fukinolic-acid and piscidic-acid

The nucleotide sequence of a BAHD hydroxycinnamoyltransferase was amplified from Actaea racemosa (Ranunculaceae) and expressed in E. coli. The protein catalysed the formation of cimicifugic acids and thus is named hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:piscidic acid hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (ArHPT1; cimicifugic acid synthase). Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa) is known to contain triterpene lactone glycosides and cimicifugic acids. The latter are esters of various hydroxycinnamic or benzoic acids with piscidic or fukiic acid. Amplification of a nucleotide sequence from A. racemosa, that was already known as HCT1 from an EST approach, and its expression in E. coli resulted in a protein that was able to catalyse the formation of several cimicifugic acids. For the characterisation of this hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (hydroxy)cinnamoyl-coenzyme A thioesters were synthesised as donor substrates and piscidic acid isolated as acceptor substrate. The lowest K

Topics: Acyltransferases; Caffeic Acids; Catalysis; Cimicifuga; Escherichia coli; Glycosides; Hydroxybenzoates; Phenylacetates; Phenylpropionates; Plant Proteins; Plant Roots; Succinates; Triterpenes