Characterization (of genes, enzymes and secondary metabolites) of the biosynthetic pathway of secolignans in Peperomia spp.

• Grant number: 11/01491-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Massuo Jorge Kato
• Grantee: Fábio Clasen Chaves
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Secolignans are natural products derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway with potential biological activity for the plant in its natural habitat as well as for therapeutic utilization in human health. Peperomins are secoaryltetraline lignans found in several Peperomia species. Although widely employed as ornamental plants Peperomia spp. are little explored regarding their secondary metabolites and associated biosynthetic processes. Peperomins are possibly derived from L-phenylalanine, which requires constitutive enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase for intermediate steps. Afterwards supposedly laccases and/or peroxidases, aided by dirigent proteins, besides other uncharacterized enzymes, participate as key step of dimerization of phenylpropanoids. In addition, peperomin formation apparently involves a carbon-carbon bond cleavage reaction by a retro Friedel-Crafts-type reaction from a putative aryltetralone lignans. Therefore, the study of secolignans of Peperomia spp through a metabolomic approach has the objective of detecting intermediates and other products associated with the biosynthetic pathway. In addition, the evaluation of the transcriptional expression of putative genes for the synthesis of these compounds will help to elucidate this biosynthetic pathway, allowing for the optimization of conditions to produce these compounds in vitro and in vivo.