title: β-N-Oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic Acid (β-ODAP) Content in Lathyrus sativus: The Integration of Nitrogen and Sulfur Metabolism through β-Cyanoalanine Synthase.
abstract: Grass pea (Lathyrus sativusL.) is an important legume crop grown mainly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This underutilized legume can withstand harsh environmental conditions including drought and flooding. During drought-induced famines, this protein-rich legume serves as a food source for poor farmers when other crops fail under harsh environmental conditions; however, its use is limited because of the presence of an endogenous neurotoxic nonprotein amino acid β-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP). Long-term consumption ofLathyrusand β-ODAP is linked to lathyrism, which is a degenerative motor neuron syndrome. Pharmacological studies indicate that nutritional deficiencies in methionine and cysteine may aggravate the neurotoxicity of β-ODAP. The biosynthetic pathway leading to the production of β-ODAP is poorly understood, but is linked to sulfur metabolism. To date, only a limited number of studies have been conducted in grass pea on the sulfur assimilatory enzymes and how these enzymes regulate the biosynthesis of β-ODAP. Here, we review the current knowledge on the role of sulfur metabolism in grass pea and its contribution to β-ODAP biosynthesis. Unraveling the fundamental steps and regulation of β-ODAP biosynthesis in grass pea will be vital for the development of improved varieties of this underutilized legume.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. xuql03@163.com.|Plant Genetics Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 108 Curtis Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. xuql03@163.com.
authors.forename: Quanle
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. liufengjuan2015@163.com.
authors.forename: Fengjuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. pengchen@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. jjez@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jez
authors.affiliation: Plant Genetics Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 108 Curtis Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Hari.Krishnan@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Hari B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003547:Cysteine Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism; D027807:Lathyrus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008190:Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D000069600:Plant Breeding; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; C100126:oxalyldiaminopropionic acid; D013455:Sulfur; D003547:Cysteine Synthase; D008190:Lyases; C019955:beta-cyanoalanine synthase; D009584:Nitrogen; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Lathyrus sativus; nitrogen; sulfur; β-ODAP; β-cyanoalanine synthase