Genome-Wide Identification and Tissue-Specific Expression Analysis of UDP-Glycosyltransferases Genes Confirm Their Abundance in Cicer arietinum (Chickpea) Genome

Abstract

UDP-glycosyltransferases (EC 2.4.1.x; UGTs) are enzymes coded by an important gene family of higher plants. They are involved in the modification of secondary metabolites, phytohormones, and xenobiotics by transfer of sugar moieties from an activated nucleotide molecule to a wide range of acceptors. This modification regulates various functions like detoxification of xenobiotics, hormone homeostasis, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Here, we describe the identification of 96 UGT genes in Cicer arietinum (CaUGT) and report their tissue-specific differential expression based on publically available RNA-seq and expressed sequence tag data. This analysis has established medium to high expression of 84 CaUGTs and low expression of 12 CaUGTs. We identified several closely related orthologs of CaUGTs in other genomes and compared their exon-intron arrangement. An attempt was made to assign functional specificity to chickpea UGTs by comparing substrate binding sites with experimentally determined specificity. These findings will assist in precise selection of candidate genes for various applications and understanding functional genomics of chickpea.

Involvement of three putative glucosyltransferases from the UGT72 family in flavonol glucoside/rhamnoside biosynthesis inLotus japonicusseeds

“…The combined number of UGT genes constitutes approximately 0.61% of the total predicted number of genes in L. japonicus ; this compares with approximately 0.39%, 0.40%, and 0.52% in M. truncatula , C. arietinum, and G. max, respectively, and is significant for a single class of enzyme in legume species (Sharma et al , 2014). Furthermore, the ratios of UGT genes to total genes in these legumes are higher than the respective ratios in Oryza sativa (0.32%) and Zea mays (0.18%), suggesting that the number of UGTs in legume species expanded more rapidly than in these two graminaceous species.…”

Digital gene expression analysis of male and female bud transition in Metasequoia reveals high activity of MADS-box transcription factors and hormone-mediated sugar pathways

“…The glycosylation reaction is often the final step in plant natural product synthesis, which stabilizes and provides a safe storage form for potentially toxic aglycones. The UGTs transfer the glycosyl group from an activated nucleoside diphosphate sugar donor (UDP-sugar) to a wide range of sugar or non-sugar acceptors (Sharma et al, 2014 ). Recently, the UDP-glycosyltransferase 85B1 model in Sorghum has been used to identify cations of amino acid residues important for the catalysis and binding of sugar donors and acceptors in the active site (Thorsoe et al, 2005 ).…”

Glycosylation Is a Major Regulator of Phenylpropanoid Availability and Biological Activity in Plants

“…Species are arranged in an order based on taxonomic families. [1], Barvkar et al ( 2012 ); [2], Caputi et al ( 2012 ); [3], Cao et al ( 2008 ); [4], Ekstrom et al ( 2014 ); [5], Huang et al ( 2015 ); [6], Li et al ( 2014 ); [7], Ross et al ( 2001 ); [8], Sharma et al ( 2014 ); [9], Song et al ( 2015 ); [10], Yonekura-Sakakibara and Hanada ( 2011 ).…”