SummaryBenzophenone derivatives, such as polyprenylated benzoylphloroglucinols and xanthones, are biologically active secondary metabolites. The formation of their C 13 skeleton is catalyzed by benzophenone synthase (BPS; EC 2.3.1.151) that has been cloned from cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum. BPS is a novel member of the superfamily of plant polyketide synthases (PKSs), also termed type III PKSs, with 53±63% amino acid sequence identity. Heterologously expressed BPS was a homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of 42.8 kDa. Its preferred starter substrate was benzoyl-CoA that was stepwise condensed with three malonyl-CoAs to give 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzophenone. BPS did not accept activated cinnamic acids as starter molecules. In contrast, recombinant chalcone synthase (CHS; EC 2.3.1.74) from the same cell cultures preferentially used 4-coumaroyl-CoA and also converted CoA esters of benzoic acids. The enzyme shared 60.1% amino acid sequence identity with BPS. In a phylogenetic tree, the two PKSs occurred in different clusters. One cluster was formed by CHSs including the one from H. androsaemum. BPS grouped together with the PKSs that functionally differ from CHS. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids shaping the initiation/elongation cavity of CHS yielded a triple mutant (L263M/F265Y/S338G) that preferred benzoylCoA over 4-coumaroyl-CoA.

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The biosynthesis of xanthones was studied in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L. We have detected a new benzophenone synthase, for which the preferred substrate is benzoyl-CoA, itself supplied by 3-hydroxybenzoate:coenzyme A ligase. The stepwise condensation of benzoyl-CoA with three molecules of malonyl-CoA, catalyzed by benzophenone synthase, yields 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzophenone. This intermediate is subsequently converted by benzophenone 3P-hydroxylase, a cyto-chrome P450 monooxygenase. These biosynthetic steps, leading to the formation of 2,3P,4,6-tetrahydroxybenzophenone, represent an alternative pathway to that recently proposed for cell cultures of Centaurium erythraea [Peters et al., Planta (1997) in press]. z 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Biphenyls and dibenzofurans are the phytoalexins of the Maloideae, a subfamily of the economically important Rosaceae. The carbon skeleton of the two classes of antimicrobial secondary metabolites is formed by biphenyl synthase (BIS). A cDNA encoding this key enzyme was cloned from yeast-extract-treated cell cultures of Sorbus aucuparia. BIS is a novel type III polyketide synthase (PKS) that shares about 60% amino acid sequence identity with other members of the enzyme superfamily. Its preferred starter substrate is benzoyl-CoA that undergoes iterative condensation with three molecules of malonyl-CoA to give 3,5-dihydroxybiphenyl via intramolecular aldol condensation. BIS did not accept CoA-linked cinnamic acids such as 4-coumaroyl-CoA. This substrate, however, was the preferential starter molecule for chalcone synthase (CHS) that was also cloned from S. aucuparia cell cultures. While BIS expression was rapidly, strongly and transiently induced by yeast extract treatment, CHS expression was not. In a phylogenetic tree, BIS grouped together closely with benzophenone synthase (BPS) that also uses benzoyl-CoA as starter molecule but cyclizes the common intermediate via intramolecular Claisen condensation. The molecular characterization of BIS thus contributes to the understanding of the functional diversity and evolution of type III PKSs.

Benzoic acids are precursors of xanthone biosynthesis which has been studied in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum (Hypericaceae) and Centaurium erythraea (Gentianaceae). In both cell cultures, methyl jasmonate induces the intracellular accumulation of a new xanthone. Under these inductive conditions, feeding experiments were performed with [U-14C]L-phenylalanine, [7-14C]benzoic acid and [7-14C]3-hydroxybenzoic acid. All three precursors were efficiently incorporated into the elicited xanthone in H. androsaemum, whereas 3-hydroxybenzoic acid was the only precursor to be incorporated into xanthones in C. erythraea. In addition, an appreciable increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity occurred only in methyl-jasmonate-treated cell cultures of H. androsaemum. Benzoic acids thus appear to be formed by different pathways in the two cell cultures studied. In H. androsaemum, benzoic acid is derived from cinnamic acid by side-chain degradation. In C. erythraea 3-hydroxybenzoic acid appears to originate directly from the shikimate pathway.