A unique cytosol-localized geranyl diphosphate synthase supporting a large production of shikonin has evolved from farnesyl diphosphate synthase in Lithospermum erythrorhizon.
Prenylated aromatic compounds represent the chemical components in the glandular trichomes (lupulin glands) of hops (Humulus lupulus, Cannabinaceae), which give the characteristic flavor and taste of beer. To isolate cDNAs for prenyltransferase recognizing aromatic substrates in hops, we constructed a cDNA library from the lupulin glands and randomly sequenced 11,233 EST clones, to obtain 6,613 non-redundant EST sequence information. Among them, we found an aromatic prenyltransferase-like gene (HlPT-1), which possessed three features of the plant aromatic prenyltransferase family, i.e., a D-rich motif, membrane-spanning domains, and a transit peptide. The tissue-specific expression study of HlPT-1 in the intact plant revealed this gene to be highly expressed in hop corns (female flowers), especially in the lupulin glands. Subcellular localization analysis using GFP fusion proteins suggested that HlPT-1 was localized to plastids. Phylogenetic analysis predicted that the HlPT-1 gene evolved from homogentisate prenyltransferases involved with vitamin E and plastoquinone biosynthesis.
In a previous study, heat-treated noradrenaline induced flowering of the short-day plant Lemna paucicostata Hegelmaier 151. In the present study, we found that heat-treated noradrenaline also had flower-inducing activity in short-day L. paucicostata strains 441 and 6746 and in long-day L. gibba strain G3. The flower-inducing activity in these plants was enhanced by water homogenates of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.).
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