include 5′- or 3′-terminal truncations, or an internal fragment, of the sequence of
When the nucleic acid fragment of the invention is relatively short, i.e. between approximately 18 to 50 nucleotides, it usually comprises a stretch (or tract) of at least 18 nucleotides which is unique to the PSOMT2 gene. Such unique tracts may for example encode protein fragments which do not occur in other plant O-methyltransferases as shown in Table II, or may be chosen from the untranslated regions shown in
Molecules comprising fragments of the
Typically, nucleic acid variants of the invention have the capacity to hybridise to the sequence illustrated in
Nucleic acid variants and fragments of the invention may encode an enzymatically active protein or not. Preferred variants encode proteins having O-methyltransferase activity, particularly norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity, as defined previously.
Further variants of the PSOMT2 nucleic acid sequences of the invention include mutants obtained for example, by mutagenesis, either directed or random, producing new enzymes with modified specificities. For example, mutants capable of methylating a broader range of substrates, or capable of methylating substrates totally different from the natural substrates can be generated, for example mutants capable of methylating morphine to produce codeine. Variants generated in such directed evolution methods generally differ by up to 5%, for example by up to 2 or 3% with respect to the full length coding sequence, for example with respect to the coding sequence shown in
In a more general context, the invention also encompasses nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to any of the foregoing molecules, variants and fragments, both PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 derivatives. In the context of the invention, “complementary” means that Watson-Crick base-pairs can form between a majority of bases in the complementary sequence and the reference sequence. Preferably, the complementarity is 100%, but one or two mismatches in a stretch of twenty or thirty bases can be tolerated. Additionally, complementary stretches may be separated by non-complementary stretches. Examples of nucleic acids of the invention which comprise sequences complementary to the PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 derivatives include primers, ribozymes, deoxyribozymes, antisense sequences, and interfering RNA.
The nucleic acid molecules of the invention may contain at least one nucleotide analogue in replacement of, or in addition to, a naturally occurring nucleotide. Ribonucleotide and deoxyribonucleotide derivatives or modifications are well known in the art, and are described, for example, in Principles of Nucleic Acid Structure (Ed, Wolfram Sanger, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1984), particularly pages 159-200), and in the CRC Handbook of Biochemistry (Second edition, Ed, H. Sober, 1970). A large number of modified bases are found in nature, and a wide range of modified bases have been synthetically produced. For example, amino groups and ring nitrogens may be alkylated, such as alkylation of ring nitrogen atoms or carbon atoms such as N1 and N7 of guanine and C5 of cytosine; substitution of keto by thioketo groups; saturation of carbon═carbon double bonds. Bases may be substituted with various groups, such as halogen, hydroxy, amine, alkyl, azido, nitro, phenyl and the like. Examples of suitable nucleotide analogues are listed in Table I below. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, synthetic genes comprising one or more nucleotide analogues, for example methylated bases, are made, for example by chemical synthesis, and can be introduced into cells for a transient expression process in vivo.
The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used to transform or transfect eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. To this end, the sequences are usually operably linked to transcription regulatory sequences such as promoters, transcription terminators, enhancers etc. The operable link between the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase-derived coding sequence or the norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase coding sequence, and the regulatory sequence(s) may be direct or indirect, i.e. with or without intervening sequences. They may also contain internal ribosome entry sites (IRES). The regulatory sequences may be endogenous to the coding sequence, i.e. they are the regulatory sequences naturally associated with the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene or the norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase gene in the genome of the plant. Alternatively, the regulatory sequences may be heterologous to the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase sequence or the norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase sequence. In this latter case the resulting construct forms a chimeric gene, comprising a coding sequence derived from the methyltransferase gene, operably linked to at least one heterologous transcription regulatory sequence. In the context of the invention, the term “coding sequence” signifies a DNA sequence that encodes a functional RNA molecule. The RNA molecule may be untranslated, or may encode an enzymatically-active protein, or enzymatically-inactive protein.
