Sesquiterpene synthases from grand fir (abies grandis), and methods of use

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to nucleic acid sequences which code for sesquiterpene synthases (cyclases) from Grand Fir (Abies grandis), and to vectors containing the sequences, host cells containing the sequences and methods of producing recombinant sesquiterpene synthases and their mutants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Conifer oleoresin is a mixture of turpentine and rosin that functions in insect defense and in wound sealing (Johnson, M. & Croteau, R. (1987) in Ecology and Metabolism of Plant Lipids (Fuller, G. & Nes, W. D., eds) pp 76-91, ACS Symposium Series 325, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC; Gijzen, M., et al., (1993) in Bioactive Volatile Compounds from Plants (Teranishi, R., et al., eds) pp 8-22, ACS Symposium Series 525, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC). Turpentine is composed of monoterpene (C10) and sesquiterpene (C15) olefins, while rosin is composed of diterpene (C20) resin acids (FIG. 1). The volatile turpentine fraction of conifer oleoresin, which may consist of up to 30 different monoterpenes (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1993) Phytochem. Anal. 4, 220-225) and an even larger number of sesquiterpenes (See Example 1, herein) furnishes a solvent for the diterpene resin acids which, upon stem wounding, harden to form a mechanical barrier thereby sealing the wound site (Johnson, M. A. & Croteau, R. (1987) in Ecology and Metabolism of Plant Lipids eds. Fuller, G. & Nes, W. D. (Am. Chem. Soc., Washington, DC), ACS Symp. Series 325, pp. 67-91).

[0004] Grand fir (Abies grandis) has been developed as a model system for the study of both constitutive and wound-induced oleoresin formation (oleoresinosis). The composition of the monoterpene olefin and the diterpene resin acid fractions of grand fir oleoresin has been defined (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1993) Phytochem. Anal. 4, 220-225), and the induced biosynthesis of these natural products upon stem wounding has been described in detail (Gijzen, M., et al., (1993) in Bioactive Volatile Compounds from Plants (Teranishi, R., et al., eds) pp 8-22, ACS Symposium Series 525, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1992) in Regulation of Isopentenoid Metabolism (Nes, W. D., et al., eds) pp 8-17, ACS Symposium Series 497, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC; Gijzen, M., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 294, 670-674; Funk, C., et al., (1994) Plant Physiol. 106, 999-1005). The time-course of induction, after wounding, of the monoterpene synthases involved in turpentine formation has been analyzed by immunoblotting techniques and the process of induced oleoresinosis was thus shown to involve de novo synthesis of these enzymes (Gijzen, M., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 294, 670-674). The cDNA sequence of abietadiene synthase, a diterpene cyclase from grand fir that is involved in resin acid biosynthesis (LaFever, R. E., et al., (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 313, 139-149)) has been reported (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268), and several cDNA clones encoding monoterpene synthases from this conifer species have recently become available (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792).

[0005] In comparison with the monoterpenes and diterpenes of conifer oleoresin, the sesquiterpenes of conifer turpentine have received relatively little experimental attention because they constitute less than 10% of the oleoresin. The relatively low concentrations of sesquiterpenes in conifer oleoresin may, however, belie their biological significance. Sesquiterpenoid phytoalexins, i.e., antibiotic compounds, are well known in angiosperm species (Threlfall, D. R. & Whitehead, I. M. (1991) in Ecological Chemistry and Biochemistry of Plant Terpenoids (Harbome, J B. & Tomas-Barberan, F. A., eds) pp 159-208, Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK), suggesting that the sesquiterpenes of conifer oleoresin may play a similar role in antibiosis.

[0006] A conifer oleoresin sesquiterpene that has been relatively well-characterized is juvabione. Juvabione is the methylester of todomatuic acid, an oxygenated derivative of the sesquiterpene olefin bisabolene (FIG. 2). The conifer sesquiterpene juvabione resembles insect juvenile hormones and, thus, can disrupt insect development and reproduction at metamorphosis and diapause (Bowers, W. S., et al., (1976) Science 193, 542-547; Bowers, W. S. (1991) in Herbivores: Their Interaction with Secondary Plant Metabolites, Vol. I, G. A. Rosenthal and M. R. Berenbaum, eds. (Acad. Press, San Diego), pp. 431-456). Juvabione is sometimes referred to as “paper factor” because its presence in paper made from trees of the genus Abies inhibits maturation of insect larvae reared in contact with the paper (Slama, K. & Williams, C. M. (1965) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 54, 411-414; Slama, K. & Williams, C. M. (1966) Nature 210, 329-330; Bowers, W. S., et al., (1966) Science 154, 1020-1021). Accumulation of todomatuic acid, the precursor of juvabione, in grand fir after insect feeding suggests that biosynthesis of the juvenile hormone analogue is induced de novo in response to insect attack (Puritch, G. S. & Nijholt, W. W. (1974) Can. J. Bot. 52, 585-587).

[0007] Only a single sesquiterpene synthase, E-β-farnesene synthase, from a gymnosperm source, maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), has been reported (Salin, F., et al., (1995) J. Plant Physiol. 146, 203-209). In contrast, several sesquiterpene synthases from angiosperms have been described (Dehal, S. S. & Croteau, R. (1988) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 261, 346-356; Munck, S. L. & Croteau, R. (1990) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 282, 58-64; Belingheri, L., et al., (1992) Plant Sci. 84, 129-136), and a number of genes encoding sesquiterpene synthases involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis in angiosperms have been isolated (Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092; Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention relates to isolated nucleic acids that encode gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases, to isolated, recombinant gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases, to replicable, recombinant expression vectors that include a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthase, to cells that have been transformed, transfected or otherwise manipulated to include one or more nucleic acids of the present invention, and to methods for imparting or enhancing the production of a gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthase in a host cell including the step of introducing into the host cell an expression vector of the present invention under conditions enabling expression of the sesquiterpene synthase protein in the host cell.

[0009] Representative cDNAs encoding the gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase have been isolated from Grand Fir (Abies grandis) and sequenced, and the corresponding amino acid sequences have been deduced. Accordingly, in preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to isolated DNA sequences which code for the expression of E-α-bisabolene synthase, such as the sequence designated SEQ ID No:12 which encodes E-α-bisabolene synthase (SEQ ID No:13) from Grand Fir (Abies grandis), for the expression of δ-selinene synthase, such as the sequence designated SEQ ID No:19, which encodes δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) from Grand Fir (Abies grandis), and for the expression of γ-humulene synthase, such as the sequence designated SEQ ID No:23, which encodes the γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) from Grand Fir (Abies grandis).

[0010] In other aspects, the present invention is directed to replicable recombinant cloning vehicles comprising a nucleic acid sequence which codes for a E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. The present invention is also directed to a base sequence sufficiently complementary to at least a portion of a nucleic acid encoding a E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, to enable hybridization therewith. The aforesaid complementary base sequences include, but are not limited to: antisense RNA complementary to all or part of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase; fragments of DNA that are complementary to part of a nucleic acid sequence encoding an E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, and which are therefore useful as polymerase chain reaction primers, or as probes for genes encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, or related genes.

[0011] In yet other aspects of the invention, modified host cells are provided that have been transformed, transfected, infected and/or injected with a recombinant cloning vehicle and/or DNA sequence of the invention. Thus, the present invention provides for the recombinant expression of gymnosperm E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase, preferably Grand fir (Abies grandis) E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase, and the inventive concepts may be used to facilitate the production, isolation and purification of significant quantities of recombinant E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase (or of their primary enzyme products) for subsequent use, to obtain expression or enhanced expression of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase in plants, microorganisms or animals, or may be otherwise employed in an environment where the regulation or expression of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase is desired for the production of these synthases, or their enzyme products, or derivatives thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013]
FIG. 1 shows the biosynthesis of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes and their relationship to primary metabolism. The abbreviations used are: IPP, isopentenyl diphosphate; DMAPP, dimethylallyl diphosphate; GPP, geranyl diphosphate; FPP, farnesyl diphosphate; GGPP, geranylgeranyl diphosphate.

[0014]
FIG. 2 shows the structures of E-α-bisabolene, juvenile hormone analogues todomatuic acid and juvabione, and insect juvenile hormone III.

[0015]
FIG. 3 shows the chemical structures of the six major sesquiterpenes present in the turpentine fraction of oleoresin extracted from unwounded Grand Fir (Abies grandis). The stereochemistry illustrated is relative. The percentage values represent the percentage contribution of each sesquiterpene to the sesquiterpene componenet of the turpentine fraction.

[0016]
FIG. 4 shows the identities and relative amounts of the monoterpene products produced by the sesquiterpene synthases δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), in vitro, when provided with geranyl diphosphate as substrate. The percentage contribution to the total monoterpene fraction is indicated in parentheses for the δ-selinene synthase (first value shown in parentheses) and γ-humulene synthase (second value shown in parentheses). ND means not detected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] As used herein, the terms “amino acid” and “amino acids” refer to all naturally occurring L-α-amino acids or their residues. The amino acids are identified by either the single-letter or three-letter designations:

1AspDaspartic acidIleIisoleucineThrTthreonineLeuLleucineSerSserineTyrYtyrosineGluEglutamic acidPheFphenylalanineProPprolineHisHhistidineGlyGglycineLysKlysineAlaAalanineArgRarginineCysCcysteineTrpWtryptophanValVvalineGlnQglutamineMetMmethionineAsnNasparagine

[0018] As used herein, the term “nucleotide” means a monomeric unit of DNA or RNA containing a sugar moiety (pentose), a phosphate and a nitrogenous heterocyclic base. The base is linked to the sugar moiety via the glycosidic carbon (1′ carbon of pentose) and that combination of base and sugar is called a nucleoside. The base characterizes the nucleotide with the four bases of DNA being adenine (“A”), guanine (“G”), cytosine (“C”) and thymine (“T”). Inosine (“I”) is a synthetic base that can be used to substitute for any of the four, naturally-occurring bases (A, C, G or T). The four RNA bases are A,G,C and uracil (“U”). The nucleotide sequences described herein comprise a linear array of nucleotides connected by phosphodiester bonds between the 3′ and 5′ carbons of adjacent pentoses.

