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Biosynthesis and production of glycosylated flavonoids in Escherichia coli: current state and perspectives

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Abstract

Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites containing several hydroxyl groups that are targets for modification reactions such as methylation and glycosylation. In plants, flavonoids are present as glycones. Although glucose is the most common sugar attached to flavonoids, arabinose, galactose, glucuronic acid, rhamnose, and xylose are also linked to flavonoids. Depending on the kind and the position of the attached sugar, flavonoid glycones show different biological properties. Flavonoid-O-glycosides are synthesized by uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs), which use nucleotide sugar as a sugar donor and a diverse compound as a sugar acceptor. Recently, diverse flavonoid-O-glycosides have been synthesized in Escherichia coli by introducing UGTs from plants and bacteria and modifying endogenous pathways. The nucleotide sugar biosynthesis pathway in E. coli has been engineered to provide the proper nucleotide sugar for flavonoid-O-glycoside biosynthesis. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in flavonoid-O-glycoside biosynthesis using engineered E. coli.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (PJ01114801), Rural Development Administration, and Priority Research Centers Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2009-0093824).

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  1. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio/Molecular Informatics Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea

    So Mi Yang, So Yeon Kim, Mi Na Cha & Joong-Hoon Ahn

  2. Department of Forest Resources, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, 33 Dongjin-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangman-do, 660-758, Republic of Korea

    Bong Gyu Kim

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  1. Bong Gyu Kim
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Kim, B.G., Yang, S.M., Kim, S.Y. et al. Biosynthesis and production of glycosylated flavonoids in Escherichia coli: current state and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 2979–2988 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-6504-6

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