Overexpression of a putative 12-oxophytodienoate reductase gene, EpOPR1, enhances acetylshikonin production in Echium plantagineum

Fu, Jiangyan; Ren, Ran; Jin, Suo; Fang, Rongjun; Wen, Zhongling; Yang, Minkai; Wang, Xuan; Liu, Bao; Yin, Tongming; Lu, Guihua; Yang, Yonghua; Qi, Jinliang

Overexpression of a putative 12-oxophytodienoate reductase gene, EpOPR1, enhances acetylshikonin production in Echium plantagineum

2022

12-Oxophytodienoate reductase (OPR) enzymes in dicots are categorized as flavin mononucleotide (FMN)–dependent oxidoreductases and are divided into two subgroups. Although subgroup II OPRs have been identified as being involved in a critical step in the production of jasmonic acid (JA), the functions of subgroup I OPRs are uncertain. In this study, we cloned a potential subgroup I OPR gene, EpOPR1, from Echium plantagineum using comparative transcriptome analysis. EpOPR1 expression was found to be significantly increased in root samples containing secondary metabolites such as shikonin and its derivatives. Using a transgenic hairy root system, we further explored the role of EpOPR1 in the production of these secondary metabolites. The results indicated that although the chemical profile of EpOPR1 overexpressing hairy roots (OPRO) is similar to that of the empty vector hairy roots (EV), the EpOPR1 overexpressing line considerably increased the yield of acetylshikonin by around two-fold. Our findings shed light on the potential role of subgroup I OPRs in E. plantagineum secondary metabolism regulation.

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