[0019] The term “percent identity” (% I) means the percentage of amino acids or nucleotides that occupy the same relative position when two amino acid sequences, or two nucleic acid sequences, are aligned side by side.

[0020] The term “percent similarity” (% S) is a statistical measure of the degree of relatedness of two compared protein sequences. The percent similarity is calculated by a computer program that assigns a numerical value to each compared pair of amino acids based on chemical similarity (e.g., whether the compared amino acids are acidic, basic, hydrophobic, aromatic, etc.) and/or evolutionary distance as measured by the minimum number of base pair changes that would be required to convert a codon encoding one member of a pair of compared amino acids to a codon encoding the other member of the pair. Calculations are made after a best fit alignment of the two sequences has been made empirically by iterative comparison of all possible alignments. (Henikoff, S. and Henikoff, J. G., Proc. Nat'l Acad Sci USA 89: 10915-10919, 1992).

[0021] “Oligonucleotide” refers to short length single or double stranded sequences of deoxyribonucleotides linked via phosphodiester bonds. The oligonucleotides are chemically synthesized by known methods and purified, for example, on polyacrylamide gels.

[0022] The term “E-α-bisabolene synthase” is used herein to mean an enzyme capable of generating multiple sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate. The principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by E-α-bisabolene synthase is E-α-bisabolene, which comprises at least 90% of the sesquiterpene mixture synthesized by E-α-bisabolene synthase from farnesyl diphosphate.

[0023] The term “δ-selinene synthase” is used herein to mean an enzyme capable of generating multiple sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate. The principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by δ-selinene synthase is δ-selinene, which comprises at least 20% of the sesquiterpene mixture synthesized by δ-selinene synthase from farnesyl diphosphate.

[0024] The term “γ-humulene synthase” is used herein to mean an enzyme capable of generating multiple sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate. The principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by γ-humulene synthase is γ-humulene, which comprises at least 20% of the sesquiterpene mixture synthesized by γ-humulene synthase from farnesyl diphosphate.

[0025] The terms “alteration”, “amino acid sequence alteration”, “variant” and “amino acid sequence variant” refer to E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecules with some differences in their amino acid sequences as compared to native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecules. Ordinarily, the variants will possess at least about 70% homology with native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, and preferably they will be at least about 80% homologous with native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. The amino acid sequence variants of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase falling within this invention possess substitutions, deletions, and/or insertions at certain positions. Sequence variants of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase may be used to attain desired enhanced or reduced enzymatic activity, modified regiochemistry or stereochemistry, or altered substrate utilization or product distribution.

[0026] Substitutional E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase variants are those that have at least one amino acid residue in the native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase sequence removed and a different amino acid inserted in its place at the same position. The substitutions may be single, where only one amino acid in the molecule has been substituted, or they may be multiple, where two or more amino acids have been substituted in the same molecule. Substantial changes in the activity of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecules may be obtained by substituting an amino acid with a side chain that is significantly different in charge and/or structure from that of the native amino acid. This type of substitution would be expected to affect the structure of the polypeptide backbone and/or the charge or hydrophobicity of the molecule in the area of the substitution.

[0027] Moderate changes in the activity of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecules would be expected by substituting an amino acid with a side chain that is similar in charge and/or structure to that of the native molecule. This type of substitution, referred to as a conservative substitution, would not be expected to substantially alter either the structure of the polypeptide backbone or the charge or hydrophobicity of the molecule in the area of the substitution.

[0028] Insertional E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase variants are those with one or more amino acids inserted immediately adjacent to an amino acid at a particular position in the native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecule. Immediately adjacent to an amino acid means connected to either the α-carboxy or α-amino functional group of the amino acid. The insertion may be one or more amino acids. Ordinarily, the insertion will consist of one or two conservative amino acids. Amino acids similar in charge and/or structure to the amino acids adjacent to the site of insertion are defined as conservative. Alternatively, this invention includes insertion of an amino acid with a charge and/or structure that is substantially different from the amino acids adjacent to the site of insertion.

[0029] Deletional variants are those where one or more amino acids in the native E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecule have been removed. Ordinarily, deletional variants will have one or two amino acids deleted in a particular region of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecule.

[0030] The terms “biological activity”, “biologically active”, “activity” and “active” refer to the ability of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase molecules to convert famesyl diphosphate to a group of sesquiterpenes, of which E-α-bisabolene is the principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene is the principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene is the principal and characteristic sesquiterpene synthesized by γ-humulene synthase, as measured in an enzyme activity assay, such as the assay described in Example 2 below. Amino acid sequence variants of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase may have desirable altered biological activity including, for example, altered reaction kinetics, substrate utilization product distribution or other characteristics such as regiochemistry and stereochemistry.

[0031] The terms “DNA sequence encoding”, “DNA encoding” and “nucleic acid encoding” refer to the order or sequence of deoxyribonucleotides along a strand of deoxyribonucleic acid. The order of these deoxyribonucleotides determines the order of amino acids along the translated polypeptide chain. The DNA sequence thus codes for the amino acid sequence.

[0032] The terms “replicable expression vector” and “expression vector” refer to a piece of DNA, usually double-stranded, which may have inserted into it a piece of foreign DNA. Foreign DNA is defined as heterologous DNA, which is DNA not naturally found in the host. The vector is used to transport the foreign or heterologous DNA into a suitable host cell. Once in the host cell, the vector can replicate independently of or coincidental with the host chromosomal DNA, and several copies of the vector and its inserted (foreign) DNA may be generated. In addition, the vector contains the necessary elements that permit translating the foreign DNA into a polypeptide. Many molecules of the polypeptide encoded by the foreign DNA can thus be rapidly synthesized.

[0033] The terms “transformed host cell,” “transformed” and “transformation” refer to the introduction of DNA into a cell. The cell is termed a “host cell”, and it may be a prokaryotic or a eukaryotic cell. Typical prokaryotic host cells include various strains of E. coli. Typical eukaryotic host cells are plant cells, such as maize cells, yeast cells, insect cells or animal cells. The introduced DNA is usually in the form of a vector containing an inserted piece of DNA. The introduced DNA sequence may be from the same species as the host cell or from a different species from the host cell, or it may be a hybrid DNA sequence, containing some foreign DNA and some DNA derived from the host species.

[0034] In accordance with the present invention, a cDNA encoding a full-length, wound-inducible E-α-bisabolene synthase was cloned by 5′-RACE. A partial-length, wound-inducible, putative sesquiterpene synthase cDNA, designated AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1), had previously been isolated from a wounded Grand Fir cDNA library by utilizing PCR primers C (SEQ ID No:2) and D (SEQ ID NO:3) to amplify a 110 bp cDNA fragment, designated probe 1 (SEQ ID NO:4). Probe 1 (SEQ ID No:4) was, in turn, used to screen the Grand Fir CDNA library and identify cDNA AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1). In order to obtain the missing 5′-sequence of clone AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1 ), a 5′-RACE reaction was performed utilizing adaptor-ligated cDNA isolated from wounded Grand Fir stems. The sequence of the adaptor oligonucleotide is set forth in (SEQ ID No:5). The 5′-RACE reaction utilized primer AP1 (SEQ ID No:6) and reverse RACE primer RJ1 (SEQ ID No:7).

[0035] An internal 404 bp cDNA fragment, designated RJ8 (SEQ ID No:8), of the resulting PCR product was amplified using primers RJ1(SEQ ID No:7) and RJ2 (SEQ ID No:9). Primer RJ2 (SEQ ID No:9) incorporated a BamHI restriction site for subcloning of RJ8 (SEQ ID No:8) into the pBluescript SK(+)-derived plasmid pAG1.28 containing cDNA AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1).

[0036] A HincII site at nucleotide position 2382 of the cDNA insert in pAG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1), 32 nucleotides downstream of the stop codon of the 2350 bps open reading frame, was eliminated by site directed mutagenesis using mutagenesis primer F (SEQ ID No:10) and primer R (SEQ ID No:11). cDNA fragment RJ8 (SEQ ID No:8) was digested with BamHI and HincII and ligated into BamHI/HincII-digested pAG1.28, resulting in plasmid pAG1. The nucleotide sequence of the full-length E-α-bisabolene synthase cDNA insert of plasmid pAG1 is set forth in (SEQ ID No: 12). For functional expression, the 2528 bp BamHI/XoI cDNA insert of pAG1 (SEQ ID No:12) was subcloned into BamHI/XhoI-digested pGEX-4T-2 resulting in plasmid pGAG1.

[0037] A cDNA encoding a full-length δ-selinene synthase was cloned by 5′-RACE. A partial-length, putative sesquiterpene synthase cDNA, designated ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14), had previously been isolated from a wounded Grand Fir cDNA library by utilizing PCR primers C (SEQ ID No:2) and D (SEQ ID NO:3) to amplify a 110 bp cDNA fragment, designated probe 4 (SEQ ID NO:15). Probe 4 (SEQ ID No:15) was, in turn, used to screen the Grand Fir cDNA library and identify cDNA ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14). Since ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) did not encode a starting methionine, 5′-RACE was carried out to generate a cDNA fragment containing the missing 5′-end of ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14). The 5′-RACE reaction utilized polyA+ mRNA isolated from wounded Grand Fir saplings and a reverse RACE primer specific for ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:17).