The invention also relates to eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells transformed or transfected by the nucleic acid sequences derived from the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene, and from the norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase gene. An example of a suitable prokaryotic cell is a bacterial cell. Examples of suitable eukaryotic cells are yeast cells, vertebrate cells such as mammalian cells, for example mouse, monkey, or human cells, or invertebrate cells such as insect cells. Plant cells are particularly preferred. In the context of the present invention, the term “plant” is to be understood as including mosses and liverworts. The plant cells can be any type of plant cells, including monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous plant cells. The cells may be differentiated cells or callus for example suspension cultures. Cells of the genus Papaver are particularly preferred.
According to the invention, cells are transfected or transformed using techniques conventional in the art, in conditions allowing expression of the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene or derivatives, or norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase or derivatives. A number of transformation techniques have been reported for Papaver. For example, microprojectile bombardment of cell suspension cultures may be used. Transformation may also be effected using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, or Agrobacterium rhizogenes, using either cell suspension cultures or tissue explants. A number of further techniques are available and are known to the skilled man.
When transforming cells with the methyltransferase genes or derivatives of the invention, the choice of cell is made depending upon the objective to be achieved.
One objective is to produce recombinant (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase enzyme, or derivatives thereof. A preferred method for producing proteins having this activity comprises:
-
- i) transforming or transfecting a cell with a (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase gene or derivatives as defined above, in conditions permitting the expression of the protein having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity,
- ii) propagating the said cells, and
- iii) recovering the thus-produced protein having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity.
A further objective is to produce recombinant norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase enzyme, or derivatives thereof. A preferred method comprises the steps of:
-
- i) transforming or transfecting cells with a (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase gene or derivatives thereof, as defined above, in conditions permitting the expression of the protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity,
- ii) propagating the said cells, and
- iii) recovering the thus-produced protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity.
For the purpose of producing recombinant enzyme, any of the above listed cell-types can be used. Plant cells such as cells of a Papaver species, or insect cells, as demonstrated in the examples below, are particularly suitable. Bacterial cells, such as E. coli, can also be used.
The enzymes of the invention, and their derivatives and variants, can also be used in semi-synthetic drug preparation, where necessary in association with other enzymes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis, for example in the preparation of the analgesics codeine and morphine, and the antitussive noscapine, the vasodilator papaverine and the antimicrobial benzo[c]phenanthridine sanguinarine.
The (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase genes and derivatives of the invention can also be used for producing 7-O-methylreticuline. Such a method comprises the steps of:
-
- i) introducing a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein of the invention having (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase activity into a plant cell which is capable of expressing (R)-reticuline or (S)-reticuline,
- ii) propagating said plant cell in conditions wherein the (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase and the (R)-reticuline or (S)-reticuline are expressed, thereby producing a multiplicity of cells,
- iii) recovering 7-O-methylreticuline from said multiplicity of cells.
Likewise, the (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase genes and derivatives of the invention can also be used for producing (R) or (S)-coclaurine. Such a method comprises the steps of:
-
- i) introducing an exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity into a plant cell which is capable of expressing (S)-norcoclaurine,
- ii) propagating said plant cell in conditions wherein the norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity and the (S)-norcoclaurine are expressed, thereby producing a multiplicity of cells,
- iii) recovering (S)-coclaurine from said multiplicity of cells.
In such methods the multiplicity of cells is preferably a cell culture of differentiated or undifferentiated cells.
Various aspects of the invention are illustrated in the Figures:
The abbreviations used in the following Examples are: AdoMet, S-adenosyl-L-methionine; COMT, catechol O-methyltransferase; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; RACE, rapid amplification of DNA ends; MS, mass spectrometry; bp, base pairs; OMT, O-methyltransferase; PSOMT, Papaver somniferum O-methyltransferase
A. Experimental ProceduresPlant Material—P. somniferum seedlings were routinely grown aseptically on Gamborg B5 medium (15) containing 0.8% agar in a growth chamber at 22° C., 60% relative humidity under cycles of 16 h light/8 h dark with a light intensity of 85 μmol sec−1 m−2 per μA. Differentiated P. somniferum plants were grown either outdoors in Saxony-Anhalt or in a greenhouse at 24° C., 18 h light and 50% humidity.
