The crystal structure of (4S)-limonene synthase from Mentha spicata, a metal ion-dependent monoterpene cyclase that catalyzes the coupled isomerization and cyclization of geranyl diphosphate, is reported at 2.7-Å resolution in two forms liganded to the substrate and intermediate analogs, 2-fluorogeranyl diphosphate and 2-fluorolinalyl diphosphate, respectively. The implications of these findings are described for domain interactions in the homodimer and for changes in diphosphate-metal ion coordination and substrate binding conformation in the course of the multistep reaction.crystal structure ͉ geranyl diphosphate ͉ linalyl diphosphate ͉ monoterpene cyclase ͉ monoterpene synthase

CRISPR-Cas12a is a promising genome editing system for targeting AT-rich genomic regions. Comprehensive genome engineering requires simultaneous targeting of multiple genes at defined locations. Here, to expand the targeting scope of Cas12a, we screen nine Cas12a orthologs that have not been demonstrated in plants, and identify six, ErCas12a, Lb5Cas12a, BsCas12a, Mb2Cas12a, TsCas12a and MbCas12a, that possess high editing activity in rice. Among them, Mb2Cas12a stands out with high editing efficiency and tolerance to low temperature. An engineered Mb2Cas12a-RVRR variant enables editing with more relaxed PAM requirements in rice, yielding two times higher genome coverage than the wild type SpCas9. To enable large-scale genome engineering, we compare 12 multiplexed Cas12a systems and identify a potent system that exhibits nearly 100% biallelic editing efficiency with the ability to target as many as 16 sites in rice. This is the highest level of multiplex edits in plants to date using Cas12a. Two compact single transcript unit CRISPR-Cas12a interference systems are also developed for multi-gene repression in rice and Arabidopsis. This study greatly expands the targeting scope of Cas12a for crop genome engineering.

Solavetivone, a potent antifungal phytoalexin, is derived from a vetispirane-type sesquiterpene, premnaspirodiene, by a putative regio-and stereo-specific hydroxylation, followed by a second oxidation to yield the ␣,␤-unsaturated ketone. Mechanistically, these reactions could occur via a single, multifunctional cytochrome P450 or some combination of cytochrome P450s and a dehydrogenase. We report here the characterization of a single cytochrome P450 enzyme, Hyoscyamus muticus premnaspirodiene oxygenase (HPO), that catalyzes these successive reactions at carbon 2 (C-2) of the spirane substrate. HPO also catalyzes the equivalent regio-specific (C-2) hydroxylation of several eremophilane-type (decalin ring system) sesquiterpenes, such as with 5-epi-aristolochene. Moreover, HPO displays interesting comparisons to other sesquiterpene hydroxylases. 5-Epi-aristolochene di-hydroxylase (EAH) differs catalytically from HPO by introducing hydroxyl groups first at C-1, then C-3 of 5-epi-aristolochene. HPO and EAH also differ from one another by 91-amino acid differences, with four of these differences mapping to putative substrate recognition regions 5 and 6. These four positions were mutagenized alone and in various combinations in both HPO and EAH and the mutant enzymes were characterized for changes in substrate selectivity, reaction product specificity, and kinetic properties. These mutations did not alter the regio-or stereo-specificity of either HPO or EAH, but specific combinations of the mutations did improve the catalytic efficiencies 10 -15-fold. Molecular models and comparisons between HPO and EAH provide insights into the catalytic properties of these enzymes of specialized metabolism in plants.

Farnesyl diphosphate (FPP),2 a flexible 15-carbon isoprenoid, is the universal precursor of Ͼ300 different cyclic sesquiterpenes found in numerous plants, bacteria, and fungi (1, 2). The cyclization of FPP is catalyzed by a sesquiterpene cyclase that utilizes a trinuclear magnesium cluster to trigger the departure of the pyrophosphate (PP i ) leaving group, thereby forming an allylic carbocation that typically reacts with one of the remaining bonds of the substrate (3-7). The remarkable diversity of sesquiterpene structure and stereochemistry is the consequence of precise control exerted by the cyclase over the conformations of the flexible substrate and carbocation intermediates in the cyclization cascade.Aristolochene synthase from Aspergillus terreus is a sesquiterpene cyclase that catalyzes the cyclization of FPP to form aristolochene (Fig. 1a), the parent hydrocarbon of a large group of fungal toxins such as gigantenone, PR-toxin, and bipolaroxin (8). In contrast to aristolochene synthase from Penicillium roqueforti, which generates aristolochene predominantly (Ͼ90%) but also small amounts of germacrene A and valencene (9, 10), aristolochene synthase from A. terreus generates aristolochene exclusively (9). Each cyclase adopts the common ␣-helical fold of a class I terpenoid cyclase and contains two conserved metal binding motifs: the "aspartate-rich" motif D 90 DLLE that coordinates to Mg 3 ⅐PP i stabilizes the active site in a closed conformation that is completely sequestered from bulk solvent (Fig. 1b) (11). In addition to multiple metal coordination interactions, the PP i anion accepts hydrogen bonds from conserved residues Arg , and Tyr 315 when bound to the closed conformation (Fig. 1c). It is likely that the diphosphate group of FPP makes identical metal coordination and hydrogen bond interactions in the Michaelis complex, i.e. the complex between the enzyme and the productively bound substrate that immediately precedes the initiation of the cyclization cascade.Substrate conformation is a crucial determinant of the biosynthetic outcome of the terpenoid cyclase reaction. The active site of aristolochene synthase from A. terreus serves as a high fidelity template that fixes FPP in a single, productive conformation in the Michaelis complex; otherwise, aberrant cyclization products would result. To study the conformational control of FPP in the active site of aristolochene synthase from A. terreus, we now report the structures of crystalline complexes * This work was supported, in whole or in part, by National Institutes of Health Grants GM 56838 (to D. W. C.), GM 30301 (to D. E. C.), and GM 13956 (to R. M. C.). This work was also supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant EP/D069580 to R. K. A.) and by Cardiff University (Studentship to F. Y.). The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact. Th...

Lysobacter enzymogenes is a bacterial biological-control agent emerging as a new source of antibiotic metabolites, such as HSAF (Heat-Stable Antifungal Factor) and the antibacterial factor WAP-8294A2. The regulatory mechanism(s) for antibiotic-metabolite biosynthesis remains largely unknown in L. enzymogenes. Clp, a cAMP-receptor-like protein, is shown to function as a global regulator in modulating biocontol-associated traits in L. enzymogenes. However, the genetic basis of Clp signaling remains unclear. Here, we utilized transcriptome/microarray analysis to determine the Clp regulon in L. enzymogenes. We showed that Clp is a global regulator in gene expression, as the transcription of 775 genes belonging to 19 functional groups was differentially controlled by Clp signaling. Analysis of the Clp regulon detected previously characterized Clp-modulated functions as well as novel loci. These include novel loci involved in antibiotic-metabolite biosynthesis and surface motility in L. enzymogenes. We further showed experimentally that Clp signaling played a positive role in regulating the biosynthesis of HSAF and WAP-8294A2, as well as surface motility which is a Type-IV-pilus-dependent trait. The regulation by Clp signaling of antibiotic (HSAF and WAP-8294A2) biosynthesis and surface motility was found to be independent. Importantly, we identified a factor Lat (Lysobacter acetyltransferase), a homologue of histone acetyltransferase Hpa2, which was regulated by Clp and involved in HSAF biosynthesis, but not associated with WAP-8294A2 production and surface motility. Overall, our study provided new insights into the regulatory role and molecular mechanism of Clp signaling in L. enzymogenes.