title: A cDNA clone for beta-caryophyllene synthase from Artemisia annua.
abstract: An homology-based cloning strategy yielded a full-length cDNA from Artemisia annua that encoded a protein of 60.3 kDa which resembled a sesquiterpene synthase in sequence. Heterologous expression of the gene in Escherichia coli provided a soluble recombinant enzyme capable of catalyzing the divalent metal ion-dependent conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to beta-caryophyllene, a sesquiterpene olefin found in the essential oil of A. annua. In reaction parameters and kinetic properties, beta-caryophyllene synthase resembles other sesquiterpene synthases of angiosperms. The beta-caryophyllene synthase gene is expressed in most plant tissues during early development, and is induced in mature tissue in response to fungal elicitor thus suggesting a role for beta-caryophyllene in plant defense.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, P R, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jun-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crock
authors.forename: Zhi-Xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiao-Ya
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Croteau
mesh_terms: D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004798:Enzymes; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C024714:caryophyllene