Swertia mussotii is an important medicinal plant found on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau that has great economic and medicinal value. This plant has enjoyed a long history of use as a curative for hepatitis. The biological activity of secoiridoids, including gentiopicroside and swertiamarin, has been mainly tested for its anti-hepatitis effects. Here, we identify two candidate genes (SmIS1 and SmIS2) that are homologues of iridoid synthase and that are components of the secoiridoid pathway in S. mussotii. Using sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, we confirm that SmIS1 and SmIS2 contain six conserved short-chain dehydrogenases/reductase (SDR) motifs and thus belong to the P5βRs group. The two purified Escherichia coli-expressed proteins reduced 8-oxogeranial to both nepetalactol and iridodials. A comparison of the kinetic parameters of SmIS1 and SmIS2 recombinant proteins revealed that SmIS2 has a lower affinity than SmIS1 for 8-oxogeranial. Transcript levels of the two genes were analysed in three different tissues of S. mussotii using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. SmIS1 and SmIS2 expression levels were more abundant in leaves and stems. This investigation adds to our knowledge of P5βRs genes in the secoiridoid synthesis pathway and provides candidate genes for genetically improving S. mussotii by enhancing secondary metabolite production.
Keywords: Swertia mussotii; functional characterization; heterologous expression; iridoid synthase; medicinal plant; progesterone 5-β-reductase; secoiridoid biosynthesis.