Identification and Characterization of Two Bibenzyl Glycosyltransferases from the Liverwort <i>Marchantia polymorpha</i>
Rui-Lin Xiong,
Jiao-Zhen Zhang,
Xin-Yan Liu,
Jian-Qun Deng,
Ting-Ting Zhu,
Rong Ni,
Hui Tan,
Ju-Zheng Sheng,
Hong-Xiang Lou,
Ai-Xia Cheng
Affiliations
Rui-Lin Xiong
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jiao-Zhen Zhang
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Xin-Yan Liu
Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jian-Qun Deng
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Ting-Ting Zhu
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Rong Ni
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Hui Tan
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Ju-Zheng Sheng
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Hong-Xiang Lou
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Ai-Xia Cheng
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Liverworts are rich in bibenzyls and related O-glycosides, which show antioxidant activity. However, glycosyltransferases that catalyze the glycosylation of bibenzyls have not yet been characterized. Here, we identified two bibenzyl UDP-glucosyltransferases named MpUGT737B1 and MpUGT741A1 from the model liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. The in vitro enzymatic assay revealed that MpUGT741A1 specifically accepted the bibenzyl lunularin as substrate. MpUGT737B1 could accept bibenzyls, dihydrochalcone and phenylpropanoids as substrates, and could convert phloretin to phloretin-4-O-glucoside and phloridzin, which showed inhibitory activity against tyrosinase and antioxidant activity. The results of sugar donor selectivity showed that MpUGT737B1 and MpUGT741A1 could only accept UDP-glucose as a substrate. The expression levels of these MpUGTs were considerably increased after UV irradiation, which generally caused oxidative damage. This result indicates that MpUGT737B1 and MpUGT741A1 may play a role in plant stress adaption. Subcellular localization indicates that MpUGT737B1 and MpUGT741A1 were expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus. These enzymes should provide candidate genes for the synthesis of bioactive bibenzyl O-glucosides and the improvement of plant antioxidant capacity.