Li Li, Wang Yanfang, Zhao Mingzhu, Wang Kangyu, Sun Chunyu, Zhu Lei, Han Yilai, Chen Ping, Lei Jun, Wang Yi, Zhang Meiping
College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
Genomics. 2021 Jul;113(4):2304-2316. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.05.023. Epub 2021 May 25.
Jilin ginseng, Panax ginseng, is a valuable medicinal herb whose ginsenosides are its major bioactive components. The ginseng oxidosqualene cyclase (PgOSC) gene family is known to play important roles in ginsenoside biosynthesis, but few members of the gene family have been functionally studied.
The PgOSC gene family has been studied by an integrated analysis of gene expression-ginsenoside content correlation, gene mutation-ginsenoside content association and gene co-expression network, followed by functional analysis through gene regulation.
We found that five of the genes in the PgOSC gene family, including two published ginsenoside biosynthesis genes and three new genes, were involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis. Not only were the expressions of these genes significantly correlated with ginsenoside contents, but also their nucleotide mutations significantly influenced ginsenoside contents. These results were further verified by regulation analysis of the genes by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in ginseng hairy roots. Four of these five PgOSC genes were mapped to the ginsenoside biosynthesis pathway. These PgOSC genes expressed differently across tissues, but relatively consistent across developmental stages. These PgOSC genes formed a single co-expression network with those published ginsenoside biosynthesis genes, further confirming their roles in ginsenoside biosynthesis. When the network varied, ginsenoside biosynthesis was significantly influenced, thus revealing the molecular mechanism of ginsenoside biosynthesis.
At least five of the PgOSC genes, including the three newly identified and two published PgOSC genes, are involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis. These results provide gene resources and knowledge essential for enhanced research and applications of ginsenoside biosynthesis in ginseng.
吉林人参，即人参，是一种珍贵的药草，其主要生物活性成分是人参皂苷。已知人参氧化鲨烯环化酶（PgOSC）基因家族在人参皂苷生物合成中起重要作用，但该基因家族中很少有成员进行过功能研究。
通过对基因表达与人参皂苷含量相关性、基因突变与人参皂苷含量关联以及基因共表达网络的综合分析，对PgOSC基因家族进行了研究，随后通过基因调控进行功能分析。
我们发现PgOSC基因家族中的五个基因，包括两个已发表的人参皂苷生物合成基因和三个新基因，参与了人参皂苷的生物合成。这些基因的表达不仅与人参皂苷含量显著相关，而且它们的核苷酸突变也显著影响人参皂苷含量。通过人参毛状根中茉莉酸甲酯（MeJA）对这些基因的调控分析，进一步验证了这些结果。这五个PgOSC基因中的四个被定位到人参皂苷生物合成途径。这些PgOSC基因在不同组织中的表达不同，但在不同发育阶段相对一致。这些PgOSC基因与已发表的人参皂苷生物合成基因形成了一个单一的共表达网络，进一步证实了它们在人参皂苷生物合成中的作用。当网络发生变化时，人参皂苷的生物合成受到显著影响，从而揭示了人参皂苷生物合成的分子机制。
至少五个PgOSC基因，包括三个新鉴定的和两个已发表的PgOSC基因，参与了人参皂苷的生物合成。这些结果为加强人参皂苷生物合成的研究和应用提供了重要的基因资源和知识。