Generation of Partial cDNAs from P. somniferum-Partial cDNAs encoding O-methyltransferases from P. somniferum were produced by PCR using cDNA generated by reverse transcription of mRNA isolated from floral stem. DNA amplification using either Taq or Pfu polymerase was performed under the following conditions: 3 min at 94° C., 35 cycles of 94° C., 30 s; 50° C., 30 s; 72° C., 1 min. At the end of 35 cycles, the reaction mixtures were incubated for an additional 7 min at 72° C. prior to cooling to 4° C. The amplified DNA was resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis, the bands of approximately correct size (400 bp) were isolated and subcloned into pGEM-T Easy (Promega) prior to nucleotide sequence determination. The specific sequences of the oligodeoxynucleotide primers used are given in the Results section.
Generation of Full-Length cDNAs-The sequence information requisite to the generation of a full-length cDNA was derived from the nucleotide sequence of the partial cDNA produced as described in the Results section. The complete nucleotide sequence was generated in two steps using one O-methyltransferase-specific PCR primer (PSOMT1: 5′-AGT CAT TTC CAT CTG GTC GCA ACA-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 4) for 5′-RACE and 5′-ATG GAT ACT GCA GAA GAA AGG TTG-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 5) for 3′-RACE; PSOMT2: 5′-ATA AGG GTA AGC CTC AAT TAC AGA TTG-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 6) for 5′-RACE and 5′-GCT GCA GTG AAA GCC ATA ATC T-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 7) for 3′-RACE) and one RACE-specific primer as specified by the manufacturer. The 5′- and 3′-RACE-PCR experiments were carried out using a SMART cDNA amplification kit (Clontech). RACE-PCR was performed using the following PCR cycle: 3 min at 94° C., 25 cycles of 94° C., 30 s; 68° C., 30 s; 72° C., 3 min. At the end of 25 cycles, the reaction mixtures were incubated for an additional 7 min at 72° C. prior to cooling to 4° C. The amplified DNA was resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis, the bands of the expected size (PSOMT1: 990 bp for 5′-RACE and 1177 bp for 3′-RACE; PSOMT2: 1124 bp for 5′-RACE and 671 bp for 3′-RACE) were isolated and subcloned into pGEM-T Easy prior to sequencing.
The full-length clone was generated in one piece using the primers PSOMT1: 5′-TAT CGG ATC CAT GGA TAC TGC AGA A-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 8) and 5′-TTA GGC GGC CGC TTA TTC TGG AAA GGC-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 9) or PSOMT2: 5′-TAT CGG ATC CAT GGA AAC AGT AAG C-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 10) and 5′-TTA GGC GGC CGC TTA ATA AGG GTA AGC-3′ (SEQ. ID NO: 11) for PCR with P. somniferum floral stem cDNA as template. The final primers used for cDNA amplification contained recognition sites for the restriction endonucleases BamHI and NotI, appropriate for subcloning into pFastBac HTa (Life Technologies) for functional expression. DNA amplification was performed under the following conditions: 3 min at 94° C., 35 cycles of 94° C., 30 s; 60° C., 30 s; 72° C., 2 min. At the end of 35 cycles, the reaction mixtures were incubated for an additional 7 min at 72° C. prior to cooling to 4° C. The amplified DNA was resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis, the band of approximately correct size (PSOMT1: 1068 bp; PSOMT2: 1041 bp) was isolated and subcloned into pCR4-TOPO (Invitrogen) prior to nucleotide sequence determination.
Heterologous Expression and Enzyme Purification-The full-length cDNA generated by RT-PCR was ligated into pFastBac HTa that had been digested with restriction endonucleases BamHI and NotI. The recombinant plasmid was transposed into baculovirus DNA in the Escherichia coli strain DH10BAC (Life Technologies) and then transfected into Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells according to the manufacturer's instructions. The insect cells were propagated and the recombinant virus was amplified according to (16, 17). INSECT-XPRESS serum-free medium (Bio Whittaker) was used in the enzyme expression experiments.
