Is the reaction catalyzed by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase a rate-limiting step for isoprenoid biosynthesis in plants?

Joseph Chappell, Fred Wolf, Jeanne Proulx, Rick Cuellar, Court Saunders

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

281 Scopus citations

Abstract

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) catalyzes the irreversible conversion of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A to mevalonate and is considered a key regulatory step controlling isoprenoid metabolism in mammals and fungi. The ratelimiting nature of this enzyme for isoprenoid biosynthesis in plants remains controversial. To investigate whether HMGR activity could be limiting in plants, we introduced a constitutively expressing hamster HMGR gene into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants to obtain unregulated HMGR activity. The impact of the resulting enzyme activity on the biosynthesis and accumulation of particular isoprenoids was evaluated. Expression of the hamster HMGR gene led to a 3- to 6-fold increase in the total HMGR enzyme activity. Total sterol accumulation was consequently increased 3- to 10-fold, whereas end-product sterols such as sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol were increased only 2-fold. The level of cycloartenol, a sterol biosynthetic intermediate, was increased more than 100-fold. Although the synthesis of total sterols appears to be limited normally by HMGR activity, these results indicate that the activity of one or more later enzyme(s) in the pathway must also be involved in determining the relative accumulation of end-product sterols. The levels of other isoprenoids such as carotenoids, phytol chain of chlorophyll, and sesquiterpene phytoalexins were relatively unaltered in the transgenic plants. It appears from these results that compartmentation, channeling, or other rate-determining enzymes operate to control the accumulation of these other isoprenoid end products.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1337-1343
Number of pages7
JournalPlant Physiology
Volume109
Issue number4
StatePublished - Dec 1995

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Genetics
  • Plant Science

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