Functional Characterization and Structural Basis of an Efficient Di- C-glycosyltransferase from Glycyrrhiza glabra

J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Feb 19;142(7):3506-3512. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b12211. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

Abstract

A highly efficient di-C-glycosyltransferase GgCGT was discovered from the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. GgCGT catalyzes a two-step di-C-glycosylation of flopropione-containing substrates with conversion rates of >98%. To elucidate the catalytic mechanisms of GgCGT, we solved its crystal structures in complex with UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal, UDP/phloretin, and UDP/nothofagin, respectively. Structural analysis revealed that the sugar donor selectivity was controlled by the hydrogen-bond interactions of sugar hydroxyl groups with D390 and other key residues. The di-C-glycosylation capability of GgCGT was attributed to a spacious substrate-binding tunnel, and the G389K mutation could switch di- to mono-C-glycosylation. GgCGT is the first di-C-glycosyltransferase with a crystal structure, and the first C-glycosyltransferase with a complex structure containing a sugar acceptor. This work could benefit the development of efficient biocatalysts to synthesize C-glycosides with medicinal potential.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Glycosylation
  • Glycosyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Glycosyltransferases / genetics
  • Glycosyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Glycyrrhiza / enzymology*
  • Glycyrrhiza / genetics
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phloretin / chemistry
  • Phloretin / metabolism
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Transcriptome
  • Uridine Diphosphate Galactose / chemistry
  • Uridine Diphosphate Galactose / metabolism
  • Uridine Diphosphate Glucuronic Acid / chemistry
  • Uridine Diphosphate Glucuronic Acid / metabolism
  • Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine / chemistry
  • Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine / metabolism
  • Uridine Diphosphate Xylose / chemistry
  • Uridine Diphosphate Xylose / metabolism

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Uridine Diphosphate Glucuronic Acid
  • Uridine Diphosphate Galactose
  • Uridine Diphosphate Xylose
  • Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine
  • Glycosyltransferases
  • Phloretin