After infection of 20 ml suspension grown insect cells had proceded for 3-4 days at 28° C. and 130 rpm, the cells were removed by centrifugation under sterile conditions at 900×g for 5 min at 4° C. All subsequent steps were performed at 4° C. The pellet was discarded and to the medium was added 0.73 g NaCl, 2.5 ml glycerol and 50 μl □-mercaptoethanol. The pH was adjusted to 7.0 with 1.0 M NaOH. The His-tagged O-methyltransferase was then purified by affinity chromatography using a cobalt resin (Talon, Clontech) according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Enzyme assay and product identification: The O-methylation reactions catalysed by the two O-methyltransferases were assayed at least two times in duplicate according to Rüffer et al. (1983a; 1983b) as follows. Substrate (25 nmol), [methyl-3H]-AdoMet (20,000 dpm, 0.4 fmol), AdoMet (10 nmol) Tris/HC1 buffer pH 8.0 (10 μmol), ascorbate (5 μmol) and 5-10 μg of enzyme were incubated in a total volume of 150 μl at 35° C. for 5-60 min. The enzymic reaction was terminated by addition of 200 μl ethylacetate. The organic phase (300 μl) was added to 3 ml high flash point liquid scintillation cocktail (Packard) and the radioactivity quantified with a Beckman LS6000TA liquid scintillation counter. For Km determinations, substrate concentration was varied from 0 to 400 μm.
The identity of the enzymic reaction products was ascertained by HPLC-MS using a Finnigan MAT TSQ 7000 (electrospray voltage 4.5 kV, capillary temperature 220° C., carrier gas N2) coupled to a Micro-tech Ultra-Plus Micro-LC equipped with an Ultrasep RP18 column; 5 μm; 1×10 mm), Solvent system (A) 99.8% (v/v) H2O, 0.2% HOAc (B) 99.8% CH3CN (v/v), 0.2% HOAc; gradient: 0-15 min 10-90% B, 15-25 min 90% B; flow 70 μl min−1). The collision-induced dissociation (CID; collision energy, −25 eV; collision gas, argon; collision pressure, 1.8×10−3 Torr) mass spectra for the tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were recorded.
General Methods—Total RNA was isolated and RNA gels were run and blotted as described previously (20). Genomic DNA was isolated and DNA gels were run and blotted according to (21). cDNA clones were labeled by PCR labeling with [□-32P]dATP. Hybridized RNA on RNA gel blots and DNA on DNA gel blots were visualized with a STORM phosphor imager (Molecular Dynamics). The entire nucleotide sequence on both DNA strands of the full-length clone was determined by dideoxy cycle sequencing using internal DNA sequences for the design of deoxyoligonucleotides as sequencing primers. Saturation curves and double reciprocal plots were constructed with the Fig. P program Version 2.7 (Biosoft, Cambridge, UK). The influence of pH on enzyme activity was monitored in sodium citrate (pH 4-6), sodium phosphate (pH 6-7.0) and Tris-HCl (pH 7.0-9), glycine/NaOH (pH 9-10.5) buffered solutions.
B. ResultsAmino Acid Sequence Analysis of a Putative O-Methyltransferase and Isolation of the Corresponding cDNA—Latex was harvested from field-grown P. somniferum by incising capsules 3-6 days after flower petal fall. The exuded latex was immediately added to ice-cold potassium phosphate buffer containing 20 mM sodium ascorbate and 500 mM mannitol, pH 7.2. The latex buffer ratio was approximately 1:1. Particulates were removed by centrifugation (22, 23) prior to two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic resolution of the proteins in the 1000×g supernatant according to (24) (
Degenerated oligodeoxynucleotide primers were derived from OMT-Pep 1 and OMT-Pep 5 as shown below:
PCR amplification of P. somniferum cDNA prepared from stem poly (A)+ RNA yielded a DNA band of the expected size (approximately 400 bp) upon analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis. Subcloning of the PCR product into pGEM-T Easy followed by nucleotide sequence determination of randomly chosen samples identified two independent O-methyltransferase-encoding partial cDNA clones denoted PSOMT1 and PSOMT2. Each O-methyltransferase partial sequence was used to design specific oligodeoxynucleotide primers for RACE-PCR, by which cDNAs containing the entire open reading frames for both O-methyltransferases were generated. The details of these experiments are provided in the Experimental Procedures section.
