Identification of a flavin-monooxygenase as the S-oxygenating enzyme in aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

Plant J. 2007 Jun;50(5):902-10. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2007.03101.x. Epub 2007 Apr 25.

Abstract

The cancer-preventive activity of cruciferous vegetables is commonly attributed to isothiocyanates resulting from the breakdown of the natural products glucosinolates (GSLs). Sulforaphane, the isothiocyanate derived from 4-methylsulfinylbutyl GSL, is thought to be the major agent conferring cancer-preventive properties, whereas the isothiocyanate of 4-methylthiobutyl GSL does not have the same activity. We report the identification of an Arabidopsis flavin-monooxygenase (FMO) enzyme, FMO(GS-OX1), which catalyzes the conversion of methylthioalkyl GSLs into methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs. This is evidenced by biochemical characterization of the recombinant protein, and analyses of the GSL content in FMO(GS-OX1) overexpression lines and an FMO(GS-OX1) knock-out mutant of Arabidopsis. The FMO(GS-OX1) overexpression lines show almost complete conversion of methylthioalkyl into methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs, with an approximately fivefold increase in 4-methylsulfinylbutyl GSL in seeds. Identification of FMO(GS-OX1) provides a molecular tool for breeding of Brassica vegetable crops with increased levels of this important GSL, which has implications for production of functional foods enriched with the cancer-preventive sulforaphane.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / enzymology*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Brassica / enzymology
  • Brassica / genetics
  • DNA, Plant / genetics
  • Flavins / metabolism*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Glucosinolates / biosynthesis*
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / genetics
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / metabolism*
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Oryza / enzymology
  • Oryza / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • DNA, Plant
  • Flavins
  • Glucosinolates
  • Plant Proteins
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases