Plant serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferases (SCPL-AT) have similar structural characteristics and high homology compared to the serine carboxypeptidase. They can transfer the acyl from acyl glucose esters to many natural products, participate in the acylation modification of plant secondary metabolites, enrich the structural diversity of natural products, and improve the physicochemical properties such as water solubility and stability of compounds. This review summarizes the structural characteristics, catalytic mechanism, functional characterization, and biocatalytic applications of SCPL-AT from plants. This will help to promote the functional characterization of these acyltransferase genes and the biosynthesis of useful plant secondary metabolites by synthetic biotechnology.
Acylation ; Acyltransferases/metabolism* ; Carboxypeptidases/metabolism* ; Plants/enzymology*

Resveratrol is a natural phytoalexin with special pharmacological and health functions. Stilbene synthase (STS) is a key and rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of resveratrol that is present only in a limited number of plants. The content of resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum is more than 1000 times higher than grapes and peanuts. We speculate that the catalytic ability of different STS may be one of the reasons causing differences in the content of resveratrol. To verify the above speculation, Vitis vinifera stilbene synthase gene (VvSTS) was amplified according to overlap PCR protocol with genomic DNA as template. VvSTS and PcSTS (PcPKS5) were analyzed through heterologous expression in Escherichia coli. The expression products were purified with Ni-NTA sepharose affinity chromatography and desalted through PD-10 column. The molecular weight of the two fusion proteins was about 43 kDa. Enzyme reaction and product analysis showed that the two products were resveratrol. The enzyme kinetic analysis showed that the catalyze efficiency (Kcat/Km) of PcPKS5 was 2.4 times of the VvSTS. Our findings confirms that STS from certain plants has much higher catalytic capability.
Acyltransferases ; metabolism ; Fallopia japonica ; enzymology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Stilbenes ; metabolism ; Vitis ; enzymology

Phosphatide acid (PA) is a kind of multifunctional bioactive phospholipid. It has been proved that PA produced by lysophosphatide acid acyltransferase (LPAATbeta) was involved in several signalling pathways in tumor cells, leading to the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, respiratory burst, expression and release of cytokine form tumor cells. The fact that expression of LPAATbeta was higher in tumor tissues than in their homologous normal tissues, and that antitumor effect of inhibitng LPAATbeta on solid tumor and hematological malignancy suggested that the targeting LPAATbeta would be a promising method of antitumor treatment. In this paper, the relevant basic and preclinical researches of LPAATbeta on antitumor treatment were summarized.
Acyltransferases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Phosphatidic Acids ; metabolism ; physiology

Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is characterized by being born as collodion babies, hyperkeratosis, and skin scaling. We described a collodion baby at birth with mild ectropion, eclabium, and syndactyly. Whole exome sequencing showed a compound heterozygous variant c.[56C>A], p.(Ser19X) and c.[100G>A], p.(Ala34Thr) in the PNPLA1 gene [NM_001145717; exon 1]. The protein encoded by PNPLA1 acts as a unique transacylase that specifically transfers linoleic acid from triglyceride to ω-hydroxy fatty acid in ceramide, thus giving rise to ω-O-acylceramide, a particular class of sphingolipids that is essential for skin barrier function. The variant was located in the patatin core domain of PNPLA1 and resulted in a truncated protein which could disrupt the function of the protein. This case report highlights a novel compound heterozygous mutation in PNPLA1 identified in a Chinese child.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Acyltransferases/genetics* ; Ceramides/metabolism* ; Collodion ; Ichthyosis, Lamellar/genetics* ; Lipase/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Phospholipases/genetics*

In order to explore the functions of genes of key rate-limiting enzymes chalcone isomerase(CHI) and chalcone synthase(CHS) in the biosynthesis of flavonoids in Lonicera macranthoides, this study screened and cloned the cDNA sequences of CHI and CHS genes from the transcriptome data of conventional variety and 'Xianglei' of L. macranthoides. Online bioinformatics analysis software was used to analyze the characteristics of the encoded proteins, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) to detect the expression of CHI and CHS in different parts of the varieties at different flowering stages. The content of luteo-loside was determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and the correlation with the expression of the two genes was analyzed. The results showed that the CHI and CHS of the two varieties contained a 627 bp and 1170 bp open reading frame(ORF), respectively, and the CHI protein and CHS protein were stable, hydrophilic, and non-secretory. qRT-PCR results demonstrated that CHI and CHS of the two varieties were differentially expressed in stems and leaves at different flowering stages, particularly the key stages. Based on HPLC data, luteoloside content was in negative correlation with the relative expression of the genes. Thus, CHI and CHS might regulate the accumulation of flavonoids in L. macranthoides, and the specific functions should be further studied. This study cloned CHI and CHS in L. macranthoides and analyzed their expression for the first time, which laid a basis for investigating the molecular mechanism of the differences in flavonoids such as luteoloside in L. macranthoides and variety breeding.
Acyltransferases/metabolism* ; Chalcone ; Cloning, Molecular ; Intramolecular Lyases ; Lonicera/metabolism* ; Plant Breeding

Plant-specific type III polyketide synthase (PKS) produces a variety of plant secondary metabolites with notable structural diversity and biological activity. So far 14 plant-specific type III PKS have been identified according to their enzymatic products, and the corresponding genes have been cloned and characterized. The differences among the various PKS are mainly in their substrate specificities, the number of their condensation reactions, and the type of ring closure of their products. However, numerous studies have revealed the common features among the plant-specific type III PKS, which include sequence homology, similar gene structure, conserved amino acid residues in the reaction center, enzymatic characteristics and reaction mechanism. We briefly reviewed 14 plant-specific type III PKS to better understand genetic and metabolic engineering of plant-specific type III PKS.
Acyltransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Genes, Plant ; Genetic Engineering ; Metabolic Engineering ; Plants ; enzymology ; genetics ; Substrate Specificity

