Background:The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway is required for the biosynthesis of plastid-derived isoprenoids from plants. Results: Deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) was cloned from Populus trichocarpa, and metabolic regulation was tested. Conclusion: Both isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate inhibit DXS by competing with thiamine pyrophosphate. Significance: Prediction of isoprene emission from trees and bioengineering of MEP pathway will be aided by these results.

Covering: up to February 2014. The methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway is the recently discovered source of isoprenoid precursors isopentenyl diphosphate (IDP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP) in most bacteria, some eukaryotic parasites, and the plastids of plant cells. The precursors lead to the formation of various isoprenoids having diverse roles in different biological processes. Some isoprenoids have important commercial uses. Isoprene, which is made in surprising abundance by some trees, plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry. The genetic regulation of this pathway has been discussed but information about metabolic regulation is just now becoming available. This review covers metabolic regulation of the MEP pathway starting from the inputs of carbon, ATP, and reducing power. A number of different regulatory mechanisms involving intermediate metabolites and/or enzymes are discussed. Some recent data indicate that methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate (MEcDP), the fifth intermediate of this pathway, is a key metabolite. It has been found to play diverse roles in regulation within the pathway as well as coordinating other biological processes by acting as a stress regulator in bacteria and possibly a retrograde signal from plastids to the nucleus in plants. In this review we focus on the role of the MEP pathway in photosynthetic leaves during isoprene emission and more generally the metabolic regulation of the MEP pathway in both plants and bacteria.

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Catalyzing stereo- and regio-specific oxidation of inert hydrocarbon backbones, and a range of more exotic reactions inherently difficult in formal chemical synthesis, cytochromes P450 (P450s) offer outstanding potential for biotechnological engineering. Plants and their dazzling diversity of specialized metabolites have emerged as rich repository for functional P450s with the advances of deep transcriptomics and genome wide discovery. P450s are of outstanding interest for understanding chemical diversification throughout evolution, for gaining mechanistic insights through the study of their structure–function relationship, and for exploitation in Synthetic Biology. In this review, we highlight recent developments and examples in the discovery of plant P450s involved in the biosynthesis of industrially relevant monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids and triterpenoids, throughout 2016 and early 2017. Examples were selected to illustrate the spectrum of value from commodity chemicals, flavor and fragrance compounds to pharmacologically active terpenoids. We focus on a recently emerging theme, where P450s control metabolic bifurcations and chemical diversity of the final product profile, either within a pathway, or through neo-functionalization in related species. The implications may inform approaches for rational assembly of recombinant pathways, biotechnological production of high value terpenoids and generation of novel chemical entities.Graphical Abstract

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Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) can initiate the glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) shunt around the Calvin-Benson cycle. In order to understand the regulation of flux through this pathway, we have characterized the biochemical parameters and redox regulation of the three functional plastidic isoforms of Arabidopsis G6PDH. When purified, recombinant proteins were measured, all three exhibited significant substrate inhibition by G6P but not NADP+, making the determination of enzyme kinetic parameters complex. We found that the half saturation concentration of G6PDH isoform 1 is increased under reducing conditions. The other two isoforms exhibit less redox regulation, however, isoform 2 is strongly inhibited by NADPH. Redox regulation of G6PDH1 can be partially reversed by hydrogen peroxide or protected against by presence of its substrate, G6P. Overall, our results support the conclusion that G6PDH can have significant activity throughout the day and can be dynamically regulated to allow or prevent flux through the glucose 6-phosphate shunt.

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Cytosolic lipid droplets are endoplasmic reticulum-derived organelles typically found in seeds as reservoirs for physiological energy and carbon to fuel germination. Here, we report synthetic biology approaches to co-produce high-value sesqui- or diterpenoids together with lipid droplets in plant leaves. The formation of cytosolic lipid droplets is enhanced in the transient Nicotiana benthamiana system through ectopic production of WRINKLED1, a key regulator of plastid fatty acid biosynthesis, and a microalgal lipid droplet surface protein. Engineering of the pathways providing the universal C5-building blocks for terpenoids and installation of terpenoid biosynthetic pathways through direction of the enzymes to native and non-native compartments boost the production of target terpenoids. We show that anchoring of distinct biosynthetic steps onto the surface of lipid droplets leads to efficient production of terpenoid scaffolds and functionalized terpenoids. The co-produced lipid droplets “trap” the terpenoids in the cells.