Sequence Analyses of O-Methyltransferases—Translation of the complete nucleotide sequences of PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 yielded polypeptides of 356 and 347 amino acids, respectively. Amino acid sequence alignment carried out using the program from Heidelberg Unix Sequence Analysis Resources demonstrated 38.9% identity of the two proteins. Amino acid sequences of O-methyl transfer enzymes contain consensus sequences putatively involved in catalysis. Conserved motifs A, B, C, J, K and L proposed by Joshi and Chiang (2) are shown for PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 as shaded regions in
A phylogenetic diagram of forty-four putative and defined O-methyltransferase amino acid sequences from seventeen plants was constructed using the Phylogeny Inference Package program (PHYLIP Version 3.57c) (
Gene Expression Analyses—RNA gel blot analysis suggests that PSOMT1 is expressed predominantly in bud and stem, and to a much lesser degree, in leaf of P. somniferum (
The comparative transcript distribution and phylogenetic analysis of PSOMT1 suggests that the gene product may be involved in tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid formation, but not directly in either the (S)-reticuline or the morphine biosynthetic pathways.
Purification and Functional Characterization of Recombinant Enzymes—The PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 cDNAs were each constructed to express the recombinant proteins with six histidine residues elongating the amino terminus. The proteins were then purified from S. frugiperda Sf9 cell culture medium in one step by cobalt affinity chromatography to yield electrophoretically homogeneous proteins. PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 each have relative molecular masses of 43 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. This compares with the calculated molecular masses of 39,841 and 38,510 based on the translation of the nucleotide sequences. The native relative molecular masses were determined by gel filtration on a calibrated Sephacryl 200 column (Pharmacia). PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 are each homodimers with an Mr of 85 and 80 kDa, respectively. This is consistent with that observed for norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferases of (S)-reticuline biosynthesis in T. tuberosum (4).
Radioassay of pure, recombinant O-methyltransferases using [methyl-3H]-AdoMet together with each of forty different substrates demonstrated that PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 are relatively substrate-specific (Table IV below). PSOMT1 methylates the simple catechols guaiacol and isovanillic acid as well as the tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, (R,S)-orientaline, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline. PSOMT2 is more specific, methylating only (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline. The limited quantities of (R,S)-orientaline prohibited further kinetic characterization of methylation of this particular substrate.
PSOMT1 has a pH optimum at 8.0 for guaiacol, (R)-reticuline and (S)-reticuline. The optimal pH for methylation of (R)-protosinomenine and isovanillic acid are 9.0 and 7.5, respectively, whereas the optimal pH for methylation of (R,S)-isoorientaline ranges from 7.5-9.0. PSOMT2 methylates (R,S)-norcoclaurine over a wide pH range (6.0-9.0). Methyl transfer to (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline has an optimum at pH 7.5. The temperature optima for PSOMT1 with various the substrates are: guaiacol, (R)-reticuline and (S)-reticuline (37° C.), (R)-protosinomenine (39° C.), (R,S)-isoorientaline and isovanillic acid (37-41° C.). PSOMT2 optimally methylated all substrates at 37-41° C.
The kinetic parameters determined for methylation of each substrate of PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 are shown in Table V. As designated by the ratio kcat/Km, PSOMT1 methylates (R)-reticuline and (S)-reticuline with equal efficiency. Both substrates occur in P. somniferum, but only (R)-reticuline is specific to morphine biosynthesis. The high kcat/Km, ratio for guaiacol (135% of those values determined for reticuline) does not correlate with in vivo significance, since this simple catechol has not been reported to occur in P. somniferum. Likewise, (R)-protosinomenine, (R,S)-isoorientaline and isovanillic acid do not occur in this plant. The highest kcat/Km, ratio for PSOMT2 was obtained with (R,S)-norcoclaurine as substrate. The next best substrates are (R)- and (S)-norprotosinomenine with values equal to 55% of that obtained for norcoclaurine. However, norprotosinomenines do not naturally occur in P. somniferum.
