Abstract
Cysteine synthase plays a key role in the sulfur assimilation pathway in plant cells. The cDNA clones encoding two isoforms of this enzyme were isolated from spinach by synthetic oligonucleotide probes. The modes of expression of these two genes differed in tissues of spinach. A heterologous expression system in Escherichia coli and transgenic tobacco was made. The application of heterologous expression to modify sulfur metabolism and to produce non-protein amino acids is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- CSase:
-
cysteine synthase
References
Anderson JW (1980) Assimilation of inorganic sulfate into cysteine. In: Miflin BJ (Ed) The biochemistry of plants, Vol 5 (pp 203–225) Academic Press, New York
Ikegami F., Mizuno M, Kihara M & Murakoshi I (1990) Enzymatic synthesis of the thyrotoxic amino acid mimosine by cysteine synthase. Phytochemistry 29: 3461–3465
Kredich NM (1987) Biosynthesis of cysteine. In: Neidhardt FC, Ingraham JL, Low KB, Magasanik B, Schaechter CM & Umbarger HE (Eds) Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium: Cellular and Molecular Biology, Vol 1 (pp 419–428) American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC
Lea PJ, Wallsgrove RM & Miflin BJ (1985) The biosynthesis of amino acids in plants. In: Barret GC (Ed) Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Amino Acids. (pp 197–226) Chapman and Hall, London
Lunn JE, Droux M, Martin J & Douce R (1990) Localization of ATP sulfurylase and O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase in spinach leaves. Plant Physiol 94: 1345–1352
Lütcke HA, Chow KC, Mickel FS, Moss KA, Kern HF & Scheele GA (1987) Selection of AUG initiation codons differs in plants and animals. EMBO J. 6: 43–48
Masuda Y (1988) Plant Physiology, revised edition (in Japanese), Baifu-kan, Tokyo.
Murakoshi I, Kuramoto H, Haginiwa J & Fowden L (1972) The enzymatic synthesis of β-substituted alanines. Phytochemistry 11: 177–182
Rosenthal GA (1982) Plant Nonprotein Amino and Imino Acids. Academic Press, New York
Saito K, Noji M, Ohmori S, Imai Y & Murakoshi I (1991) Integration and expression of a rabbit liver cytochrome P-450 gene in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 7041–7045
Saito K, Miura N, Yamazaki M, Hirano H & Murakoshi I (1992a) Molecular cloning and bacterial expression of cDNA encoding a plant cysteine synthase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89: 8078–8082
Saito K, Miura N, Yamazaki M & Murakoshi I (1992b) Isolation and sequence analysis of cDNA clones encoding cysteine synthase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea). In: Oono K, Hirabayashi T, Kikuchi S, Handa H & Kajiwara K (Eds) Plant Tissue Culture and Gene Manipulation for Breeding and Formation of Phytochemicals, (pp 157–164) National Institute of Agrobiological Resources, Tsukuba
Tingey SV, Tsai F-Y, Edwards JW, Walker EL & Coruzzi GM (1988) Chloroplast and cytosolic glutamine synthetase are encoded by homologous nuclear genes which are differentially expressed in vivo. J. Biol. Chem. 263: 9651–9657
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saito, K., Miura, N., Yamazaki, M. et al. Molecular cloning and expression of key enzymes for biosynthesis of cysteine and related secondary non-protein amino acids. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 38, 153–158 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00033872
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00033872