Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants
Triterpenoid saponins are secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid pathways in plants. Cucurbitaceae represent an important plant family in which many species contain cucurbitacins as secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid and triterpenoid pathways. Squalene synthase (SQS)...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Genomics |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5913491 |
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| author | Jieying Qian Yong Liu Chengtong Ma Naixia Chao Qicong Chen Yangmei Zhang Yu Luo Danzhao Cai Yaosheng Wu |
| author_facet | Jieying Qian Yong Liu Chengtong Ma Naixia Chao Qicong Chen Yangmei Zhang Yu Luo Danzhao Cai Yaosheng Wu |
| author_sort | Jieying Qian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Triterpenoid saponins are secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid pathways in plants. Cucurbitaceae represent an important plant family in which many species contain cucurbitacins as secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid and triterpenoid pathways. Squalene synthase (SQS) is required for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids, but the forces driving the evolution of SQS remain undetermined. In this study, 10 SQS cDNA sequences cloned from 10 species of Cucurbitaceae and 49 sequences of SQS downloaded from GenBank and UniProt databases were analyzed in a phylogenetic framework to identify the evolutionary forces for functional divergence. Through phylogenetic construction and positive selection analysis, we found that SQS sequences are under positive selection. The sites of positive selection map to functional and transmembrane domains. 180L, 189S, 194S, 196S, 265I, 289P, 389P, 390T, 407S, 408A, 410R, and 414N were identified as sites of positive selection that are important during terpenoid synthesis and map to transmembrane domains. 196S and 407S are phosphorylated and influence SQS catalysis and triterpenoid accumulation. These results reveal that positive selection is an important evolutionary force for SQS in plants. This provides new information into the molecular evolution of SQS within the Cucurbitaceae family. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5479289433324b979ffef8b5ecd3d86b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2314-436X 2314-4378 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Genomics |
| spelling | doaj-art-5479289433324b979ffef8b5ecd3d86b2025-08-20T02:05:45ZengWileyInternational Journal of Genomics2314-436X2314-43782019-01-01201910.1155/2019/59134915913491Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae PlantsJieying Qian0Yong Liu1Chengtong Ma2Naixia Chao3Qicong Chen4Yangmei Zhang5Yu Luo6Danzhao Cai7Yaosheng Wu8Key Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research of Guangxi Higher Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, ChinaTriterpenoid saponins are secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid pathways in plants. Cucurbitaceae represent an important plant family in which many species contain cucurbitacins as secondary metabolites synthesized through isoprenoid and triterpenoid pathways. Squalene synthase (SQS) is required for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids, but the forces driving the evolution of SQS remain undetermined. In this study, 10 SQS cDNA sequences cloned from 10 species of Cucurbitaceae and 49 sequences of SQS downloaded from GenBank and UniProt databases were analyzed in a phylogenetic framework to identify the evolutionary forces for functional divergence. Through phylogenetic construction and positive selection analysis, we found that SQS sequences are under positive selection. The sites of positive selection map to functional and transmembrane domains. 180L, 189S, 194S, 196S, 265I, 289P, 389P, 390T, 407S, 408A, 410R, and 414N were identified as sites of positive selection that are important during terpenoid synthesis and map to transmembrane domains. 196S and 407S are phosphorylated and influence SQS catalysis and triterpenoid accumulation. These results reveal that positive selection is an important evolutionary force for SQS in plants. This provides new information into the molecular evolution of SQS within the Cucurbitaceae family.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5913491 |
| spellingShingle | Jieying Qian Yong Liu Chengtong Ma Naixia Chao Qicong Chen Yangmei Zhang Yu Luo Danzhao Cai Yaosheng Wu Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants International Journal of Genomics |
| title | Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants |
| title_full | Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants |
| title_fullStr | Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants |
| title_short | Positive Selection of Squalene Synthase in Cucurbitaceae Plants |
| title_sort | positive selection of squalene synthase in cucurbitaceae plants |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5913491 |
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