[0038] A 5′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:17), and a 3′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:18), were designed based on the sequences of ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) and the 5′-RACE product containing the missing 5′-end of ag4.30. The ag4.30-specific 5′ primer (SEQ ID No:17) incorporated a BamHI restriction endonuclease site immediately upstream of the starting methionine codon. The 3′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:18) was designed to encompass the stop codon, and included a XhoI site to facilitate ligation into the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector. The resulting PCR product AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) encoded a full-length δ-selinene synthase protein (SEQ ID No:20) and was sequentially cloned first into pBluescript (SK-), then into a pGEX vector designated as pGAG4. For further subcloning of the amplified, full-length cDNA (SEQ ID No:19) into the pSBETa vector for high-level expression, the pGAG4 insert was amplified by PCR using primer combinations 4-NdeI (SEQ ID No:21) and 4-BamHI (SEQ ID No:22). The PCR product was digested with BamHI and NdeI and then ligated into NdeI/BamHI-digested pSBETa to yield expression plasmid pSBAG4.

[0039] A γ-humulene synthase cDNA, AG5, (SEQ ID No:23) was cloned in the same way as the δ-selinene synthase cDNA (SEQ ID No:19) except that PCR primers C (SEQ ID No:2) and D (SEQ ID No:3) were used to amplify a 110 bp cDNA fragment designated probe 5 (SEQ ID NO:25). Probe 5 (SEQ ID No:25) was used to screen the Grand Fir cDNA library and identify a cDNA molecule designated ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26). Since ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26) did not encode a starting methionine, 5′-RACE was carried out using polyA+ mRNA isolated from wounded Grand Fir saplings. The 5′-RACE reaction utilized a reverse RACE primer specific for ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:27).

[0040] A 5′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:28) and a 3′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:29) were designed based on the sequences of ag5.9 and the 5′-RACE product containing the missing 5′-end of ag5.9. The ag5.9-specific 5′ primer (SEQ ID No:28) incorporated a BamHI restriction endonuclease site immediately upstream of the starting methionine codon. The 3′-specific primer (SEQ ID No:29) was designed to encompass the stop codon, and included an EcoRI site to facilitate ligation into the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector. The resulting PCR product encoded a full-length γ-humulene synthase cDNA, AG5, (SEQ ID No:23) and was sequentially cloned first into pBluescript (SK-), then into a pGEX vector designated as pGAG5. For further subcloning of the amplified, full-length cDNA into the pSBETa vector for high-level expression, the pGAG5 insert was amplified by PCR using primer combinations 5-NdeI (SEQ ID No:30) and 5-BamHI (SEQ ID No:31). The PCR product was digested with BamHI and NdeI and then ligated into NdeI/BamHI-digested pSBETa to yield expression plasmid pSBAG5.

[0041] Unlike the protein sequences of monoterpene synthases, the deduced amino acid sequences of the cloned sesquiterpene synthases, i.e., E-α-bisabolene synthase (SEQ ID No:13), δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), each lack an N-terminal, plastidial targeting sequence. The absence of a plastidial targeting sequence in each of the cloned proteins is consistent with the fact that all sesquiterpene synthases are cytosolic enzymes. Addition of an N-terminal targeting sequence selected from transport sequences well known in the art (see, e.g., von Heijne G et al., Eur. J. Biochem 180: 535-545, 1989; Stryer, Biochemistry W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, N.Y., p. 769 [1988]) may be employed to direct the cloned sesquiterpene synthases of the present invention to other intracellular or extracellular locations.

[0042] In addition to the amino acid sequences of native E-α-bisabolene synthase (SEQ ID No:13), native δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and native γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), encoded by the cDNA sequences set forth in SEQ ID Nos:12, 19 and 23, respectively, sequence variants produced by deletions, substitutions, mutations and/or insertions are intended to be within the scope of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art. E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase amino acid sequence variants may be constructed by mutating the DNA sequence that encodes wild-type E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, such as by using techniques commonly referred to as site-directed mutagenesis. Various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods now well known in the field, such as a two primer system like the Transformer Site-Directed Mutagenesis kit from Clontech, may be employed for this purpose.

[0043] Following denaturation of the target plasmid in this system, two primers are simultaneously annealed to the plasmid; one of these primers contains the desired site-directed mutation, the other contains a mutation at another point in the plasmid resulting in elimination of a restriction site. Second strand synthesis is then carried out, tightly linking these two mutations, and the resulting plasmids are transformed into a mutS strain of E. coli. Plasmid DNA is isolated from the transformed bacteria, restricted with the relevant restriction enzyme (thereby linearizing the unmutated plasmids), and then retransformed into E. coli. This system allows for generation of mutations directly in an expression plasmid, without the necessity of subcloning or generation of single-stranded phagemids. The tight linkage of the two mutations and the subsequent linearization of unmutated plasmids results in high mutation efficiency and allows minimal screening. Following synthesis of the initial restriction site primer, this method requires the use of only one new primer type per mutation site. Rather than prepare each positional mutant separately, a set of “designed degenerate” oligonucleotide primers can be synthesized in order to introduce all of the desired mutations at a given site simultaneously. Transformants can be screened by sequencing the plasmid DNA through the mutagenized region to identify and sort mutant clones. Each mutant DNA can then be restricted and analyzed by electrophoresis on Mutation Detection Enhancement gel (J. T. Baker) to confirm that no other alterations in the sequence have occurred (by band shift comparison to the unmutagenized control).

[0044] The verified mutant duplexes can be cloned into a replicable expression vector, if not already cloned into a vector of this type, and the resulting expression construct used to transform E. coli, such as strain E. coli BL21 (DE3)pLysS, for high level production of the mutant protein, and subsequent purification thereof. The method of FAB-MS mapping can be employed to rapidly check the fidelity of mutant expression. This technique provides for sequencing segments throughout the whole protein and provides the necessary confidence in the sequence assignment. In a mapping experiment of this type, protein is digested with a protease (the choice will depend on the specific region to be modified since this segment is of prime interest and the remaining map should be identical to the map of unmutagenized protein). The set of cleavage fragments is fractionated by microbore HPLC (reversed phase or ion exchange, again depending on the specific region to be modified) to provide several peptides in each fraction, and the molecular weights of the peptides are determined by FAB-MS. The masses are then compared to the molecular weights of peptides expected from the digestion of the predicted sequence, and the correctness of the sequence quickly ascertained. Since this mutagenesis approach to protein modification is directed, sequencing of the altered peptide should not be necessary if the MS agrees with prediction. If necessary to verify a changed residue, CAD-tandem MS/MS can be employed to sequence the peptides of the mixture in question, or the target peptide purified for subtractive Edman degradation or carboxypeptidase Y digestion depending on the location of the modification.

[0045] In the design of a particular site directed mutant, it is generally desirable to first make a non-conservative substitution (e.g., Ala for Cys, His or Glu) and determine if activity is greatly impaired as a consequence. The properties of the mutagenized protein are then examined with particular attention to the kinetic parameters of Km and kcat as sensitive indicators of altered function, from which changes in binding and/or catalysis per se may be deduced by comparison to the native enzyme. If the residue is by this means demonstrated to be important by activity impairment, or knockout, then conservative substitutions can be made, such as Asp for Glu to alter side chain length, Ser for Cys, or Arg for His. For hydrophobic segments, it is largely size that will be altered, although aromatics can also be substituted for alkyl side chains. Changes in the normal product distribution can indicate which step(s) of the reaction sequence have been altered by the mutation.

[0046] Other site directed mutagenesis techniques may also be employed with the nucleotide sequences of the invention. For example, restriction endonuclease digestion of DNA followed by ligation may be used to generate E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase deletion variants, as described in section 15.3 of Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, N.Y. [1989]). A similar strategy may be used to construct insertion variants, as described in section 15.3 of Sambrook et al., supra.

[0047] Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis may also be employed for preparing substitution variants of this invention. It may also be used to conveniently prepare the deletion and insertion variants of this invention. This technique is well known in the art as described by Adelman et al. (DNA 2:183 [1983]). Generally, oligonucleotides of at least 25 nucleotides in length are used to insert, delete or substitute two or more nucleotides in the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase molecule. An optimal oligonucleotide will have 12 to 15 perfectly matched nucleotides on either side of the nucleotides coding for the mutation. To mutagenize the wild-type E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, the oligonucleotide is annealed to the single-stranded DNA template molecule under suitable hybridization conditions. A DNA polymerizing enzyme, usually the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I, is then added. This enzyme uses the oligonucleotide as a primer to complete the synthesis of the mutation-bearing strand of DNA. Thus, a heteroduplex molecule is formed such that one strand of DNA encodes the wild-type E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase inserted in the vector, and the second strand of DNA encodes the mutated form of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase inserted into the same vector. This heteroduplex molecule is then transformed into a suitable host cell.

[0048] Mutants with more than one amino acid substituted may be generated in one of several ways. If the amino acids are located close together in the polypeptide chain, they may be mutated simultaneously using one oligonucleotide that codes for all of the desired amino acid substitutions. If however, the amino acids are located some distance from each other (separated by more than ten amino acids, for example) it is more difficult to generate a single oligonucleotide that encodes all of the desired changes. Instead, one of two alternative methods may be employed. In the first method, a separate oligonucleotide is generated for each amino acid to be substituted. The oligonucleotides are then annealed to the single-stranded template DNA simultaneously, and the second strand of DNA that is synthesized from the template will encode all of the desired amino acid substitutions. An alternative method involves two or more rounds of mutagenesis to produce the desired mutant. The first round is as described for the single mutants: wild-type E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase DNA is used for the template, an oligonucleotide encoding the first desired amino acid substitution(s) is annealed to this template, and the heteroduplex DNA molecule is then generated. The second round of mutagenesis utilizes the mutated DNA produced in the first round of mutagenesis as the template. Thus, this template already contains one or more mutations. The oligonucleotide encoding the additional desired amino acid substitution(s) is then annealed to this template, and the resulting strand of DNA now encodes mutations from both the first and second rounds of mutagenesis. This resultant DNA can be used as a template in a third round of mutagenesis, and so on.

