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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #191546
Title: Molecular and Biochemical Investigations of Sorgoleone Biosynthesis

Author
item Cook, Daniel
item Dayan, Franck
item Rimando, Agnes
item Pan, Zhiqiang - Peter
item Duke, Stephen
item Baerson, Scott

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2006
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Cook, D., Dayan, F.E., Rimando, A.M., Pan, Z., Duke, S.O., Baerson, S.R. 2006. Molecular and Biochemical Investigations of Sorgoleone Biosynthesis. In Recent Advances in Phytochemistry: Integrative Plant Biochemistry. J.T. Romeo, ed. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 40:157-177.

Interpretive Summary: A strategy based on the analysis of expressed sequence tags to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of the allelochemical sorgoleone is described. This approach, coupled with high-throughput gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time PCR, has provided a highly efficient means for identifying candidate fatty acid desaturase, polyketide synthase, O-methyltransferase, and P450-like sequences preferentially expressed in S. bicolor root hair cells. This has led to significant progress in the characterization of O-methyltransferase, fatty acid desaturase, and polyketide synthase enzymes potentially involved in sorgoleone biosynthesis. Recent progress made in determining the environmental and developmental factors which affect sorgoleone accumulation is also described. Sorgoleone production is largely constitutive, but it is modulated by temperature extremes, blue and red light, and somewhat by exposure to a component or components of competing weed species. This information will be used to produce transgenic sorghum lines which may eventually result in the production of sorghum varieties with enhanced abilities to fight weeds.

Technical Abstract: A strategy based on the analysis of expressed sequence tags to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of the allelochemical sorgoleone is described. This approach, coupled with high-throughput gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time PCR, has provided a highly efficient means for identifying candidate fatty acid desaturase, polyketide synthase, O-methyltransferase, and P450-like sequences preferentially expressed in S. bicolor root hair cells. This has led to significant progress in the characterization of O-methyltransferase, fatty acid desaturase, and polyketide synthase enzymes potentially involved in sorgoleone biosynthesis. Recent progress made in determining the environmental and developmental factors which affect sorgoleone accumulation is also described. Sorgoleone production is largely constitutive, but it is modulated by temperature extremes, blue and red light, and somewhat by exposure to a component or components of competing weed species. This information will be used to produce transgenic sorghum lines which may eventually result in the production of sorghum varieties with enhanced abilities to fight weeds.