Publications

• Accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acid amides induced by pathogen infection and identification of agmatine coumaroyltransferase in Arabidopsis thaliana.

  Muroi A., Ishihara A., Tanaka C., Ishizuka A., Takabayashi J., Miyoshi H., Nishioka T.

  Hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) are secondary metabolites involved in the defense of plants against pathogens. Here, we report the first identification of HCAAs, p-coumaroylagmatine, feruloylagmatine, p-coumaroylputrescine and feruloylputrescine, in Arabidopsis thaliana rosette leaves infected ... >> More

  Hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) are secondary metabolites involved in the defense of plants against pathogens. Here, we report the first identification of HCAAs, p-coumaroylagmatine, feruloylagmatine, p-coumaroylputrescine and feruloylputrescine, in Arabidopsis thaliana rosette leaves infected with Alternaria brassicicola and the assignment of At5g61160 as the agmatine coumaroyltransferase (AtACT) that catalyzes the last reaction in the biosynthesis of the HCAAs. Feeding experiments with putative labeled precursors revealed that the four HCAAs were synthesized from hydroxycinnamic acids and agmatine or putrescine. AtACT gene function was identified from an analysis of a mutant that did not accumulate HCAAs. In wild-type Arabidopsis, AtACT transcripts markedly increased in response to A. brassicicola infection. Enzymatic activity that catalyzes the synthesis of the HCAAs was confirmed in vitro by using a recombinant AtACT expressed in Escherichia coli. The Atact mutant was susceptible to infection by A. brassicicola, indicating that HCAAs are responsible for defense against pathogens in A. thaliana. << Less

  Planta 230:517-527(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• A new class of N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferases. Purification, cloning, and expression of a barley agmatine coumaroyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.64).

  Burhenne K., Kristensen B.K., Rasmussen S.K.

  Agmatine coumaroyltransferase (ACT), which catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of antifungal hydroxycinnamoylagmatine derivatives, was purified to apparent homogeneity from 3-day-old etiolated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings. The enzyme was highly specific for agmatine as acyl accep ... >> More

  Agmatine coumaroyltransferase (ACT), which catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of antifungal hydroxycinnamoylagmatine derivatives, was purified to apparent homogeneity from 3-day-old etiolated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings. The enzyme was highly specific for agmatine as acyl acceptor and had the highest specificity for p-coumaroyl-CoA among various acyl donors with a specific activity of 29.7 nanokatal x mg(-1) protein. Barley ACT was found to be a single polypeptide chain of 48 kDa with a pI of 5.20 as determined by isoelectric focusing. The 15 N-terminal amino acid residues were identified by micro-sequencing of the native protein and were used to clone a full-length barley ACT cDNA that predicted a protein of 439 amino acid residues. The sequence was devoid of N-terminal signal peptide, suggesting a cytosolic localization of barley ACT. Recombinant ACT produced and affinity-purified from Escherichia coli had a specific activity of 189 nanokatal x mg(-1) protein, thus confirming the identity of the purified native protein. A partial cDNA sequence for ACT was obtained from wheat that predicted a protein of 353 amino acid residues and had 95% sequence identity to barley ACT. Two motifs in the amino acid sequence reveal that barley ACT represents a new class of N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferases belonging to the transferase superfamily. The barley ACT is unique in producing the precursor of hordatine, a proven antifungal factor that may be directed toward Blumeria graminis. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 278:13919-13927(2003) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]