Characterization of a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase responsible for carminic acid biosynthesis in Dactylopius coccus Costa

Rubini Maya Kannangara, Lina Siukstaite, Jonas Borch-Jensen, Bjørn Madsen, Kenneth Thermann Kongstad, Dan Stærk, Mads Bennedsen, Finn T. Okkels, Silas A. Rasmussen, Thomas O. Larsen, Rasmus J.N. Frandsen, Birger Lindberg Møller

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Abstract

Carminic acid, a glucosylated anthraquinone found in scale insects like Dactylopius coccus, has since ancient times been used as a red colorant in various applications. Here we show that a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase, isolated from D. coccus and designated DcUGT2, catalyzes the glucosylation of flavokermesic acid and kermesic acid into their respective C-glucosides dcII and carminic acid. DcUGT2 is predicted to be a type I integral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein, containing a cleavable N-terminal signal peptide and a C-terminal transmembrane helix that anchors the protein to the ER, followed by a short cytoplasmic tail. DcUGT2 is found to be heavily glycosylated. Truncated DcUGT2 proteins synthesized in yeast indicate the presence of an internal ER-targeting signal. The cleavable N-terminal signal peptide is shown to be essential for the activity of DcUGT2, whereas the transmembrane helix/cytoplasmic domains, although important, are not crucial for its catalytic function.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummer1987
TidsskriftNature Communications
Vol/bind8
Antal sider12
ISSN2041-1723
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1 dec. 2017

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