Structure Elucidation of Enzymic Products—Initial enzyme activity measurements were carried out using a radioassay. Many of the substrates tested contained more than one site of potential methylation. Since the radioassay is only a facile measure of whether methylation had likely occurred, but does not indicate the position of methyl transfer, each positive assay was repeated with unlabeled substrate and the enzymic product was subjected to HPLC-MS analysis. Tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines readily cleave at low ionization energies into the corresponding isoquinoline- and benzyl ions. This enables identification of methylation at either moiety. The structures of the ten substrates that were methylated by either PSOMT1 or PSOMT2 are shown in
Surprising results were obtained when the PSOMT1 methylation products of (R,S)-orientaline and (R,S)-isoorientaline were analyzed by HPLC-MS. The fragment ions obtained for the methylation products of orientaline are shown in
The identification of new O-methyltransferases presented herein follows on from a first attempt to use proteome analysis to identify proteins in latex of P. somniferum (24, 30). Latex collected from capsules was resolved into a cytosolic and a vesicular fraction by centrifugation and the cytosolic proteins were then resolved by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. From internal amino acid sequence determination of these proteins, one with homology to plant O-methyltransferases was identified. Using RT-PCR followed by RACE-PCR, two cDNAs PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 encoding complete open reading frames were isolated.
A sequence comparison of the translations of PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 with those sequences available in the GenBank/EMBL databases revealed that PSOMT1 grouped with proteins from P. radiata of unknown function and that PSOMT2 was likely functionally equivalent to (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase from C. japonica (5). Using amino acid sequence comparison to predict the in vivo function of plant O-methyltransferases is not trivial due to the broad substrate specificities that can be found for closely related enzymes (4). To overcome the uncertainties associated with phylogenetic comparison, PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 were each introduced into a baculovirus expression vector and the corresponding proteins PSOMT1 and PSOMT2 were produced in S. frugiperda Sf9 cell culture. Forty compounds were tested as potential substrates for the two enzymes. Most of these substances were tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, but simple catechols and a few common phenylpropanoid-derived compounds were also included. PSOMT1 O-methylated guaiacol, isovanillic acid, (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, (R,S)-orientaline, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline. PSOMT2 O-methylated (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline.
The broad substrate specificities of plant O-methyltransferases can make the assignment of an in vivo role to these enzymes quite challenging. A comparison of the kcat/Km ratio for the various substrates suggested that the in vivo substrates for PSOMT1 are likely (R)-reticuline and (S)-reticuline. Guaiacol demonstrated the highest kcat/Km ratio, but this catechol has not been reported to accumulate in P. somniferum and could simply represent a fortuitous methylation in vitro. PSOMT2, on the other hand, clearly methylated (R,S)-norcoclaurine most efficiently. The kcat/Km ratios for (R)-norprotosinomenine and (S)-norprotosinomenine were 55% of that for (R,S)-norcoclaurine, but norprotosinomenine has been reported to occur in the legume Erythrina lithosperma, not in P. somniferum (25). The O-methylation of norprotosinomenine, therefore, also appears to be a fortuitous in vitro reaction catalyzed by PSOMT2.
