title: The biosynthetic gene cluster for the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin in Sorghum bicolor contains its co-expressed vacuolar MATE transporter.
abstract: Genomic gene clusters for the biosynthesis of chemical defence compounds are increasingly identified in plant genomes. We previously reported the independent evolution of biosynthetic gene clusters for cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis in three plant lineages. Here we report that the gene cluster for the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin in Sorghum bicolor additionally contains a gene, SbMATE2, encoding a transporter of the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family, which is co-expressed with the biosynthetic genes. The predicted localisation of SbMATE2 to the vacuolar membrane was demonstrated experimentally by transient expression of a SbMATE2-YFP fusion protein and confocal microscopy. Transport studies in Xenopus laevis oocytes demonstrate that SbMATE2 is able to transport dhurrin. In addition, SbMATE2 was able to transport non-endogenous cyanogenic glucosides, but not the anthocyanin cyanidin 3-O-glucoside or the glucosinolate indol-3-yl-methyl glucosinolate. The genomic co-localisation of a transporter gene with the biosynthetic genes producing the transported compound is discussed in relation to the role self-toxicity of chemical defence compounds may play in the formation of gene clusters.
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.|VILLUM Research Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Darbani
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.|VILLUM Research Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mohammed Saddik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Motawia
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.|VILLUM Research Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carl Erik
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Plant Molecular Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hussam H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Nour-Eldin
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.|VILLUM Research Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Birger Lindberg
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark.|VILLUM Research Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rook
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005810:Multigene Family; D009570:Nitriles / Q000378:metabolism*; D027701:Organic Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D045868:Sorghum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D009570:Nitriles; D027701:Organic Cation Transport Proteins; C011220:dhurrin