遗传 ›› 2008, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (5): 561-567.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1005.2008.00561

• 综述 • 上一篇    下一篇

植物超长链脂肪酸及角质层蜡质生物合成相关酶基因研究现状

倪郁1, 郭彦军2   

  1. 1. 西南大学农学与生物科技学院, 重庆 400715;
    2. 西南大学动物科技学院, 重庆 400715

  • 收稿日期:2007-10-20 修回日期:2008-01-16 出版日期:2008-05-10 发布日期:2008-05-10
  • 通讯作者: 郭彦军

Progress in the study on genes encoding enzymes involved in bio-synthesis of very long chain fatty acids and cuticular wax in plants

NI Yu1, GUO Yan-Jun2   

  1. 1. College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China;
    2. College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
  • Received:2007-10-20 Revised:2008-01-16 Online:2008-05-10 Published:2008-05-10
  • Contact: GUO Yan-Jun

摘要:

超长链脂肪酸(very long chain fatty acids, VLCFAs)在生物体中具有广泛的生理功能, 它们参与种子甘油酯、生物膜膜脂及鞘脂的合成, 并为角质层蜡质的生物合成提供前体物质。角质层是覆盖在植物地上部分最表层的保护层, 由角质和蜡质组成, 其中蜡质又分为角质层表皮蜡和内部蜡, 在植物生长发育、适应外界环境方面起重要作用。VLCFAs的合成由脂肪酰-CoA延长酶催化, 该酶是由b-酮脂酰-CoA合酶、b-酮脂酰-CoA还原酶、b-羟脂酰-CoA脱水酶和反式烯脂酰-CoA还原酶组成的多酶体系。合成后的VLCFAs通过脱羰基与酰基还原作用进入角质层蜡质合成途径, 形成各种蜡质组分。文章就VLCFAs及角质层蜡质合成代谢途径中相关酶基因研究进展方面做了综述, 并对植物蜡质基因研究中存在的问题提出一些看法。

关键词: 脂肪酰-CoA延长酶, 角质层蜡质, 基因, 超长链脂肪酸

Abstract:

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) play a comprehensive role in organisms. They are essential biological components in seed storage triacylglycerols (TAGs), membrane lipids, and sphingolipids. They also serve as precursors of wax layer compounds. The cuticle covers the aerial surface of land plants, which consists of cutin and wax. The wax, including amorphous intracuticular wax embedded in cutin polymer and epicuticular wax crystalloids that cover the outer plant surface, plays crucial roles in plant growth and development, and adaptation to environment. Biosynthesis of VLCFAs is catalyzed by the fatty acyl-CoA elongase, a membrane-bound enzymatic complex containing 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS), 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductase (KCR), 3-hydroxacyl-CoA dehydratase (HCD), and trans-2, 3-enoyl-CoA reductase (ECR). Very long chain fatty acid wax precursors flux into cuticular wax biosynthetic pathways through acyl reduction and decarbonylation, and then are converted to all kinds of wax components. This article reviews the functions of VLCFAs and cuticular wax, and the recent progress in cloning and characterization of genes encoding enzymes involved in catalyzing VLCFAs and cuticular wax biosynthesis. The problems existing in researches of wax genes are also discussed.