Elucidation of the structures of the enzymic products was done by HPLC-MS. Mass spectroscopic analysis of tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids exploits the ready fragmentation of these types of molecules into two halves, an isoquinoline moiety and a benzyl moiety. Methylation of either portion of the molecule can be readily identified. PSOMT2 O-methylated (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline on the isoquinoline moiety. In the case of (R,S)-norcoclaurine, both C-6 and C-7 are hydroxylated. (R)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norprotosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline all have a free hydroxyl group at C-6, but C-7 is methoxylated. This indicates that the position of O-methylation of these molecules is at C-6. Based upon the phylogenetic analysis and the structures of the methylated alkaloidal products, it can be concluded that PSOMT2 encodes the tetrahydroisoquinoline biosynthetic enzyme (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase. In P. somniferum, this enzyme participates in the early steps of (S)-reticuline biosynthesis, which intermediate leads to numerous alkaloids of the morphinan, benzo[c]phenanthridine, papaverine and phthalideisoquinoline types that are accumulated in this plant. The distribution of PSOMT2 transcript in bud, stem, leaf, root, and capsule is consistent with this role since these are all major sites of accumulation of one or the other of these alkaloid classes (i.e. morphinans in latex and benzo[c]phenanthridines in root).
The methylating capacity of PSOMT1 was more promiscuous than that of PSOMT2. PSOMT1 O-methylation of guaiacol, isovanillic acid, (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, (R,S)-orientaline, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline resulted in a more complicated product profile. HPLC-MS analysis indicated that (R)-reticuline, (S)-reticuline, (R,S)-orientaline, each of which has a C-6 methoxy group and a C-7 hydroxy moiety, were O-methylated at C-7. In contrast, (R)-protosinomenine and (R,S)-isoorientaline each has a free hydroxyl group at C-6 and is methoxylated at C-7. These molecules were O-methylated by PSOMT1 at C-6. The ratio of kcat/Km for C-7 O-methylation compared to C-6 O-methylation was 3.8:1, suggesting that C-7 O-methylation is preferred. Multiple products were detected when either (R,S)-orientaline or (R,S)-isoorientaline were used as substrate. In addition to methylation of the isoquinoline half of the tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines, the benzyl moiety was also methylated. (R,S)-orientaline and (R,S)-isoorientaline differ from the other tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline substrates in that the benzyl ring is 3′-methoxylated and 4′-hydroxylated. Reticuline and the protosinomenines are 4′-methoxylated and 3′-hydroxylated. The free 4′-hydroxy group of (R,S)-orientaline and (R,S)-isoorientaline is methylated by PSOMT1. 4′-O-methylation appears to occur independent of both hydroxyl groups of the isoquinoline nucleus being methylated, since three products can be identified by HPLC-MS, representing monomethylation at the isoquinoline moiety, monomethylation at the benzyl moiety and double methylation. A heterologously expressed O-methyltransferase from Catharanthus roseus cell suspension cultures that methylates the flavonol myricetin at both the 3′- and 5′-hydroxyl groups has recently been reported (26). Given free rotation around the bond between the B and C rings, these two hydroxyl moieties can be seen as chemically equivalent, whereas the two hydroxyl groups methylated by PSOMT1 can be viewed as chemically unique.
The main enzymic reaction product formed by PSOMT1 (approximately 99%) results from monomethylation of the isoquinoline group. Based upon these combined kinetic and mass spectroscopic results, it is concluded that PSOMT1 encodes (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase, a new enzyme of tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in P. somniferum. The product of this reaction, 7-O-methylreticuline(laudanine) is a natural product that has been reported to occur in opium (27) and this occurrence has been confirmed for the variety of P. somniferum used herein (A. J. Fist, personal communication). The distribution of PSOMT1 transcript predominantly in bud and stem correlates with latex as the site of laudanine accumulation.
Enzymic O-methylation of tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines has been reported to be catalyzed by catechol O-methyltrasferase (COMT) isolated from rat liver as part of a program investigating the nature and biosynthetic origin of mammalian alkaloids (28). In that particular report, COMT O-methylated norcoclaurine at the 6-hydroxy- and 7-hydroxy positions in a ratio of 8:2. This low specificity compares to that of norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase characterized from T. tuberosum, which methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines that contained a catechol- and, to a lesser degree, a guaiacol moiety (4). The P. somniferum 7-O- and 6-O-methyltransferases characterized herein appear to methylate with higher regiospecificity.
REFERENCES
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Claims
1.-18. (canceled)
19. An isolated or purified protein comprising the amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) or a variant of the amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21), said variant having at least 70% identity with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) over a length of at least 300 amino acids and, said variant having 0-methyltransferase activity.