[0049] Eukaryotic expression systems may be utilized for E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase production since they are capable of carrying out any required posttranslational modifications, and of directing a modified E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, bearing an N-terminal targeting sequence, to the proper membrane location. A representative eukaryotic expression system for this purpose uses the recombinant baculovirus, Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV; M. D. Summers and G. E. Smith, A Manual of Methods for Baculovirus Vectors and Insect Cell Culture Procedures [1986]; Luckow et al., Bio-technology 6:47-55 [1987]) for expression of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase of the invention. Infection of insect cells (such as cells of the species Spodoptera frugiperda) with the recombinant baculoviruses allows for the production of large amounts of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase protein. In addition, the baculovirus system has other important advantages for the production of recombinant E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. For example, baculoviruses do not infect humans and can therefore be safely handled in large quantities. In the baculovirus system, a DNA construct is prepared including a DNA segment encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase and a vector. The vector may comprise the polyhedron gene promoter region of a baculovirus, the baculovirus flanking sequences necessary for proper cross-over during recombination (the flanking sequences comprise about 200-300 base pairs adjacent to the promoter sequence) and a bacterial origin of replication which permits the construct to replicate in bacteria. The vector is constructed so that (i) the DNA segment is placed adjacent (or operably linked or “downstream” or “under the control of”) to the polyhedron gene promoter and (ii) the promoter/E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase combination is flanked on both sides by 200-300 base pairs of baculovirus DNA (the flanking sequences).

[0050] To produce the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase DNA construct, a cDNA clone encoding the full length E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase is obtained using methods such as those described herein. The DNA construct is contacted in a host cell with baculovirus DNA of an appropriate baculovirus (that is, of the same species of baculovirus as the promoter encoded in the construct) under conditions such that recombination is effected. The resulting recombinant baculoviruses encode the full E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. For example, an insect host cell can be cotransfected or transfected separately with the DNA construct and a functional baculovirus. Resulting recombinant baculoviruses can then be isolated and used to infect cells to effect production of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. Host insect cells include, for example, Spodoptera frugiperda cells, that are capable of producing a baculovirus-expressed E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. Insect host cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus of the present invention are then cultured under conditions allowing expression of the baculovirus-encoded E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase. E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase thus produced is then extracted from the cells using methods known in the art.

[0051] Other eukaryotic microbes such as yeasts may also be used to practice this invention. The baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a commonly used yeast, although several other strains are available. The plasmid YRp7 (Stinchcomb et al., Nature 282:39 [1979]; Kingsman et al., Gene 7:141 [1979]; Tschemper et al., Gene 10:157 [1980]) is commonly used as an expression vector in Saccharomyces. This plasmid contains the trp1 gene that provides a selection marker for a mutant strain of yeast lacking the ability to grow in tryptophan, such as strains ATCC No. 44,076 and PEP4-1 (Jones, Genetics 85:12 [1977]). The presence of the trp1 lesion as a characteristic of the yeast host cell genome then provides an effective environment for detecting transformation by growth in the absence of tryptophan. Yeast host cells are generally transformed using the polyethylene glycol method, as described by Hinnen (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75:1929 [1978]. Additional yeast transformation protocols are set forth in Gietz et al., N.A.R. 20(17):1425, 1992; Reeves et al., FEMS99:193-197, 1992.

[0052] Suitable promoting sequences in yeast vectors include the promoters for 3-phosphoglycerate kinase (Hitzeman et al., J. Biol. Chem. 255:2073 [1980]) or other glycolytic enzymes (Hess et al., J. Adv. Enzyme Reg. 7:149 [1968]; Holland et al., Biochemistry 17:4900 [1978]), such as enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, phosphofructokinase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, 3-phosphoglycerate mutase, pyruvate kinase, triose-phosphate isomerase, phosphoglucose isomerase, and glucokinase. In the construction of suitable expression plasmids, the termination sequences associated with these genes are also ligated into the expression vector 3′ of the sequence desired to be expressed to provide polyadenylation of the mRNA and termination. Other promoters that have the additional advantage of transcription controlled by growth conditions are the promoter region for alcohol dehydrogenase 2, isocytochrome C, acid phosphatase, degradative enzymes associated with nitrogen metabolism, and the aforementioned glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization. Any plasmid vector containing yeast-compatible promoter, origin of replication and termination sequences is suitable.

[0053] Cell cultures derived from multicellular organisms, such as plants, may be used as hosts to practice this invention. Transgenic plants can be obtained, for example, by transferring plasmids that encode E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase and a selectable marker gene, e.g., the kan gene encoding resistance to kanamycin, into Agrobacterium tumifaciens containing a helper Ti plasmid as described in Hoeckema et al., Nature 303:179-181 [1983] and culturing the Agrobacterium cells with leaf slices of the plant to be transformed as described by An et al., Plant Physiology 81:301-305 [1986]. Transformation of cultured plant host cells is normally accomplished through Agrobacterium tumifaciens, as described above. Cultures of mammalian host cells and other host cells that do not have rigid cell membrane barriers are usually transformed using the calcium phosphate method as originally described by Graham and Van der Eb (Virology 52:546 [1978]) and modified as described in sections 16.32-16.37 of Sambrook et al., supra. However, other methods for introducing DNA into cells such as Polybrene (Kawai and Nishizawa, Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:1172 [1984]), protoplast fusion (Schaffner, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:2163 [1980]), electroporation (Neumann et al., EMBO J. 1:841 [1982]), and direct microinjection into nuclei (Capecchi, Cell 22:479 [1980]) may also be used. Additionally, animal transformation strategies are reviewed in Monastersky G. M. and Robl, J. M., Strategies in Transgenic Animal Science, ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 1995. Transformed plant calli may be selected through the selectable marker by growing the cells on a medium containing, e.g., kanamycin, and appropriate amounts of phytohormone such as naphthalene acetic acid and benzyladenine for callus and shoot induction. The plant cells may then be regenerated and the resulting plants transferred to soil using techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

[0054] In addition, a gene regulating E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase production can be incorporated into the plant along with a necessary promoter which is inducible. In the practice of this embodiment of the invention, a promoter that only responds to a specific external or internal stimulus is fused to the target cDNA. Thus, the gene will not be transcribed except in response to the specific stimulus. As long as the gene is not being transcribed, its gene product is not produced.

[0055] An illustrative example of a responsive promoter system that can be used in the practice of this invention is the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) system in maize. GSTs are a family of enzymes that can detoxify a number of hydrophobic electrophilic compounds that often are used as pre-emergent herbicides (Weigand et al., Plant Molecular Biology 7:235-243 [1986]). Studies have shown that the GSTs are directly involved in causing this enhanced herbicide tolerance. This action is primarily mediated through a specific 1.1 kb mRNA transcription product. In short, maize has a naturally occurring quiescent gene already present that can respond to external stimuli and that can be induced to produce a gene product. This gene has previously been identified and cloned. Thus, in one embodiment of this invention, the promoter is removed from the GST responsive gene and attached to a E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase gene that previously has had its native promoter removed. This engineered gene is the combination of a promoter that responds to an external chemical stimulus and a gene responsible for successful production of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase.

[0056] In addition to the methods described above, several methods are known in the art for transferring cloned DNA into a wide variety of plant species, including gymnosperms, angiosperms, monocots and dicots (see, e.g., Glick and Thompson, eds., Methods in Plant Molecular Biology, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. [1993]). Representative examples include electroporation-facilitated DNA uptake by protoplasts (Rhodes et al., Science 240(4849):204-207 [1988]); treatment of protoplasts with polyethylene glycol (Lyznik et al., Plant Molecular Biology 13:151-161 [1989]); and bombardment of cells with DNA laden microprojectiles (Klein et al., Plant Physiol. 91:440-444 [1989] and Boynton et al., Science 240(4858):1534-1538 [1988]). Additionally, plant transformation strategies and techniques are reviewed in Birch, R. G., Ann Rev Plant Phys Plant Mol Biol 48:297 (1997); Forester et al., Exp. Agric. 33:15-33 (1997). Minor variations make these technologies applicable to a broad range of plant species.

[0057] Each of these techniques has advantages and disadvantages. In each of the techniques, DNA from a plasmid is genetically engineered such that it contains not only the gene of interest, but also selectable and screenable marker genes. A selectable marker gene is used to select only those cells that have integrated copies of the plasmid (the construction is such that the gene of interest and the selectable and screenable genes are transferred as a unit). The screenable gene provides another check for the successful culturing of only those cells carrying the genes of interest. A commonly used selectable marker gene is neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II). This gene conveys resistance to kanamycin, a compound that can be added directly to the growth media on which the cells grow. Plant cells are normally susceptible to kanamycin and, as a result, die. The presence of the NPT II gene overcomes the effects of the kanamycin and each cell with this gene remains viable. Another selectable marker gene which can be employed in the practice of this invention is the gene which confers resistance to the herbicide glufosinate (Basta). A screenable gene commonly used is the β-glucuronidase gene (GUS). The presence of this gene is characterized using a histochemical reaction in which a sample of putatively transformed cells is treated with a GUS assay solution. After an appropriate incubation, the cells containing the GUS gene turn blue. Preferably, the plasmid will contain both selectable and screenable marker genes.

[0058] The plasmid containing one or more of these genes is introduced into either plant protoplasts or callus cells by any of the previously mentioned techniques. If the marker gene is a selectable gene, only those cells that have incorporated the DNA package survive under selection with the appropriate phytotoxic agent. Once the appropriate cells are identified and propagated, plants are regenerated. Progeny from the transformed plants must be tested to insure that the DNA package has been successfully integrated into the plant genome.

