Publications

• Biosynthesis of 2-methylisoborneol in cyanobacteria.

  Giglio S., Chou W.K., Ikeda H., Cane D.E., Monis P.T.

  The production of odiferous metabolites, such as 2-methlyisoborneol (MIB), is a major concern for water utilities worldwide. Although MIB has no known biological function, the presence of the earthy/musty taste and odor attributed to this compound result in the reporting of numerous complaints by ... >> More

  The production of odiferous metabolites, such as 2-methlyisoborneol (MIB), is a major concern for water utilities worldwide. Although MIB has no known biological function, the presence of the earthy/musty taste and odor attributed to this compound result in the reporting of numerous complaints by consumers, which undermines water utility performance and the safe and adequate provision of potable waters. Cyanobacteria are the major producers of MIB in natural waters, by mechanisms that have heretofore remained largely unstudied. To investigate the fundamental biological mechanism of MIB biosynthesis in cyanobacteria, the genome of a MIB-producing Pseudanabaena limnetica was sequenced using Next Generation Sequencing, and the recombinant proteins derived from the putative MIB biosynthetic genes were biochemically characterized. We demonstrate that the biosynthesis of MIB in cyanobacteria is a result of 2 key reactions: 1) a S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation of the monoterpene precursor geranyl diphosphate (GPP) to 2-methyl-GPP catalyzed by geranyl diphosphate 2-methyltransferase (GPPMT) and 2) further cyclization of 2-methyl-GPP to MIB catalyzed by MIB synthase (MIBS) as part of a MIB operon. Based on a comparison of the component MIB biosynthetic genes in actinomycetes and cyanobacterial organisms, we hypothesize that there have been multiple rearrangements of the genes in this operon. << Less

  Environ Sci Technol 45:992-998(2011) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Biochemistry and molecular genetics of the biosynthesis of the earthy odorant methylisoborneol in Streptomyces coelicolor.

  Wang C.M., Cane D.E.

  Methylisoborneol (2) is a volatile organic compound produced by a wide variety of Actinomycete soil organisms, myxobacteria, and cyanobacteria. It has an unusually low odor threshold and, together with geosmin, is responsible for the characteristic smell of moist soil as well as unpleasant taste a ... >> More

  Methylisoborneol (2) is a volatile organic compound produced by a wide variety of Actinomycete soil organisms, myxobacteria, and cyanobacteria. It has an unusually low odor threshold and, together with geosmin, is responsible for the characteristic smell of moist soil as well as unpleasant taste and odor episodes associated with public water supplies and contamination of various foodstuffs, including fish, wine, and beer. Despite considerable interest in detection and remediation of methylisoborneol, the biosynthesis of this methylated monoterpene has been obscure. In Streptomyces coelicolor, the sco7700 and sco7701 genes are shown to correspond to a two-gene operon responsible for methylisoborneol biosynthesis. Both genes have been amplified by PCR and the resulting DNA has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Incubation of recombinant SCO7701 protein, annotated as a possible C-methyltransferase, with geranyl diphosphate (1) and S-adenosylmethionine gave the previously unknown compound, (E)-2-methylgeranyl diphosphate (3). Incubation of 3 in the presence of Mg2+ with recombinant SCO7700, previously annotated only as a possible metal-binding protein or terpenoid synthase, resulted in the formation of 2-methylisoborneol (2). The steady-state kinetic parameters for both biochemical reactions have been determined. Incubation of geranyl diphosphate and S-adenosylmethionine with a mixture of both SCO7700 and SCO7701 resulted in formation of methylisoborneol (2). Cyclization of 2-methylgeranyl diphosphate (3) to methylisoborneol (2) likely involves the intermediacy of 2-methyllinalyl diphosphate. << Less

  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130:8908-8909(2008) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Identification and functional analysis of genes controlling biosynthesis of 2-methylisoborneol.

  Komatsu M., Tsuda M., Omura S., Oikawa H., Ikeda H.

  To identify the genes for biosynthesis of the off-flavor terpenoid alcohol, 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), the key genes encoding monoterpene cyclase were located in bacterial genome databases by using a combination of hidden Markov models, protein-family search, and the sequence alignment of their g ... >> More

  To identify the genes for biosynthesis of the off-flavor terpenoid alcohol, 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), the key genes encoding monoterpene cyclase were located in bacterial genome databases by using a combination of hidden Markov models, protein-family search, and the sequence alignment of their gene products. Predicted terpene cyclases were classified into three groups: sesquiterpene, diterpene, and other terpene cyclases. Genes of the terpene cyclase group that form an operon with a gene encoding S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase were found in genome data of seven microorganisms belonging to actinomycetes, Streptomyces ambofaciens ISP5053, Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), Streptomyces griseus IFO13350, Streptomyces lasaliensis NRRL3382R, Streptomyces scabies 87.22, Saccharopolyspora erythraea NRRL2338, and Micromonospora olivasterospora KY11048. Among six microorganisms tested, S. ambofaciens, S. coelicolor A3(2), S. griseus, and S. lasaliensis produced 2-MIB but M. olivasterospora produced 2-methylenebornane (2-MB) instead. The regions containing monoterpene cyclase and methyltransferase genes were amplified by PCR from S. ambofaciens, S. lasaliensis, and Saccharopolyspora erythraea, respectively, and their genes were heterologously expressed in Streptomyces avermitilis, which was naturally deficient of 2-MIB biosynthesis by insertion and deletion. All exoconjugants of S. avermitilis produced 2-MIB. Full-length recombinant proteins, monoterpene cyclase and methyltransferase of S. lasaliensis were expressed at high level in Escherichia coli. The recombinant methyltransferase catalyzed methylation at the C2 position of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) in the presence of SAM. 2-MIB was generated by incubation with GPP, SAM, recombinant methyltransferase, and terpene cyclase. We concluded that the biosynthetic pathway involves the methylation of GPP by GPP methyltransferase and its subsequent cyclization by monoterpene cyclase to 2-MIB. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105:7422-7427(2008) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.