title: 4-Coumarate:coenzyme A ligase in hybrid poplar. Properties of native enzymes, cDNA cloning, and analysis of recombinant enzymes.
abstract: The enzyme 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase (4CL) is important in providing activated thioester substrates for phenylpropanoid natural product biosynthesis. We tested different hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x Populus deltoides) tissues for the presence of 4CL isoforms by fast-protein liquid chromatography and detected a minimum of three 4CL isoforms. These isoforms shared similar hydroxycinnamic acid substrate-utilization profiles and were all inactive against sinapic acid, but instability of the native forms precluded extensive further analysis. 4CL cDNA clones were isolated and grouped into two major classes, the predicted amino acid sequences of which were 86% identical. Genomic Southern blots showed that the cDNA classes represent two poplar 4CL genes, and northern blots provided evidence for their differential expression. Recombinant enzymes corresponding to the two genes were expressed using a baculovirus system. The two recombinant proteins had substrate utilization profiles similar to each other and to the native poplar 4CL isoforms (4-coumaric acid > ferulic acid > caffeic acid; there was no conversion of sinapic acid), except that both had relatively high activity toward cinnamic acid. These results are discussed with respect to the role of 4CL in the partitioning of carbon in phenylpropanoid metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Allina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pri-Hadash
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Theilmann
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014197:Trees / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D003373:Coumaric Acids; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C073734:sinapinic acid; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases; C019943:4-coumarate-CoA ligase