title: Biosynthesis of Two Flavones, Apigenin and Genkwanin, in Escherichia coli.
abstract: The flavonoid apigenin and its O-methyl derivative, genkwanin, have various biological activities and can be sourced from some vegetables and fruits. Microorganisms are an alternative for the synthesis of flavonoids. Here, to synthesize genkwanin from tyrosine, we first synthesized apigenin from p-coumaric acid using four genes (4CL, CHS, CHI, and FNS) in Escherichia coli. After optimization of different combinations of constructs, the yield of apigenin was increased from 13 mg/l to 30 mg/l. By introducing two additional genes (TAL and POMT7) into an apigenin-producing E. coli strain, we were able to synthesize 7-O-methyl apigenin (genkwanin) from tyrosine. In addition, the tyrosine content in E. coli was modulated by overexpressing aroG and tyrA. The engineered E. coli strain synthesized approximately 41 mg/l genkwanin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio/Molecular Informatics Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Forest Resources, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Jinju 660-758, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Gyu
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 456-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mihyang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio/Molecular Informatics Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joong-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D047310:Apigenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001711:Biotransformation; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D047309:Flavones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D011422:Propionates; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003373:Coumaric Acids; D047309:Flavones; D011422:Propionates; D014443:Tyrosine; C014568:genkwanin; D047310:Apigenin; C495469:p-coumaric acid
keywords: apigenin; genkwanin; metabolic engineering