[0059] Mammalian host cells may also be used in the practice of the invention. Examples of suitable mammalian cell lines include monkey kidney CVI line transformed by SV40 (COS-7, ATCC CRL 1651); human embryonic kidney line 293S (Graham et al., J. Gen. Virol. 36:59 [1977]); baby hamster kidney cells (BHK, ATCC CCL 10); Chinese hamster ovary cells (Urlab and Chasin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 77:4216 [1980]); mouse sertoli cells (TM4, Mather, Biol. Reprod. 23:243 [1980]); monkey kidney cells (CVI-76, ATCC CCL 70); African green monkey kidney cells (VERO-76, ATCC CRL-1587); human cervical carcinoma cells (HELA, ATCC CCL 2); canine kidney cells (MDCK, ATCC CCL 34); buffalo rat liver cells (BRL 3A, ATCC CRL 1442); human lung cells (W138, ATCC CCL 75); human liver cells (Hep G2, HB 8065); mouse mammary tumor cells (MMT 060562, ATCC CCL 51); rat hepatoma cells (HTC, MI.54, Baumann et al., J. Cell Biol. 85:1 [1980]); and TRI cells (Mather et al., Annals N.Y Acad. Sci. 383:44 [1982]). Expression vectors for these cells ordinarily include (if necessary) DNA sequences for an origin of replication, a promoter located in front of the gene to be expressed, a ribosome binding site, an RNA splice site, a polyadenylation site, and a transcription terminator site.

[0060] Promoters used in mammalian expression vectors are often of viral origin. These viral promoters are commonly derived from polyoma virus, Adenovirus 2, and most frequently Simian Virus 40 (SV40). The SV40 virus contains two promoters that are termed the early and late promoters. These promoters are particularly useful because they are both easily obtained from the virus as one DNA fragment that also contains the viral origin of replication (Fiers et al., Nature 273:113 [1978]). Smaller or larger SV40 DNA fragments may also be used, provided they contain the approximately 250-bp sequence extending from the HindIII site toward the BglI site located in the viral origin of replication.

[0061] Alternatively, promoters that are naturally associated with the foreign gene (homologous promoters) may be used provided that they are compatible with the host cell line selected for transformation.

[0062] An origin of replication may be obtained from an exogenous source, such as SV40 or other virus (e.g., Polyoma, Adeno, VSV, BPV) and inserted into the cloning vector. Alternatively, the origin of replication may be provided by the host cell chromosomal replication mechanism. If the vector containing the foreign gene is integrated into the host cell chromosome, the latter is often sufficient.

[0063] The use of a secondary DNA coding sequence can enhance production levels of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase in transformed cell lines. The secondary coding sequence typically comprises the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The wild-type form of DHFR is normally inhibited by the chemical methotrexate (MTX). The level of DHFR expression in a cell will vary depending on the amount of MTX added to the cultured host cells. An additional feature of DHFR that makes it particularly useful as a secondary sequence is that it can be used as a selection marker to identify transformed cells. Two forms of DHFR are available for use as secondary sequences, wild-type DHFR and MTX-resistant DHFR. The type of DHFR used in a particular host cell depends on whether the host cell is DHFR deficient (such that it either produces very low levels of DHFR endogenously, or it does not produce functional DHFR at all). DHFR-deficient cell lines such as the CHO cell line described by Urlaub and Chasin, supra, are transformed with wild-type DHFR coding sequences. After transformation, these DHFR-deficient cell lines express functional DHFR and are capable of growing in a culture medium lacking the nutrients hypoxanthine, glycine and thymidine. Nontransformed cells will not survive in this medium.

[0064] The MTX-resistant form of DHFR can be used as a means of selecting for transformed host cells in those host cells that endogenously produce normal amounts of functional DHFR that is MTX sensitive. The CHO-K1 cell line (ATCC No. CL 61) possesses these characteristics, and is thus a useful cell line for this purpose. The addition of MTX to the cell culture medium will permit only those cells transformed with the DNA encoding the MTX-resistant DHFR to grow. The nontransformed cells will be unable to survive in this medium.

[0065] Prokaryotes may also be used as host cells for the initial cloning steps of this invention. They are particularly useful for rapid production of large amounts of DNA, for production of single-stranded DNA templates used for site-directed mutagenesis, for screening many mutants simultaneously, and for DNA sequencing of the mutants generated. Suitable prokaryotic host cells include E. Coli K12 strain 294 (ATCC No. 31,446), E. coli strain W3110 (ATCC No. 27,325) E. Coli X1776 (ATCC No. 31,537), and E. coli B; however many other strains of E. coli, such as HB101, JM101, NM522, NM538, NM539, and many other species and genera of prokaryotes including bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, other enterobacteriaceae such as Salmonella typhimurium or Serratia marcesans, and various Pseudomonas species may all be used as hosts. Prokaryotic host cells or other host cells with rigid cell walls are preferably transformed using the calcium chloride method as described in section 1.82 of Sambrook et al., supra. Alternatively, electroporation may be used for transformation of these cells. Prokaryote transformation techniques are set forth in Dower, W. J., in Genetic Engineering, Principles and Methods, 12:275-296, Plenum Publishing Corp., 1990; Hanahan et al., Meth. Enxymol., 204:63, 1991.

[0066] As a representative example, cDNA sequences encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase may be transferred to the (His)6•Tag pET vector commercially available (from Novagen) for overexpression in E. coli as heterologous host. This pET expression plasmid has several advantages in high level heterologous expression systems. The desired cDNA insert is ligated in frame to plasmid vector sequences encoding six histidines followed by a highly specific protease recognition site (thrombin) that are joined to the amino terminus codon of the target protein. The histidine “block” of the expressed fusion protein promotes very tight binding to immobilized metal ions and permits rapid purification of the recombinant protein by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. The histidine leader sequence is then cleaved at the specific proteolysis site by treatment of the purified protein with thrombin, and the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase again purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, this time using a shallower imidazole gradient to elute the recombinant synthase while leaving the histidine block still adsorbed. This overexpression-purification system has high capacity, excellent resolving power and is fast, and the chance of a contaminating E. coli protein exhibiting similar binding behavior (before and after thrombin proteolysis) is extremely small.

[0067] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, any plasmid vectors containing replicon and control sequences that are derived from species compatible with the host cell may also be used in the practice of the invention. The vector usually has a replication site, marker genes that provide phenotypic selection in transformed cells, one or more promoters, and a polylinker region containing several restriction sites for insertion of foreign DNA. Plasmids typically used for transformation of E. coli include pBR322, pUC18, pUC19, pUC118, pUC119, and Bluescript M13, all of which are described in sections 1.12-1.20 of Sambrook et al., supra. However, many other suitable vectors are available as well. These vectors contain genes coding for ampicillin and/or tetracycline resistance which enables cells transformed with these vectors to grow in the presence of these antibiotics.

[0068] The promoters most commonly used in prokaryotic vectors include the β-lactamase (penicillinase) and lactose promoter systems (Chang et al. Nature 375:615 [1978]; Itakura et al., Science 198:1056 [1977]; Goeddel et al., Nature 281:544 [1979]) and a tryptophan (trp) promoter system (Goeddel et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 8:4057 [1980]; EPO Appl. Publ. No. 36,776), and the alkaline phosphatase systems. While these are the most commonly used, other microbial promoters have been utilized, and details concerning their nucleotide sequences have been published, enabling a skilled worker to ligate them functionally into plasmid vectors (see Siebenlist et al., Cell 20:269 [1980]).

[0069] Many eukaryotic proteins normally secreted from the cell contain an endogenous secretion signal sequence as part of the amino acid sequence. Thus, proteins normally found in the cytoplasm, such as the sesquiterpene synthases of the present invention, can be targeted for secretion by linking a signal sequence to the protein. This is readily accomplished by ligating DNA encoding a signal sequence to the 5′ end of the DNA encoding the protein and then expressing this fusion protein in an appropriate host cell. The DNA encoding the signal sequence may be obtained as a restriction fragment from any gene encoding a protein with a signal sequence. Thus, prokaryotic, yeast, and eukaryotic signal sequences may be used herein, depending on the type of host cell utilized to practice the invention. The DNA and amino acid sequence encoding the signal sequence portion of several eukaryotic genes including, for example, human growth hormone, proinsulin, and proalbumin are known (see Stryer, Biochemistry W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, N.Y., p. 769 [1988]), and can be used as signal sequences in appropriate eukaryotic host cells. Yeast signal sequences, as for example acid phosphatase (Arima et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 11:1657 [1983]), alpha-factor, alkaline phosphatase and invertase may be used to direct secretion from yeast host cells. Prokaryotic signal sequences from genes encoding, for example, LamB or OmpF (Wong et al., Gene 68:193 [1988]), MalE, PhoA, or beta-lactamase, as well as other genes, may be used to target proteins from prokaryotic cells into the culture medium.

[0070] The sesquiterpene synthases of the present invention lack an N-terminal targeting sequence. Nonetheless, N-terminal targeting sequences from plants, animals and microbes can be employed in the practice of the invention to direct the sesquiterpene synthases to the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria or other cellular compartments, or to target the protein for export to the medium. These considerations apply to the overexpression of E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase, and to direction of expression within cells or intact organisms to permit gene product function in any desired location.

[0071] The construction of suitable vectors containing DNA encoding replication sequences, regulatory sequences, phenotypic selection genes and the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase DNA of interest are prepared using standard recombinant DNA procedures. Isolated plasmids and DNA fragments are cleaved, tailored, and ligated together in a specific order to generate the desired vectors, as is well known in the art (see, for example, Sambrook et al., supra).

[0072] As discussed above, E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase variants are preferably produced by means of mutation(s) that are generated using the method of site-specific mutagenesis. This method requires the synthesis and use of specific oligonucleotides that encode both the sequence of the desired mutation and a sufficient number of adjacent nucleotides to allow the oligonucleotide to stably hybridize to the DNA template.

[0073] The isolation of the E-α-bisabolene synthase cDNA, δ-selinene synthase cDNA and γ-humulene synthase cDNA permits the development of efficient expression systems for these functional enzymes; provides useful tools for examining the developmental regulation of sesquiterpene biosynthesis and permits the isolation of other genes encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthases. The isolation of the E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase cDNAs also permits the transformation of a wide range of organisms.

