title: Wound-inducible biosynthesis of phytoalexin hydroxycinnamic acid amides of tyramine in tryptophan and tyrosine decarboxylase transgenic tobacco lines.
abstract: The wound-activated biosynthesis of phytoalexin hydroxycinnamic acid amides of tyramine was compared in untransformed and transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) lines that express tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC), tyrosine decarboxylase (TYDC), or both activities. Transgenic in vitro-grown tobacco lines expressing TDC activity accumulated high levels of tryptamine but not hydroxycinnamic amides of tryptamine. In contrast, transgenic tobacco lines expressing TYDC accumulated tyramine as well as p-coumaroyltyramine and feruloyltyramine. The MeOH-soluble and cell wall fractions showed higher concentrations of wound-inducible p-coumaroyltyramine and feruloyltyramine, especially at and around wound sites, in TYDC and TDC xTYDC tobacco lines compared to wild-type or TDC lines. All the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid amides of tyramine were found to be similarly wound inducible in all tobacco genotypes investigated. These results provide experimental evidence that, under some circumstances, TYDC activity can exert a rate-limiting control over the carbon flux allocated to the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid amides of tyramine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3C 3J7.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guillet
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Luca
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000378:metabolism; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008956:Models, Chemical; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013729:Terpenes; D013997:Time Factors; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014439:Tyramine / Q000378:metabolism*; D014445:Tyrosine Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000094162:Phytoalexins
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013729:Terpenes; D014445:Tyrosine Decarboxylase; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases; D014439:Tyramine; D000094162:Phytoalexins