title: Isolation and functional analysis of two Cistus creticus cDNAs encoding geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase.
abstract: Cistus creticus ssp. creticus is an indigenous shrub of the Mediterranean area. The glandular trichomes covering its leaf surfaces secrete a resin called "ladanum", which among others contains a number of specific labdane-type diterpenes that exhibit antibacterial and antifungal action as well as in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic and cytostatic activity against human cancer cell lines. In view of the properties and possible future exploitation of these metabolites, it was deemed necessary to study the geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase enzyme (GGDPS, EC 2.5.1.30), a short chain prenyltransferase responsible for the synthesis of the precursor molecule of all diterpenes. In this work, we present the cloning, functional characterisation and expression profile at the gene and protein levels of two differentially expressed C. creticus full-length cDNAs, CcGGDPS1 and CcGGDPS2. Heterologous yeast cell expression system showed that these cDNAs exhibited GGDPS enzyme activity. Gene and protein expression analyses suggest that this enzyme is developmentally and tissue-regulated showing maximum expression in trichomes and smallest leaves (0.5-1.0cm). This work is the first attempt to study the terpenoid biosynthesis at the molecular level in C. creticus ssp. creticus.
authors.affiliation: Group of Biotechnology of Pharmaceutical Plants, Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pateraki
authors.forename: Angelos K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kanellis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D029758:Cistus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase