Molecular Evolution and Functional Characterization of a Bifunctional Decarboxylase Involved in Lycopodium Alkaloid Biosynthesis.
Lycopodium alkaloids (LAs) are derived from lysine (Lys) and are found mainly in Huperziaceae and Lycopodiaceae. LAs are potentially useful against Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and myasthenia gravis. Here, we cloned the bifunctional lysine/ornithine decarboxylase (L/ODC), the first gene involved in LA biosynthesis, from the LA-producing plants Lycopodium clavatum and Huperzia serrata We describe the in vitro and in vivo functional characterization of the L. clavatum L/ODC (LcL/ODC). The recombinant LcL/ODC preferentially catalyzed the decarboxylation of l-Lys over l-ornithine (l-Orn) by about 5 times. Transient expression of LcL/ODC fused with the amino or carboxyl terminus of green fluorescent protein, in onion (Allium cepa) epidermal cells and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, showed LcL/ODC localization in the cytosol. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) hairy roots and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants expressing LcL/ODC enhanced the production of a Lys-derived alkaloid, anabasine, and cadaverine, respectively, thus, confirming the function of LcL/ODC in plants. In addition, we present an example of the convergent evolution of plant Lys decarboxylase that resulted in the production of Lys-derived alkaloids in Leguminosae (legumes) and Lycopodiaceae (clubmosses). This convergent evolution event probably occurred via the promiscuous functions of the ancestral Orn decarboxylase, which is an enzyme involved in the primary metabolism of polyamine. The positive selection sites were detected by statistical analyses using phylogenetic trees and were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis, suggesting the importance of those sites in granting the promiscuous function to Lys decarboxylase while retaining the ancestral Orn decarboxylase function. This study contributes to a better understanding of LA biosynthesis and the molecular evolution of plant Lys decarboxylase.
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Somnuk
S
Bunsupa
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Kousuke
K
Hanada
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Akira
A
Maruyama
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Kaori
K
Aoyagi
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Kana
K
Komatsu
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Hideki
H
Ueno
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Madoka
M
Yamashita
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Ryosuke
R
Sasaki
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.).
Akira
A
Oikawa
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.) ksaito@faculty.chiba-u.jp mamiy@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
Kazuki
0000-0001-6310-5342
K
Saito
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (S.B., A.M., K.A., K.K., H.U., Mad.Y., K.S., Mam.Y.);Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand (S.B.);Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka-shi, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan (K.H.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (R.S., A.O., K.S.); andFaculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka 997-8555, Japan (A.O.) ksaito@faculty.chiba-u.jp mamiy@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
Mami
M
Yamazaki
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003653:Decarboxylation; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D032501:Huperzia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D032502:Lycopodium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D019697:Onions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000470:Alkaloids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; C021520:lysine decarboxylase; D008239:Lysine