title: Cloning and characterization of a cDNA coding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary CoA reductase involved in glycyrrhizic acid biosynthesis in Glycyrrhiza uralensis.
abstract: The roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis are widely used in Chinese medicine for their action of clearing heat, detoxicating, relieving cough, dispelling sputum and tonifying spleen and stomach. The reason why Glycyrrhiza uralensis has potent and significant actions is that it contains various active secondary metabolites, especially glycyrrhizic acid. In the present study, we cloned the cDNA coding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary CoA reductase (HMGR) involved in glycyrrhizic acid biosynthesis in Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The corresponding cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins. Recombinant HMGR exhibited catalysis activity in reduction of HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid (MVA) just as HMGR isolated from other species. Because HMGR gene is very important in the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in Glycyrrhiza uralensis, this work is significant for further studies concerned with strengthening the efficacy of Glycyrrhiza uralensis by means of increasing glycyrrhizic acid content and exploring the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in vitro.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiao-Xian
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Pei-Yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Hong-Hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029882:Glycyrrhiza uralensis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000201:enzymology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D008798:Mevalonic Acid