20268-93-3

A cDNA encoding adenylate isopentenyltransferase was cloned and sequenced from Humulus lupulus L. The corresponding recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed isopentenyl transfer reaction from DMAPP to the N6 amino group of AMP, ADP and ATP, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved Asp62 resulted in complete loss of enzyme activity. A cDNA encoding adenylate isopentenyltransferase (AIPT) was cloned and sequenced from cones of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) by RT-PCR using oligonucleotide primers based on the conserved sequences of Arabidopsis thaliana AIPT isozymes (AtIPT1, AtIPT3, AtIPT4, AtIPT5, AtIPT6, AtIPT7 and AtIPT8). A full-length cDNA contained a 990-bp open reading frame encoding a molecular mass of 36,603 Da protein with 329 amino acids. Further, DNA sequencing of genomic DNA revealed absence of introns in the frame. On Southern blot analysis, a single AIPT gene was detected in H. lupulus, while RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the gene was equally expressed in almost all tissues in the plant including roots, stems, leaves and cones. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 38-51% identity to those of A. thaliana AtIPTs. A recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed isopentenyl transfer reaction from dimethylallyldiphosphate (DMAPP) to the N6 amino group of adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), respectively. In contrast, other nucleotides; guanosine monophosphate (GMP), inosine monophosphate (IMP), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), were not accepted as a substrate. Interestingly, steady-state kinetic analyses revealed that the isopentenylation of ADP and ATP were more efficient than that of AMP as previously reported for A. thaliana AtIPT4. Finally, H. lupulus AIPT contains the putative ATP/GTP binding motif at the N-terminal as in the case of other known isopentenyltransferases. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved Asp62, located right after the ATP/GTP binding motif, with Ala resulted in complete loss of enzyme activity.

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The bifunctional phosphorylating reagent N-morpholino O,O-bisphosphate was used for the preparation of ribosyl zeatin 5'-phosphate 1b and N6-(Δ2-Isopentenyl)adenosine 5'-phosphate 2b, whereas the monofunctional phosphitylating reagent 2-chloro-4H-1,3,2-benzodioxaphosphorin-4-one was used for the preparation of ribosyl zeatin allylic phosphate 1d and ribosyl zeatin diphosphate 1c.

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