[0074] The genes encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase may be incorporated into any organism (intact plant, animal, microbe), or cell culture derived therefrom, that produces farnesyl diphosphate to effect the conversion of this primary substrate to E-α-bisabolene, δ-selinene or γ-humulene, and their subsequent metabolic products, depending on the organism. The E-α-bisabolene synthase, δ-selinene synthase or γ-humulene synthase genes may be introduced into any organism for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to: the introduction of sesquiterpene biosynthesis de novo; the modification of endogenous sesquiterpene biosynthesis, for example, to alter the fragrance and/or flavor profile of plant material, or to produce plants which provide an abundant source of flavor and/or fragrance compounds; the improvement of defense capability by, for example, producing sesquiterpene products which act as insect repellants, feeding deterrents, oviposition deterrents, toxins, or which act as precursors to phytoalexins (antibiotics) or hormone analogs; the alteration of other ecological interactions mediated by famesyl diphosphate and its derivatives, for example, the genetic alteration of plants to produce volatile sesquiterpenes which act as pollenator attractors, or as competitive phytotoxins.

[0075] The foregoing may be more fully understood in connection with the following representative examples, in which “Plasmids” are designated by a lower case p followed by an alphanumeric designation. The starting plasmids used in this invention are either commercially available, publicly available on an unrestricted basis, or can be constructed from such available plasmids using published procedures. In addition, other equivalent plasmids are known in the art and will be apparent to the ordinary artisan.

[0076] “Digestion”, “cutting” or “cleaving” of DNA refers to catalytic cleavage of the DNA with an enzyme that acts only at particular locations in the DNA. These enzymes are called restriction endonucleases, and the site along the DNA sequence where each enzyme cleaves is called a restriction site. The restriction enzymes used in this invention are commercially available and are used according to the instructions supplied by the manufacturers. (See also sections 1.60-1.61 and sections 3.38-3.39 of Sambrook et al., supra.)

[0077] “Recovery” or “isolation” of a given fragment of DNA from a restriction digest means separation of the resulting DNA fragment on a polyacrylamide or an agarose gel by electrophoresis, identification of the fragment of interest by comparison of its mobility versus that of marker DNA fragments of known molecular weight, removal of the gel section containing the desired fragment, and separation of the gel from DNA. This procedure is known generally. For example, see Lawn et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 9:6103-6114 (1982)), and Goeddel et al. (Nucleic Acids Res., supra).

[0078] The following examples merely illustrate the various embodiments now contemplated for practicing the invention, but should not be construed to limit the invention. All literature citations herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

EXAMPLE 1

Analysis of Oleoresin Sesquiterpenes Extracted From Unwounded Grand Fir (Abies grandis) Saplings

[0079]

Oleoresin Isolation and Analysis
—Grand fir sapling stems were sectioned into 2-3 mm discs and extracted overnight with pentane (3.0 ml/g tissue) at room temperature. The pentane extract was decolorized with activated charcoal, washed with water, and passed over a column of MgSO4 and silica gel (Mallinckrodt, Type 60A) to remove any traces of water and to bind oxygenated metabolites, thereby providing the turpentine fraction. The oxygenated metabolites were then released from the column by rinsing with diethyl ether. Capillary GLC (flame ionization detector) was utilized for identification and quantification of the turpentine monoterpene and sesquiterpene olefin components [Hewlett Packard Model 5890 with cool (40° C.) on-column injection, detector at 300° C. and H2 carrier at 14 psi., column:0.25 mm i.d×30 m fused silica with 0.25 μm film of FFAP (Alltech) programmed from 35° C. to 50° C. at 50° C./min (5 min hold) then to 230° C. at 10° C./min]. Capillary GLC-MS was employed to confirm identifications by comparison of retention times and 70 eV mass spectra to those of authentic standards [Hewlett Packard Model 6890 gas chromatograph coupled to a Hewlett Packard Model 5872 mass spectrometer with cool (40° C.) on-column injection, and He carrier at 0.7 ml/min, column:0.25 mm i.d.×30 m fused silica with 0.25 μm film of 5MS (Hewlett Packard) or polyethyleneglycol ester (AT1000, Alltech) and programmed from 40° C. to 50° C. at 50° C./min (5 min hold) then to 230° C. at 10° C./min.].

[0080] The sources of authentic terpene standards were as follows: α-longipinene, cyclosativene, sativene and α-ylangene were from Abies balsamea oleoresin; δ-selinene was from Abies alba oleoresin; α-, β-, and γ-himachalene, α- and δ-amorphene, α-muurolene, guaia-6,9-diene, α-cadinene, δ-selinene, germacrene A, β-ylangene, β-longipinene, E-α- and β-bisabolene were gifts from Larry Cool (University of California, Berkeley); germacrene B, and black pepper oleoresin containing α-cubebene and α-copaene, were gifts from Robert Adams (Baylor University); γ-humulene was from allspice seeds and as a gift from Ron Binder (USDA, Albany, Calif.); sibirene and longicyclene were from Pinus sibirica oleoresin; longifolene was purchased from Sigma Chemical Co.; E-β-farnesene was from parsley leaf oil; germacrene D was from the essential oil of caraway and Nepeta mussini; β-caryophyllene was a gift from Rudolf Hopp (Haarmann and Reimer GmbH); γ-bisabolene was isolated from carrot roots; α-humulene was purchased from Fluka Chemical Co.; β-cubebene was from the essential oil of Valencia orange peels; α-selinene and seli-3,7(11)-diene were from celery seed; δ-cadinene was a gift from Margaret Essenberg (Oklahoma State University); (α-guaiene was from patchouli essential oil; germacrene C was isolated from tomato leaf oil; bicyclogermacrene was from the essential oil of marjoram; and β-gurjunene was from ginger root. All other biochemicals and reagents were purchased from Sigma Chemical Co. or Aldrich Chemical Co., unless otherwise noted.

[0081]

Sesquiterpene Composition of Oleoresin.
Capillary GLC-MS analysis of grand fir stem turpentine revealed a minimum of 38 sesquiterpenes constituting approximately 12.5% of this material, with the remaining 87.5% composed of previously identified monoterpenes (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1993) Phytochem. Anal. 4, 220-225). The six major sesquiterpenes present are α-cubebene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, α-muurolene, δ-cadinene and E,E-germacrene B, representing 62% of the total sesquiterpene fraction (FIG. 3). δ-Selinene, guaia-6,9-diene, δ-amorphene, sibirene, γ-humulene, longifolene, α-, β-, and γ-himachalene, α-longipinene, β-bisabolene, α-ylangene, sativene and cyclosativene were also identified (˜33% of the sesquiterpene fraction), with the remaining minor fraction (˜5%) composed of some 20 as yet unidentified sesquiterpene olefins.

[0082] The analysis of the sesquiterpene fraction of grand fir oleoresin reported here for the Rocky Mountain ecotype agrees well with a previous analysis of this material from the coastal ecotype (Smedman, L. A., et al., (1969) Phytochemistry 8, 1471-1479) with but minor differences between the former (19% germacrene B without detectable β-elemene) and the latter (8% β-elemene without detectable germacrene B). The discrepancy is likely the result of misidentification due to methodology (identification of β-elemene by retention time only), and has been rectified by recent re-analysis of the oleoresin of the coastal ecotype 3.

EXAMPLE 2

Sesquiterpene Synthase Activity in Wounded and Unwounded Grand Fir (Abies grandis) Sapling Stems

[0083]

Enzyme Isolation
—Two-year-old grand fir (Abies grandis Lindl.) saplings were purchased from the Forestry Research Nursery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. Saplings were grown in standard potting mix (Sals Inc., Puyallup, WA) with a 16-h photoperiod (200-300 μE/m2s) and a 26° C. day/15° C. night temperature cycle, and were fertilized [15:30:15 (N:P:K)] weekly and watered daily.

[0084] Grand fir saplings in active growth were used as the enzyme source for determination of constitutive terpenoid synthases and of terpenoid synthases which had been induced in wounded stems by a standard wounding protocol (Funk, C., et al., (1994) Plant Physiol. 106, 999-1005). Stems from control saplings and saplings eight days after wounding (usually ten saplings) were harvested by removing the top and lateral growth, and cutting at about 5 cm from the base. The stems were chopped into 5-7 cm segments, frozen in liquid N2 and, following removal of any needles, were ground to a powder in a liquid N2-chilled No. 1 Wiley mill. The frozen powder was added to chilled extraction buffer (5 ml/g fresh tissue weight) consisting of 10 mM dibasic potassium phosphate and 1.8 mM monobasic potassium phosphate (pH 7.3), 140 mM NaCl, 20 mM β-mercaptoethanol, 10 mM MgCl2, 5 mM MnCl2, 10% (v/v) glycerol and 1% (w/v) each of polyvinylpyrrolidone (Mr 40,000) and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone. The extract was stirred for 30 min at 0-4° C. and then clarified by centrifugation at 5000×g and filtration through Miracloth (Calbiochem). Partial purification of the extract was achieved by chromatography on O-diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (Whatman DE-52) as described previously (Gijzen, M., et al., (1991) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 289, 267-273).

[0085]

Enzyme Assay
—The syntheses of [1- 3H]farnesyl diphosphate (125 Ci/mol) (Dehal, S. S. and Croteau, R., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 261: 346-356 (1988)), [1-3 H]geranylgeranyl diphosphate (120 Ci/mol) (LaFever et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 313: 139-149 (1994), and [1-3H]geranyl diphosphate (250 Ci/mol) (Croteau, R., et al., (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 309, 184-192) have been reported previously. The sources of authentic terpene standards are as set forth in EXAMPLE 1.