Resveratrol synthase (RS) plays a key role in resveratrol (Res) biosynthesis. RS gene has been formerly reported to be transformed into many plant species and microorganisms, and to play certain roles in metabolic and regulation processes. In this paper, the transformations of RS gene in plants, and the related changes of biological properties, such as metabolites, anti-pathogen activities, anti-radical properties, and developmental characters in transgenic plants, as well as the production of resveratrol in microbes by utilizing RS gene were summarized. Moreover, the application prospects of RS gene in bioengineering were also addressed.
Acyltransferases ; genetics ; Genetic Engineering ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; enzymology ; genetics ; Stilbenes ; metabolism

Polygonum cuspidatum polyketide synthase 1 (PcPKS1) has the catalytic activity of chalcone synthase (CHS) and benzylidene acetone synthase (BAS), which can catalyze the production of polyketides naringenin chalcone and benzylidene acetone, and then catalyze the synthesis of flavonoids or benzylidene acetone. In this study, three amino acid sites (Thr133, Ser134, Ser33) that may affect the function of PcPKS1 were identified by analyzing the sequences of PcPKS1, the BAS from Rheum palmatum and the CHS from Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as the conformation of the catalytic site of the enzyme. Molecular modification of PcPKS1 was carried out by site-directed mutagenesis, and two mutants were successfully obtained. The in vitro enzymatic reactions were carried out, and the differences in activity were detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Finally, mutants T133LS134A and S339V with bifunctional activity were obtained. In addition to bifunctional activities of BAS and CHS, the modified PcPKS1 had much higher BAS activity than that of the wild type PcPKS1 under the conditions of pH 7.0 and pH 9.0, respectively. It provides a theoretical basis for future use of PcPKS1 in genetic engineering to regulate the biosynthesis of flavonoids and raspberry ketones.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Fallopia japonica/metabolism* ; Polyketide Synthases/chemistry* ; Acetone ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Flavonoids/metabolism* ; Acyltransferases/metabolism*

Aeromonas hydrophila CGMCC 0911 possessing type I polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase gene (phaC) only accumulate copolyesters consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx), abbreviated as PHBHHx, from lauric acid as sole carbon source but not from glucose. The gene encoding type I PHA synthase was interrupted by insertion of a chloramphenicol resistance gene (Cm). Conjugation of suicide plasmid pFH10 transformed A. hydrophila CGMCC 0911 into a recombinant organism with the disrupted type I PHA synthase gene (phaC:: Cm) , through an in vivo homologous recombination process, type I phaC of A. hydrophila genome was replaced by the disrupted phaC, and Cm gene was integrated into the genome of A. hydrophila, resulting in type I phaC-negative mutant, which was proved by DNA sequencing. Results of GC analysis showed that this mutant could not accumulate PHBHHx again but accumulate medium-chain-length (mcl) PHA from lauric acid or glucose as carbon source, clearly indicating the existence of another type I PHA synthase in the wild type A. hydrophila. It will play its function and accumulate mcl PHA only when type I PHA synthase was inactivated. into the genome of A. hydrophila, resulting in type I phaC-negative mutant, which was proved by DNA sequencing. Results of GC analysis showed that this mutant could not accumulate PHBHHx again but accumulate medium-chain-length (mcl) PHA from lauric acid or glucose as carbon source, clearly indicating the existence of another type II PHA synthase in the wild type A. hydrophila. It will play its function and accumulate mcl PHA only when type I PHA synthase was inactivated.
Acyltransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Aeromonas ; enzymology ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genes, Transgenic, Suicide ; genetics ; Mutation ; Polyhydroxyalkanoates ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Spiramycin and midecamycin are 16-membered macrolide antibiotics with very similar chemical structures. Spiramycin has three components, namely spiramycin I, II and III. Spiramycin II and III are, respectively, the O-acetyl and propionyl derivatives at C3-hydroxyl group of spiramycin I. Midecamycin has four components, and the C3-hydroxyl group of midecamycin is all O-propionylated. The enzyme adding acyl group(s) at the C3-hydroxyl group during the biosynthesis of spiramycin and midecamycin is 3-O-acyltransferase. The 3-O-acyltransferases for spiramycin and midecamycin are also very similar, and presume to function when exchanged. To explore whether the 3-O-acyltransferase for midecamycin biosynthesis hold still the character of selective and efficient propionylation for spiramycin I at its C3-hydroxyl group, we inserted mdmB, the 3-O-acyltransferase gene from Streptomyces mycarofaciens ATCC 21454 for midecamycin biosynthesis, into a mutant strain of S. spiramyceticus F21, in which the 3-O-acyltransferase gene for spiramycin biosynthesis, sspA, was deleted; and the mdmB was integrated exactly into the chromosomal site where the sspA was deleted. We name this "hybrid" strain as SP-mdmB. HPLC analysis of the spiramycin produced by SP-mdmB showed that spiramycin I was still the major component, although the relative proportions of both spiramycin II and III increased significantly. We thus conclude that MdmB from Streptomyces mycarofaciens ATCC 21454 for midecamyicn biosynthesis do not hold the character of selective and efficient propionylation for spiramycin I within S. spiramyceticus F21, and this character is possibly limited in Streptomyces mycarofaciens ATCC 21454 for midecamycin biosynthesis.
Acylation ; Acyltransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Genes, Bacterial ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Leucomycins ; biosynthesis ; Spiramycin ; biosynthesis ; Streptomyces ; enzymology ; genetics ; Substrate Specificity