Riboflavin Accumulation and Molecular Characterization of cDNAs Encoding Bifunctional GTP Cyclohydrolase II/3,4-Dihydroxy-2-Butanone 4-Phosphate Synthase, Lumazine Synthase, and Riboflavin Synthase in Different Organs of Lycium chinense Plant

Abstract

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is the precursor of flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide-essential cofactors for a wide variety of enzymes involving in OPEN ACCESSMolecules 2014, 19 17142 numerous metabolic processes. In this study, a partial-length cDNA encoding bifunctional GTP cyclohydrolase II/3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone-4-phosphate synthase (LcRIBA), 2 full-length cDNAs encoding lumazine synthase (LcLS1 and LcLS2), and a full-length cDNA encoding riboflavin synthase (LcRS) were isolated from Lycium chinense, an important traditional medicinal plant. Sequence analyses showed that these genes exhibited high identities with their orthologous genes as well as having the same common features related to plant riboflavin biosynthetic genes. LcRIBA, like other plant RIBAs, contained a DHBPS region in its N terminus and a GCHII region in its C-terminal part. LcLSs and LcRS carried an N-terminal extension found in plant riboflavin biosynthetic genes unlike the orthologous microbial genes. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that 4 riboflavin biosynthetic genes were constitutively expressed in all organs examined of L. chinense plants with the highest expression levels found in the leaves or red fruits. LcRIBA, which catalyzes 2 initial reactions in riboflavin biosynthetic pathway, was the highest transcript in the leaves, and hence, the richest content of riboflavin was detected in this organ. Our study might provide the basis for investigating the contribution of riboflavin in diverse biological activities of L. chinense and may facilitate the metabolic engineering of vitamin B2 in crop plants.

Identification of QTNs Controlling Seed Protein Content in Soybean Using Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies

“…Glyma.18G071100 may play an important role in protein anabolism; it participates in the process of glycosylation in endoplasmic reticulum, and the function of glycosylation is to enable proteins to resist the digestive enzymes, so as to protect protein from degradation ( Jayaprakash and Surolia, 2017 ). Glyma.12G112900 is a kind of riboflavin synthase and it participates in the biosynthesis of riboflavin, which plays an important role in energy metabolism including carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism ( Tuan et al, 2014 ; Zhao et al, 2014 ). Glyma.18G071300 participates in RNA transport, and this process is essential in protein synthesis; as we know, it mainly carries amino acids into ribosomes and synthesizes proteins under the guidance of mRNA.…”

Lycium Barbarum: A Traditional Chinese Herb and A Promising Anti-Aging Agent

“…Riboflavin can protect the body against oxidative stress, especially lipid peroxidation and reperfusion oxidative injury [ 79 ]. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that riboflavin biosynthetic genes were constitutively expressed in all organs examined of Lycium Barbarum with the highest expression levels found in the leaves or red fruits [ 80 ].…”

Roseoflavin, a Natural Riboflavin Analogue, Possesses In Vitro and In Vivo Antiplasmodial Activity

“…These enzymes are involved in a variety of biological processes such as redox reactions, electron transport, protein folding, apoptosis, chromatin remodelling, DNA repair, hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes, and hydroxylation (9,10). The genes encoding enzymes involved in riboflavin biosynthesis in other organisms (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16), do not appear to be present in the P. falciparum genome (PlasmoDB). Therefore, the host is presumably the source of riboflavin for the malaria parasite.…”