[0086] The assay for recombinant sesquiterpene synthase (cyclase) activity was performed in 1 ml of buffer (extraction buffer without MnCl2 or the polymeric adsorbents) containing 3.5 μM [1- 3H]farnesyl diphosphate and the total protein extracted from a 5 ml bacterial culture to produce 105 -106 dpm of product in 2 h at 31° C. The incubation mixture was overlaid with 1 ml pentane to trap volatile products. After incubation, the reaction mixture was extracted with pentane (3×1 ml) and the combined extract was passed through a MgSO4-silica gel column to provide the terpene hydrocarbon fractions as before. The columns were subsequently eluted with 3×1 ml of ether to collect any oxygenated products, and an aliquot of each fraction was taken for liquid scintillation counting to determine conversion rate. The monoterpene synthase and diterpene synthase activity assays were similarly performed as described in detail elsewhere (LaFever, R. E., et al., (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 313, 139-149; Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1991) Plant Physiol. 96, 38-43).

[0087] For preparative incubations, the assay was scaled to 5 ml containing the total protein extracted from 100 ml of bacterial culture and 30 μM [1-3H]farnesyl diphosphate, and the incubation time was extended to 8 h. Aliquots of the olefin fraction and the fraction containing oxygenated metabolites (diethyl ether eluate) were evaluated by liquid scintillation counting, and were analyzed by radio-GLC (Croteau, R. & Cane, D. E. (1985) Methods Enzymol. 110, 383-405; Satterwhite, D. M. & Croteau, R. (1988) J. Chromatogr. 452, 61-73) using a Gow-Mac 550P chromatograph that was equipped with a 3.18 mm×3.66 m stainless steel column packed with 5% OV17 (50% phenyl:50% methylsiloxane) on 100/120 mesh Gas Chrom Q (Alltech) and programmed from 150° C. to 220° C. at 2° C./min with He as carrier. The elution of co-injected standards was monitored with the Gow-Mac thermal conductivity detector (250° C. and 150 mA) and the radioactivity signal was continuously monitored with a Nuclear Chicago Model 8731 gas proportional counter; output data were processed using Perkin-Elmer Turbochrom Software.

[0088] Liquid scintillation counting was performed in 10 ml toluene:ethanol (7:3, v/v) containing 0.4% (w/v) Omnifluor (DuPont-NEN) at a 3H counting efficiency of 43%. Protein concentrations were determined by the method of Bradford (Bradford, M. M. (1976) Anal. Biochem. 72, 248-254) using the Bio-Rad reagent and bovine serum albumin as standard.

[0089]

Biological Activity of Sesquiterpene Synthases Isolated From Wounded and Unwounded Grand Fir Stems.
The soluble enzyme extract from non-wounded (control) sapling stems catalyzed the divalent metal ion-dependent conversion of [1-3H]farnesyl diphosphate, the universal precursor of sesquiterpenoids (Cane, D. E. (1981) in Biosynthesis of Isoprenoid Compounds (Porter, J. W. & Spurgeon, S. L., eds) Vol. 1, pp 283-374, John Wiley and Sons, New York; Cane, D. E. (1990) Chem. Rev. 90, 1089-1103), to a labeled olefin fraction (12×2 ml assays yielded ˜1.6 nmol of product) that upon radio-GLC analysis was shown to contain the same spectrum of sesquiterpenes found in the oleoresin.

[0090] Enzyme extracts were similarly prepared from sapling stems 9 days after wounding, utilizing a standard wounding protocol (Funk, C., et al., (1994) Plant Physiol. 106, 999-1005), and were assayed as before (2×2 ml assays yielded 1.8 nmol of product). Radio-GLC analysis of the olefin fraction revealed the presence of an apparently single component with retention time very similar to that of δ-cadinene. Partial purification of the extract from induced saplings to eliminate traces of endogenous oleoresin, followed by preparative-scale assay, provided sufficient material for capillary GLC-MS analysis. This higher resolution method revealed that the product derived from farnesyl diphosphate by the induced enzyme(s) mainly consisted of two components that were identified as δ-cadinene and E-α-bisabolene.

[0091] Differential loss of the δ-cadinene synthase activity during storage (data not shown) suggested that δ-cadinene and E-α-bisabolene were the products of two different enzymes. Boiled controls, and control reactions without farnesyl diphosphate, confirmed that both the constitutive and inducible sesquiterpene synthase activities observed were enzymatic and substrate-dependent. The Km value for [1-3H]farnesyl diphosphate with the partially purified inducible sesquiterpene synthases was determined to be about 0.4 μM. It is of interest, and of probable physiological significance, that the constitutive sesquiterpene synthase activities differ from the wound-induced enzyme activities in product composition. A similar phenomenon has been previously observed with the constitutive and wound- inducible monoterpene and diterpene synthases of this tissue (Funk, C., et al., (1994) Plant Physiol. 106, 999-1005; Gijzen, M., et al., (1 991) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 289, 267-273).

EXAMPLE 3

Cloning a Full-Length E-α-Bisabolene Synthase cDNA

[0092] As set forth in Example 2, extracts of wounded Grand Fir stem are capable of converting farnesyl diphosphate to δ-cadinene and E-α-bisabolene. A PCR cloning strategy was utilized to clone one or both of the wound-inducible enzymes responsible for the formation of δ-cadinene and E-α-bisabolene.

[0093] Based on comparison of sequences of limonene synthase from spearmint (Colby, S. M., Alonso, W. R., Katahira, E. J., McGarvey, D. J., and Croteau, R. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024), 5-epi-aristolochene synthase from tobacco (Facchini, P. J., and Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092), and casbene synthase from castor bean (Mau, C. J. D., and West, C. A. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 8497-8501), four conserved regions were identified for which a set of consensus degenerate primers (primers A-D) were synthesized. Primers A, B and C had been described previously (Steele, C. L., et al., (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 4164-4168); the sequence of primer D had not previously been reported and was designed based on the conserved amino acid sequence motif DD(T/I)(I/Y/F)D(A/V)Y(A/G) (SEQ ID No:32) of the above noted terpene synthases. The sequence of sense primer D was 5′-GA(C/T) GA(C/T) III T(T/A)(T/C) GA(C/T) GCI (C/T)A(C/T) GG-3′ (SEQ ID No:3). Each of the sense primers, A, B and D, were used for PCR in combination with antisense primer C (SEQ ID No:2) by employing a broad range of amplification conditions.

[0094] PCR was performed in a total volume of 50 μl containing 20 mM Tris/HCI (tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane/HCl, pH 8.4), 50 mM KC1, 5 mM MgCl2, 200 μM of each dNTP, 1-5 μM of each primer, 2.5 units of Taq polymerase (BRL) and 5 μl of purified grand fir stem cDNA library phage as template (1.5×109 pfu/ml). Analysis of the PCR reaction products by agarose gel electrophoresis (Sambrock, J., Fritsch, E. F., and Maniatis, T. (1989) Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) revealed that only the combination of primers C (SEQ ID No:2) and D (SEQ ID No:3) generated a specific PCR product of approximately 110 bps. This PCR product was gel purified, ligated into pT7Blue (Novagen), and transformed into E. coli XL1-Blue cells. Plasmid DNA was prepared from 41 individual transformants and the inserts were sequenced (DyeDeoxy Terminator Cycle Sequencing, Applied Biosystems). Four different insert sequences were identified, and were designated as probes 1, 2, 4 and 5.

[0095] Probe 1 was used to screen 105 cDNA phage plaques from the aforementioned, wounded grand fir stem library. The largest cDNA corresponding to probe 1, the 2424 bp cDNA AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1) was recently described as a member of the Tpsd gene family (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997)). The Tpsd gene family consists of genes for monoterpene, sesquiterpene and diterpene synthases from grand fir (Abies grandis) and Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia). The members of the Tpsd gene family share at least 40% amino acid identity.

[0096] In order to generate a full-length cDNA corresponding to clone AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1), 5′-RACE was carried out using the Marathon cDNA amplification system (Clontech) following the manufacturer's protocol. The reverse RACE primer specific for AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1) was RJ1 (5′-AGA CGG TCG GAC AGC AGA AAG TGG G-3′) (SEQ ID No:7). RJ1 (SEQ ID No:7) was used in combination with primer AP1 (SEQ ID No:6) (Clontech) and adaptor-ligated, wound-induced, grand fir stem library cDNA for PCR. The sequence of the adaptor ligated to the cDNA is set forth in (SEQ ID No:5) The resulting PCR product was cloned into pT7/Blue-vector (Novagen). An internal 404 bp cDNA fragment RJ8 (SEQ ID No:8) of the cloned PCR product was amplified using primers RJ1 (SEQ ID No:7) and RJ2 (5′-CTT GGA TCC ATG GCT GGC GTT TCT GCT G-3′), (SEQ ID No:9) which was designed to introduce a BamHI restriction site for subcloning of RJ8 (SEQ ID No:9) into the pBluescript SK(+)-derived plasmid pAG1.28 (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997)).

[0097] A HincII site at nucleotide position 2382 of the cDNA insert in pAG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1), 32 nucleotides downstream of the stop codon of the 2350 bps ORF, was eliminated by site directed mutagenesis using the QuikChange site directed mutagenesis kit (Stratagene) following manufacturer's instructions using mutagenesis primer F (5′-GTT GCA ATA ATA ATT GAA ATA ATC TCA ACT ATG TTT CAC-3′) (SEQ ID No:10) and primer R (5′-GTG AAA CAT AGT TGA GAT TAT TTC AAT TAT TAT TGC AAC-3′)(SEQ ID No:11). cDNA fragment RJ8 (SEQ ID No:8) was digested with BamHI and HincII and ligated into BamHI/HincII-digested pAG1.28 resulting in plasmid pAG1. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of pAG1 is set forth in (SEQ ID No:12). For functional expression, the 2528 bp BamHI/XhoI cDNA insert of pAG1 (SEQ ID No:12) was subcloned into BamHI/XhoI-digested pGEX-4T-2 (Pharmacia) resulting in plasmid pGAG1. Inserts of all recombinant plasmids were completely sequenced on both strands via primer walking using the DyeDeoxy Terminator Cycle Sequencing method (Applied Biosystems). Sequence analysis was done using the Wisconsin Package Version 9.0, Genetics Computer Group (GCG), Madison, Wis.

