Biosynthesis of saponin defensive compounds in sea cucumbers

Thimmappa，Ramesha1,6; Wang，Shi2; Zheng，Minyan3; Misra，Rajesh Chandra1; Huang，Ancheng C.1,7; Saalbach，Gerhard1; Chang，Yaqing4; Zhou，Zunchun5; Hinman，Veronica3; Bao，Zhenmin2; Osbourn，Anne1

2022-07-01

10.1038/s41589-022-01054-y

Nature Chemical Biology   Impact Factor & Quartile

1552-4450

1552-4469

Soft-bodied slow-moving sea creatures such as sea stars and sea cucumbers lack an adaptive immune system and have instead evolved the ability to make specialized protective chemicals (glycosylated steroids and triterpenes) as part of their innate immune system. This raises the intriguing question of how these biosynthetic pathways have evolved. Sea star saponins are steroidal, while those of the sea cucumber are triterpenoid. Sterol biosynthesis in animals involves cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene to lanosterol by the oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) enzyme lanosterol synthase (LSS). Here we show that sea cucumbers lack LSS and instead have two divergent OSCs that produce triterpene saponins and that are likely to have evolved from an ancestral LSS by gene duplication and neofunctionalization. We further show that sea cucumbers make alternate sterols that confer protection against self-poisoning by their own saponins. Collectively, these events have enabled sea cucumbers to evolve the ability to produce saponins and saponin-resistant sterols concomitantly. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

SCI

English

NI Journal Papers

Others

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council[BBS/E/J/000PR9790];

WOS:000817321700019

2-s2.0-85132958881

Scopus

1.Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism,John Innes Centre,Norwich Research Park,Norwich,United Kingdom
2.Sars-Fang Centre and MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding,Ocean University of China and National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology,Qingdao,China
3.Department of Biological Sciences,Carnegie Mellon University,Pittsburgh,United States
4.College of Fisheries and Life Science,Dalian Ocean University,Dalian,China
5.Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute,Dalian,China
6.Amity Institute of Genome Engineering,Amity University Uttar Pradesh,Noida,India
7.Department of Biology,School of Life Sciences,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China

Thimmappa，Ramesha,Wang，Shi,Zheng，Minyan,et al. Biosynthesis of saponin defensive compounds in sea cucumbers[J]. Nature Chemical Biology,2022,18(7):774-781.

Thimmappa，Ramesha.,Wang，Shi.,Zheng，Minyan.,Misra，Rajesh Chandra.,Huang，Ancheng C..,...&Osbourn，Anne.(2022).Biosynthesis of saponin defensive compounds in sea cucumbers.Nature Chemical Biology,18(7),774-781.

Thimmappa，Ramesha,et al."Biosynthesis of saponin defensive compounds in sea cucumbers".Nature Chemical Biology 18.7(2022):774-781.