Award details

Isolation and exploitation of terpenoid biosynthetic genes

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004558
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Michael Beale
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	759,690
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2003
End date	31/03/2008
Duration	60 months

Abstract

Terpenoids are widespread in the plant kingdom. Many are classed as secondary metabolites, but have evolved to have important roles in interactions of the plant with insects, microbes and even other plants. Although some 30,000 terpenoids are known, the majority are produced by metabolism of some 500 different (mainly cyclic) hydrocarbon and simple alcohol structures. These `terpenoid skeleta¿ are themselves produced from linear isoprenoid diphosphates by the action of a class of enzymes known as terpene synthases. Emphasis in this project is placed on terpene synthase gene isolation and enzyme characterisation after expression in E. coli, in readiness for exploitation in transgenic approaches to production of high-value compounds or manipulation of plant-insect/microbe interactions. Our intial focus has been on sesquiterpene synthases from goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) from which we have cloned and functionally characterised four enzymes, including (+)-germacrene D and (-)-germacrene D synthases. The enantiomers of germacrene D are well known to be active in influencing insect behaviour. To further study the mechanism by which sesquiterpene synthases produce such a diversity of cyclic structures we aim to carry out a mutagenesis programme coupled with structural and functional characterisation on the two `enantiomeric¿ synthases. We will also study the expression of sesquiterpene synthase genes in heterologous systems, particularly in relation to influencing insect behaviour. The approach is multidisciplinary, involving chemical synthesis of labelled substrates and analogues as well as gene cloning, structural biology and enzymology.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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