Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide

Abstract The diterpenoid triepoxides triptolide and triptonide from Tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god wine) exhibit unique bioactivities with potential uses in disease treatment and as a non-hormonal male contraceptives. Here, we show that cytochrome P450s (CYPs) from the CYP71BE subfamily catalyz...

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Main Authors: Nikolaj Lervad Hansen, Louise Kjaerulff, Quinn Kalby Heck, Victor Forman, Dan Staerk, Birger Lindberg Møller, Johan Andersen-Ranberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-08-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32667-5
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author Nikolaj Lervad Hansen
Louise Kjaerulff
Quinn Kalby Heck
Victor Forman
Dan Staerk
Birger Lindberg Møller
Johan Andersen-Ranberg
author_facet Nikolaj Lervad Hansen
Louise Kjaerulff
Quinn Kalby Heck
Victor Forman
Dan Staerk
Birger Lindberg Møller
Johan Andersen-Ranberg
author_sort Nikolaj Lervad Hansen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The diterpenoid triepoxides triptolide and triptonide from Tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god wine) exhibit unique bioactivities with potential uses in disease treatment and as a non-hormonal male contraceptives. Here, we show that cytochrome P450s (CYPs) from the CYP71BE subfamily catalyze an unprecedented 18(4→3) methyl shift required for biosynthesis of the abeo-abietane core structure present in diterpenoid triepoxides and in several other plant diterpenoids. In combination with two CYPs of the CYP82D subfamily, four CYPs from T. wilfordii are shown to constitute the minimal set of biosynthetic genes that enables triptonide biosynthesis using Nicotiana benthamiana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as heterologous hosts. In addition, co-expression of a specific T. wilfordii cytochrome b 5 (Twcytb 5-A) increases triptonide output more than 9-fold in S. cerevisiae and affords isolation and structure elucidation by NMR spectroscopic analyses of 18 diterpenoids, providing insights into the biosynthesis of diterpenoid triepoxides. Our findings pave the way for diterpenoid triepoxide production via fermentation.
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spelling doaj-art-aefc7279e2034fbc9995e5406ec820392025-08-20T04:03:07ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232022-08-0113111210.1038/s41467-022-32667-5Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonideNikolaj Lervad Hansen0Louise Kjaerulff1Quinn Kalby Heck2Victor Forman3Dan Staerk4Birger Lindberg Møller5Johan Andersen-Ranberg6Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenPlant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of CopenhagenPlant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenPlant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of CopenhagenPlant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of CopenhagenAbstract The diterpenoid triepoxides triptolide and triptonide from Tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god wine) exhibit unique bioactivities with potential uses in disease treatment and as a non-hormonal male contraceptives. Here, we show that cytochrome P450s (CYPs) from the CYP71BE subfamily catalyze an unprecedented 18(4→3) methyl shift required for biosynthesis of the abeo-abietane core structure present in diterpenoid triepoxides and in several other plant diterpenoids. In combination with two CYPs of the CYP82D subfamily, four CYPs from T. wilfordii are shown to constitute the minimal set of biosynthetic genes that enables triptonide biosynthesis using Nicotiana benthamiana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as heterologous hosts. In addition, co-expression of a specific T. wilfordii cytochrome b 5 (Twcytb 5-A) increases triptonide output more than 9-fold in S. cerevisiae and affords isolation and structure elucidation by NMR spectroscopic analyses of 18 diterpenoids, providing insights into the biosynthesis of diterpenoid triepoxides. Our findings pave the way for diterpenoid triepoxide production via fermentation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32667-5
spellingShingle Nikolaj Lervad Hansen
Louise Kjaerulff
Quinn Kalby Heck
Victor Forman
Dan Staerk
Birger Lindberg Møller
Johan Andersen-Ranberg
Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
Nature Communications
title Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
title_full Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
title_fullStr Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
title_full_unstemmed Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
title_short Tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome P450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
title_sort tripterygium wilfordii cytochrome p450s catalyze the methyl shift and epoxidations in the biosynthesis of triptonide
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32667-5
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