20. The protein according to claim 19 wherein the variant has at least 80% identity with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) over a length of at least 300 amino acids.
21. The protein according to claim 19 wherein the variant has at least 80% identity with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) over a length of at least 300 amino acids.
22. The protein according to claim 21, wherein the variant has at least 95% identity with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) over a length of at least 300 amino acids and wherein said variant contains one or more conserved amino acid motifs, said motifs comprising amino acid sequence LVDVGGG, PXXDAXXMK, XGKVI, DLPHV, HVGGDMF, or GKERT, wherein X represents any amino acid.
23. The protein according to claim 22, wherein the variant has at least 97% identity with the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence of FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21) over a length of at least 300 amino acids.
24. The protein according to claim 23 comprising the PSOMT2 amino acid sequence illustrated in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3).
25. The protein according to claim 23 comprising the PSOMT2a amino acid sequence illustrated in FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 13).
26. A protein or peptide comprising of a fragment of the protein illustrated in FIG. 16 (SEQ ID NO: 25), said fragment having a length of 100 to 345 amino acids, including the portion spanning at least one of positions 93, 150, 233, 245 and 274, wherein X93, X150, X233, X245, X274 are chosen from the following amino acids: X93: Pro, Val X150: Val, Glu X233: Ser, Pro X245: Ala, Gly; X274: Gly, Val, with the proviso that X93 is not Pro when X150, X233, X245, X274 have the following meanings: Xaa150 is Glu, Xaa233. is Ser, Xaa245 is Ala and Xaa274 is Gly, said protein or peptide having O-methyltransferase activity.
27. The protein or peptide according to claim 26, comprising or consisting of a fragment of the PSOMT2 protein illustrated in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3), said fragment having a length of 100 to 345 amino acids, including the portion spanning at least one of positions 93, 150, 233, 245 and 274 of the sequence illustrated in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3).
28. The protein or peptide according to claim 26, comprising or consisting of a fragment of the PSOMT2a protein illustrated in FIG. 13 (SEQ. ID n° 21), said fragment having a length of 100 to 345 amino acids, including the portion spanning at least one of positions 93, 150, 233, 245 and 274 of the sequence illustrated in FIG. 13 (SEQ ID NO: 21).
29. The protein or peptide according to claim 27 having 150 to 300 amino acids.
30. The protein according to claim 19, which is a dimer comprising two protein sub-units, each sub-unit being chosen from any one of proteins as defined in claim 19.
31. The protein according to claim 19, having (R,S)-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity.
32. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein according to claim 19.
33.-45. (canceled)
46. A cell transformed or transfected by a nucleic acid molecule according to claim 19.
47. The cell according to claim 46 which is a prokaryotic cell.
48. (canceled)
49. Cell according to claim 46 which is a eukaryotic cell.
50. Cell according to claim 49 which is a yeast cell.
51.-64. (canceled)
65. Method for the production of methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines, said method comprising the steps of:
- i) contacting in vitro a protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity with a substrate chosen from (R,S)-norcoclaurine, (R,S)-isoorientaline, (R)-norprotosinomenine and (S)-norprotosinomenine at pH 6.0 to 9.0, wherein the protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity is a protein according to claim 19;
- ii) recovering the methylated tetrahydrobenzylisoquinolines thus produced.
66. (canceled)
67. A method for producing a protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity, said method comprising
- i) transforming or transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid molecule according to claim 32, in conditions permitting the expression of the protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity,
- ii) propagating the said cell, and
- iii) recovering the thus-produced protein having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 24, 2009
Publication Date: Mar 25, 2010
Applicant: DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER (St. Louis, MO)
Inventors: Toni M. Kutchan (St. Louis, MO), Anan Ounaroon (Bangkok), Susanne Frick (Augsburg), Stefanie Haase-Fernando (Calgary)
Application Number: 12/391,343
International Classification: C12P 17/12 (20060101); C12N 9/10 (20060101); C07H 21/04 (20060101); C12N 1/19 (20060101);
