Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases

ABSTRACT In plants, the nonproteinogenic amino acid β‐alanine plays a role in response to hypoxia, flooding, drought, heat, and heavy metal stress conditions. It is also a key intermediate in the synthesis of essential molecules including vitamin B5 and coenzyme A (CoA) through the condensation reac...

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Main Authors: Margo H. Goldfarb, Joseph Boesel, Kai C. Wilczewski‐Shirai, Peter Reinhart, Trenton Scherger, Chloe Webb, Morgan Newlun, Kerry A. Rouhier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Plant Direct
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.70030
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author Margo H. Goldfarb
Joseph Boesel
Kai C. Wilczewski‐Shirai
Peter Reinhart
Trenton Scherger
Chloe Webb
Morgan Newlun
Kerry A. Rouhier
author_facet Margo H. Goldfarb
Joseph Boesel
Kai C. Wilczewski‐Shirai
Peter Reinhart
Trenton Scherger
Chloe Webb
Morgan Newlun
Kerry A. Rouhier
author_sort Margo H. Goldfarb
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT In plants, the nonproteinogenic amino acid β‐alanine plays a role in response to hypoxia, flooding, drought, heat, and heavy metal stress conditions. It is also a key intermediate in the synthesis of essential molecules including vitamin B5 and coenzyme A (CoA) through the condensation reaction with pantoate. While the syntheses of pantoate, vitamin B5, and CoA appear to be conserved across plants and bacteria, the synthesis of β‐alanine is not. Bacteria and fungi use aspartate, whereas plants can use uracil, spermidine, or propionate to synthesize β‐alanine. Given that these three precursors can be formed from the metabolism of glutamine, arginine, isoleucine, and valine, the synthesis of β‐alanine could be linked to numerous pathways. Studies of valine catabolism in Arabidopsis suggested that some branched‐chain amino acids could in fact serve as precursors for the synthesis of β‐alanine. Using GC–MS and isotopically labeled isoleucine and propionate, we linked their metabolism to the synthesis of β‐alanine via a proposed transamination of malonate semialdehyde. We then identified three aminotransferases that each catalyzed this final reversible transamination reaction. These results affirm our hypothesis that isoleucine metabolism is also linked to the synthesis of β‐alanine via the transamination of metabolic intermediates.
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spelling doaj-art-9abb30915f3447dbb1e67df14a4a15ad2024-12-27T03:50:28ZengWileyPlant Direct2475-44552024-12-01812n/an/a10.1002/pld3.70030Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via AminotransferasesMargo H. Goldfarb0Joseph Boesel1Kai C. Wilczewski‐Shirai2Peter Reinhart3Trenton Scherger4Chloe Webb5Morgan Newlun6Kerry A. Rouhier7Department of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USADepartment of Chemistry Kenyon College Gambier Ohio USAABSTRACT In plants, the nonproteinogenic amino acid β‐alanine plays a role in response to hypoxia, flooding, drought, heat, and heavy metal stress conditions. It is also a key intermediate in the synthesis of essential molecules including vitamin B5 and coenzyme A (CoA) through the condensation reaction with pantoate. While the syntheses of pantoate, vitamin B5, and CoA appear to be conserved across plants and bacteria, the synthesis of β‐alanine is not. Bacteria and fungi use aspartate, whereas plants can use uracil, spermidine, or propionate to synthesize β‐alanine. Given that these three precursors can be formed from the metabolism of glutamine, arginine, isoleucine, and valine, the synthesis of β‐alanine could be linked to numerous pathways. Studies of valine catabolism in Arabidopsis suggested that some branched‐chain amino acids could in fact serve as precursors for the synthesis of β‐alanine. Using GC–MS and isotopically labeled isoleucine and propionate, we linked their metabolism to the synthesis of β‐alanine via a proposed transamination of malonate semialdehyde. We then identified three aminotransferases that each catalyzed this final reversible transamination reaction. These results affirm our hypothesis that isoleucine metabolism is also linked to the synthesis of β‐alanine via the transamination of metabolic intermediates.https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.70030aminotransferasearabidopsispropionate (or propionyl‐CoA)β‐Alanine
spellingShingle Margo H. Goldfarb
Joseph Boesel
Kai C. Wilczewski‐Shirai
Peter Reinhart
Trenton Scherger
Chloe Webb
Morgan Newlun
Kerry A. Rouhier
Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
Plant Direct
aminotransferase
arabidopsis
propionate (or propionyl‐CoA)
β‐Alanine
title Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
title_full Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
title_fullStr Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
title_short Synthesis of β‐Alanine From Isoleucine and Propionate Catabolism via Aminotransferases
title_sort synthesis of β alanine from isoleucine and propionate catabolism via aminotransferases
topic aminotransferase
arabidopsis
propionate (or propionyl‐CoA)
β‐Alanine
url https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.70030
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