Kang Kiyoon, Park Sangkyu, Kim Young Soon, Lee Sungbeom, Back Kyoungwhan
Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural Plant Stress Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2009 May;83(1):27-34. doi: 10.1007/s00253-009-1956-1. Epub 2009 Mar 24.
Serotonin derivatives belong to a class of phenylpropanoid amides found at low levels in a wide range of plant species. Representative serotonin derivatives include feruloylserotonin (FS) and 4-coumaroylserotonin (CS). Since the first identification of serotonin derivatives in safflower seeds, their occurrence, biological significance, and pharmacological properties have been reported. Recently, serotonin N-hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (SHT), which is responsible for the synthesis of serotonin derivatives, was cloned from pepper (Capsicum annuum) and characterized in terms of its enzyme kinetics. Using the SHT gene, many attempts have been made to either increase the level of serotonin derivatives in transgenic plants or produce serotonin derivatives de novo in microbes by dual expression of key genes such as SHT and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL). Due to the strong antioxidant activity and other therapeutic properties of serotonin derivatives, these compounds may have high potential in treatment and prophylaxis, as cosmetic ingredients, and as major components of functional foods or feeds that have health-improving effects. This review examines the biosynthesis of serotonin derivatives, corresponding enzymes, heterologous production in plants or microbes, and their applications.
血清素衍生物属于一类苯丙素酰胺，在多种植物物种中含量较低。代表性的血清素衍生物包括阿魏酰血清素（FS）和对香豆酰血清素（CS）。自首次在红花种子中鉴定出血清素衍生物以来，其存在情况、生物学意义和药理特性已有报道。最近，负责血清素衍生物合成的血清素N-羟基肉桂酰转移酶（SHT）已从辣椒（Capsicum annuum）中克隆出来，并对其酶动力学进行了表征。利用SHT基因，人们进行了许多尝试，要么提高转基因植物中血清素衍生物的水平，要么通过关键基因如SHT和4-香豆酸-CoA连接酶（4CL）的双重表达在微生物中从头生产血清素衍生物。由于血清素衍生物具有强大的抗氧化活性和其他治疗特性，这些化合物在治疗和预防、作为化妆品成分以及作为具有健康改善作用的功能性食品或饲料的主要成分方面可能具有很高的潜力。本综述探讨了血清素衍生物的生物合成、相应的酶、在植物或微生物中的异源生产及其应用。
