Reconstruction of the Evolutionary Histories of UGT Gene Superfamily in Legumes Clarifies the Functional Divergence of Duplicates in Specialized Metabolism

Abstract

Plant uridine 5′-diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) influence the physiochemical properties of several classes of specialized metabolites including triterpenoids via glycosylation. To uncover the evolutionary past of UGTs of soyasaponins (a group of beneficial triterpene glycosides widespread among Leguminosae), the UGT gene superfamily in Medicago truncatula, Glycine max, Phaseolus vulgaris, Lotus japonicus, and Trifolium pratense genomes were systematically mined. A total of 834 nonredundant UGTs were identified and categorized into 98 putative orthologous loci (POLs) using tree-based and graph-based methods. Major key findings in this study were of, (i) 17 POLs represent potential catalysts for triterpene glycosylation in legumes, (ii) UGTs responsible for the addition of second (UGT73P2: galactosyltransferase and UGT73P10: arabinosyltransferase) and third (UGT91H4: rhamnosyltransferase and UGT91H9: glucosyltransferase) sugars of the C-3 sugar chain of soyasaponins were resulted from duplication events occurred before and after the hologalegina–millettoid split, respectively, and followed neofunctionalization in species-/ lineage-specific manner, and (iii) UGTs responsible for the C-22-O glycosylation of group A (arabinosyltransferase) and DDMP saponins (DDMPtransferase) and the second sugar of C-22 sugar chain of group A saponins (UGT73F2: glucosyltransferase) may all share a common ancestor. Our findings showed a way to trace the evolutionary history of UGTs involved in specialized metabolism.

Genomic-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Uridine Diphosphate Glycosyltransferase Family in Eucommia ulmoides Oliver

“…It may also reflect that the plant UGTs expand in order to produce more secondary metabolites [ 11 , 12 ]. As in other plant species, Eu UGT genes are mostly intronless, except for a small fraction of family members containing one to three introns, which may be derived from gain or loss events during their evolution [ 47 ].…”

Selective β-Mono-Glycosylation of a C15-Hydroxylated Metabolite of the Agricultural Herbicide Cinmethylin Using Leloir Glycosyltransferases

“… 1 − 4 The assessment of the fate and behavior in the environment entails that not only the original substances but also their detoxification metabolites are closely monitored. 3 , 5 , 6 Cinmethylin ( Figure 1 ) is a well-known benzyl-ether derivative of the natural terpene 1,4-cineole. 7 − 9 Cinmethylin is used industrially as a pre-emergence herbicide for crop protection.…”

“… 12 Indirect evidence from cinmethylin efficacy studies in plants supports a role of cytochrome P450 hydroxylases in compound detoxification. 9 Further (phase II) detoxification of hydroxylated cinmethylin metabolites would likely involve glycosylation, with a β- d -glucosyl residue attached in plants 3 , 5 , 6 , 13 and a β- d -glucuronyl residue attached in animals. 14 , 15 The current study was performed to develop a biocatalytic synthesis for the β- d -glucoside of 15-hydroxy cinmethylin ( Figure 1 ).…”

“…However, small-molecule glycosylation in detoxification metabolism is naturally performed by GTs. 6 , 13 In plants, these enzymes use uridine 5′-diphosphate (UDP)-glucose as the sugar donor. 26 , 27 Substrate requirements of the GTs are sometimes adduced to favor enzymes from other classes working with more expedient substrates.…”

Legume Genetics and Biology: From Mendel’s Pea to Legume Genomics

“…This work combines genomic, transcriptomic, and small RNA sequencing to understand the process of lupine flower ablation. Owing to progress in genomic methods such as next-generation sequencing, genetics and genomics is not limited to model species and is being applied to any species including crops with complex, polyploid genomes [28]. Evolutionary scenarios of speciation are a recurrent theme in biology, and especially in plants, there are often various pathways to speciation, including frequent hybridization and polyploidy.…”