TY - JOUR
T1 - UGT84F9 is the major flavonoid UDP-glucuronosyltransferase in Medicago truncatula
AU - Adiji, Olubu A.
AU - Docampo-Palacios, Maite L.
AU - Alvarez-Hernandez, Anislay
AU - Pasinetti, Giulio M.
AU - Wang, Xiaoqiang
AU - Dixon, Richard A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© American Society of Plant Biologists 2021.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Mammalian phase II metabolism of dietary plant flavonoid compounds generally involves substitution with glucuronic acid. In contrast, flavonoids mainly exist as glucose conjugates in plants, and few plant UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes have been identified to date. In the model legume Medicago truncatula, the major flavonoid compounds in the aerial parts of the plant are glucuronides of the flavones apigenin and luteolin. Here we show that the M. truncatula glycosyltransferase UGT84F9 is a bi-functional glucosyl/glucuronosyl transferase in vitro, with activity against a wide range of flavonoid acceptor molecules including flavones. However, analysis of metabolite profiles in leaves and roots of M. truncatula ugt84f9 loss of function mutants revealed that the enzyme is essential for formation of flavonoid glucuronides, but not most flavonoid glucosides, in planta. We discuss the use of plant UGATs for the semi-synthesis of flavonoid phase II metabolites for clinical studies.
AB - Mammalian phase II metabolism of dietary plant flavonoid compounds generally involves substitution with glucuronic acid. In contrast, flavonoids mainly exist as glucose conjugates in plants, and few plant UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes have been identified to date. In the model legume Medicago truncatula, the major flavonoid compounds in the aerial parts of the plant are glucuronides of the flavones apigenin and luteolin. Here we show that the M. truncatula glycosyltransferase UGT84F9 is a bi-functional glucosyl/glucuronosyl transferase in vitro, with activity against a wide range of flavonoid acceptor molecules including flavones. However, analysis of metabolite profiles in leaves and roots of M. truncatula ugt84f9 loss of function mutants revealed that the enzyme is essential for formation of flavonoid glucuronides, but not most flavonoid glucosides, in planta. We discuss the use of plant UGATs for the semi-synthesis of flavonoid phase II metabolites for clinical studies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105346250&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/plphys/kiab016
DO - 10.1093/plphys/kiab016
M3 - Article
C2 - 33694362
AN - SCOPUS:85105346250
SN - 0032-0889
VL - 185
SP - 1617
EP - 1637
JO - Plant Physiology
JF - Plant Physiology
IS - 4
ER -