Heterologous expression of a Rauvolfia cDNA encoding strictosidine glucosidase, a biosynthetic key to over 2000 monoterpenoid indole alkaloids

Strictosidine glucosidase (SG) is an enzyme that catalyses the second step in the biosynthesis of various classes of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids. Based on the comparison of cDNA sequences of SG from Catharanthus roseus and raucaffricine glucosidase (RG) from Rauvolfia serpentine, primers for RT-PCR were designed and the cDNA encoding SG was cloned from R. serpentine cell suspension cultures. The active enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Analysis of its deduced amino-acid sequence assigned the SG from R. serpentine to family 1 of glycosyl hydrolases. In contrast to the SG from C. roseus, the enzyme from R. serpentine is predicted to lack an uncleavable N-terminal signal sequence, which is believed to direct proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum. The temperature and pH optimum, enzyme kinetic parameters and substrate specificity of the heterologously expressed SG were studied and compared to those of the C. roseus enzyme, revealing some differences between the two glucosidases. In vitro deglucosylation of strictosidine by R. serpentine SG proceeds by the same mechanism as has bean shown for the C. roseus enzyme preparation. The reaction gives rise to the end product cathenamine and involves 4,21-dehydrocorynantheine aldehyde as an intermediate. The enzymatic hydrolysis of dolichantoside (Nbeta-methylstrictosidine) leads to several products. One of them was identified as a new compound, 3-isocorreantine A. From the: data it can be: concluded that the divergence of the biosynthetic pathways leading to different classes of indole alkaloids formed in R. serpentine and C. roseus cell suspension cultures occurs at a later stage than strictosidine deglucosylation.