JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2021, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (3): 233-244.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202004027

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A review of terpene synthases and genes in Pinaceae

ZHU Peihuang(), CHEN Yu, JI Kongshu*()   

  1. Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
  • Received:2020-04-15 Revised:2020-05-11 Online:2021-05-30 Published:2021-05-31
  • Contact: JI Kongshu E-mail:zphzhupeihuang@163.com;ksji@njfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Terpenoids are important metabolites that are involved in several processes such as growth and development, information transmission, climatic acclimation and chemical defense in Pinaceae plants and have important physiological and ecological functions. Terpenoids from Pinaceae plants have an important economic value because they are widely applied in the pharmaceutical, biofuel, chemical synthesis and other industries. The mevalonate and methylerythrose phosphate pathways lead to the synthesis of the five-carbon precursors of all plant terpenoids. Terpene molecular skeletons with different carbon chain lengths, such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes are synthesized by the isoprene and terpene synthase families. Furthermore, cytochrome P450 enzymatic reactions such as methylation, hydroxylation, peroxidation and glycosylation result in the formation of a large family of terpenoids with extremely rich structures. The enzymes and genes involved in the biochemical synthesis of terpenes play important roles during these processes and also influence the structural diversity of terpenoids. Terpene synthases are abundant in plants, and new terpene synthases have recently been discovered due to the accumulation of plant genomic and transcriptomic data. This article describes the synthesis of plant terpenoid precursors and their key enzyme genes, the structures, types and functions of terpene synthases, as well as the identification and phylogeny of the terpene synthase gene family in Pinaceae. The article also offers suggestions regarding related practical issues, such as the need for research into terpine synthase and genes in Pinus species. The specific pathways involved in the terpene metabolism in Pinaceae remain unknown, a functional research platform for the related genes of coniferous species has not been established, and the mechanism of the multi-gene network regulating the synthesis of terpenes in Pinaceae has not been systematically investigated. Furthermore, the key genes of Pinaceae associated with lipid production and stress resistance have not been exploited. These issues should be addressed to provide a reference for understanding the molecular mechanisms of terpenoid biosynthesis and genetically improving Pineae.

Key words: Pinaceae, terpenoid, MVA pathway, MEP pathway, terpene synthases, gene family

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