EXAMPLE 4

Sequence Analysis of cDNA Clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:12)

[0098] A 2451 nucleotide ORF of AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) encodes a protein of 817 amino acids (SEQ ID No:13) of molecular weight 93,776 with a calculated pI at 5.03. The deduced amino acid sequence of clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:13) was compared with other cloned plant terpene synthases and resembles most closely two gymnosperm diterpene synthases, grand fir abietadiene synthase (71% similarity, 49% identity) (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268) and Taxus brevifolia taxadiene synthase (71% similarity, 49% identity) (WilduLg, M. R. & Croteau, R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 9201-9204), and the grand fir sesquiterpene synthases AG4 encoding δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) (70% similarity, 48% identity) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) encoding γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) (68% similarity, 47% identity). The AG1 protein (SEQ ID No:13) shares 63-65% similarity and 41-42% identity with grand fir monoterpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997)).

[0099] Compared to the degree of sequence relatedness (percent identity and percent similarity) between the protein encoded by clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:13) and gymnosperm terpene synthases, the protein encoded by clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:13) shows lower sequence relatedness with monoterpene synthases, sesquiterpene synthases and diterpene synthases of angiosperm origin (53-59% similarity, 28-34% identity) (Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092 (epi-aristolochene synthase, a diterpene synthase, from tobacco); Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024 (limonene synthase, a monoterpene synthase, from spearmint); Mau, C. J. D. & West, C. A. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 8497-8501 (casbene synthase, a diterpene synthase, from castor bean); Sun, T. & Kamiya, Y. (1994) Plant Cell 6, 1509-1518 (kaurene synthase A, a diterpene synthase, from Arabidopsis); Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381 (vetaspiradiene synthase, a sesquiterpene synthase, from henbane); Bensen, R. J., et al., (1995) Plant Cell 7, 75-84 (kaurene synthase A, a diterpene synthase, from maize); Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266 (δ-cadinene synthase, a sesquiterpene synthase, from cotton); Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1996) J. Nat. Prod. 59, 944-951 (δ-cadinene synthase, a sesquiterpene synthase, from cotton); Dudareva, N., et al., (1996) Plant Cell 8, 1137-1148 (linalool synthase, a monoterpene synthase, from Clarkia brewerii); Yamaguchi, S., et al., (1996) Plant J. 10, 203-210 (kaurene synthase B, a diterpene synthase, from pumpkin); Yuba, A., et al., (1996) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 332, 280-287 (limonene synthase, a monoterpene synthase, from Perilla)).

[0100] In total length, the AG1 protein (817 residues) (SEQ ID No:13) is closest to abietadiene synthase (868 residues) and taxadiene synthase (862 residues) and is 180-190 residues larger than grand fir monoterpene synthases and 220-230 residues larger than grand fir sesquiterpene synthases encoded by AG4 (SEQ ID No:20) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:24). The difference in length when comparing AG1 protein (SEQ ID No:13), abietadiene synthase and taxadiene synthase with grand fir monoterpene synthases and sesquiterpene synthases, is primarily accounted for by a 214 amino acid region corresponding to Pro81 - Tyr294 of AG1 (SEQ ID No:13). This sequence element is highly conserved among AG1 (SEQ ID No:13) and the two diterpene synthases abietadiene synthase and taxadiene synthase (72-76% similarity, 52-58% identity), but is absent in all previously cloned grand fir monoterpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792 (1997)) and in the sesquiterpene synthases AG4 (SEQ ID No:20) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:24).

[0101] Monoterpene and diterpene biosynthesis are compartmentalized in plastids whereas sesquiterpene biosynthesis is cytosolic (Kleinig, H. (1989) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 40, 39-53; Gershenzon, J. & Croteau, R. (1993) in Lipid Metabolism in Plants ed. Moore, T. S. Jr. (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.), pp. 339-388; McGarvey, D. J. & Croteau, R. (1995) Plant Cell 7, 1015-1026). Thus, all cloned monoterpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997); Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024; Dudareva, N., et al., (1996) Plant Cell 8, 1137-1148; Yuba, A., et al., (1996) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 332, 280-287) and diterpene synthases (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268; Wildung, M. R. & Croteau, R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 9201-9204; Mau, C. J. D. & West, C. A. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 8497-8501; Sun, T. & Kamiya, Y. (1994) Plant Cell 6, 1509-1518; Bensen, R. J., et al., (1995) Plant Cell 7, 75-84; Yamaguchi, S., et al., (1996) Plant J. 10: 203-210) are encoded as preproteins bearing N-terminal transit peptides for import of these nuclear gene products into plastids where they are proteolytically processed to the mature form (Keegstra, K., et al., (1989) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 40, 471-501; von Heijne, G., et al., (1989) Eur. J. Biochem. 180, 535-545).

[0102] As cytosolic enzymes, all cloned sesquiterpene synthases, including the proteins encoded by clones AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) are encoded without transit peptides (Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092; Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1996) J. Nat. Prod. 59, 944-951). Despite its high level of similarity with gymnopserm diterpene synthases, the protein encoded by clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) does not contain an N-terminal domain with features characteristic of plastidial targeting sequences (Keegstra, K., et al., (1989) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 40, 471-501; von Heijne, G., et al., (1989) Eur. J Biochem. 180, 535-545). Lack of a transit peptide in the protein encoded by clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) explains the size difference (smaller by 45 - 50 amino acids) when compared with abietadiene synthase and taxadiene synthase. The relative location of the starting methionine of the AG1 protein (SEQ ID No:13) resembles the N-terminus of cytosolic sesquiterpene synthases encoded by clones AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) from grand fir, and is only 25 residues upstream of an RR-motif (Arg25, Arg26 in the AG1 protein (SEQ ID No:13)), which is conserved in many plant terpene synthases and is thought to approximate the N-terminus of the mature enzymes. An alignment of all cloned plant terpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997); Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268; Wildung, M. R. & Croteau, R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 9201-9204; Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092; Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024; Mau, C. J. D. & West, C. A. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 8497-8501; Sun, T. & Kamiya, Y. (1994) Plant Cell 6, 1509-1518; Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381; Bensen, R. J., et al., (1995) Plant Cell 7, 75-84; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1996) J. Nat. Prod. 59, 944-951; Dudareva, N., et al., (1996) Plant Cell 8, 1137-1148; Yamaguchi, S., et al., (1996) Plant J. 10: 203-210; Yuba, A., et al., (1996) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 332, 280-287) shows little similarity upstream of the RR-motif, and N-terminal deletion analysis with grand fir monoterpene synthases, abietadiene synthase and mint limonene synthase revealed that residues upstream of the the RR-site are not required for catalytic activity.

[0103] In summary, comparative sequence analysis reveals features for the AG1 gene product (SEQ ID No:13) of both sesquiterpene and diterpene synthases of the gymnosperm Tpsd gene family and its functional identification therefore required expression of active enzyme.

EXAMPLE 5

Expression of cDNA Clone AG 1 (SEQ ID No:12) in E. coli and Product Identification

[0104] Expression of cDNA Clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) in E. coli. Plasmid pGAG1 was transformed into E. coli SL1-Blue (Sambrook, J., et al., (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Lab., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 2nd Ed). The resulting bacterial strain E. coli XL1-Blue/pGAG1 was grown at 37° C. in 5 ml of LB medium (Sambrock, J., et al., (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Lab., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 2nd Ed) supplemented with 100 μg ampicillin/ml and 12.5 μg tetracycline/ml to A600=1.0, then induced by addition of 1 mM isopropyl-1-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside and grown for another 12 h at 20 ° C. Cells were harvested by centrifugation (2000 x g, 10 min) and resuspended in either 1 ml monoterpene synthase assay buffer, 1 ml sesquiterpene synthase assay buffer, or 1 ml diterpene synthase assay buffer (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997)).

[0105] Cells were disrupted by sonication (Braun-Sonic 2000 with microprobe at maximum power for 15 seconds at 0-4° C.), the homogenates were cleared by centrifugation (18,000 x g, 10 min), and 1 ml of the resulting supernatant was assayed for monoterpene synthase activity with 2.5 μM of [1-3H]geranyl diphosphate, for sesquiterpene synthase activity with 3.5 μM [1-3H]famesyl diphosphate, or for diterpene synthase activity with 5 μM [1-3H]geranylgeranyl diphosphate following standard protocols (Dehal, S. S. & Croteau, R. (1988) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 261, 346-356; LaFever, R. E., et al., (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 313, 139-149; Croteau, R. & Cane, D. E. (1985) Methods Enzymol. 110, 383-405). In the case of the monoterpene synthase and sesquiterpene synthase assays, the incubation mixture was overlaid with 1 ml pentane to trap volatile products. In all cases, after incubation at 31° C. for 2 h, the reaction mixture was extracted with pentane (3×1 ml) and the combined extract was passed through a 1.5 ml column of anhydrous MgSO4 and silica gel (Mallinckrodt 60 Å) to provide the terpene hydrocarbon fraction free of oxygenated metabolites. The columns were subsequently eluted with 3×1 ml of ether to collect any oxygenated products, and an aliquot of each fraction was taken for liquid scintillation counting to determine conversion rate.

[0106] Characterization of Products of Recombinant E-α-Bisabolene Synthase Encoded by cDNA Clone AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) in E. coli. GLC-MS analysis of the sesquiterpene product was performed on a Hewlett-Packard 6890 gas chromatograph installed with a Hewlett-Packard 5MS capillary column (0.25 mm ID×30 m with a 0.25 μm coating of 5% phenyl methyl-siloxane) or AT-1000 capillary column (0.25 mm ID×30 m with a 0.25 μm coating of polyethylene), coupled to a 6890 quadrapole mass spectrometer operated at 70 eV. Split injections were made at an injector temperature of 250° C. and the oven followed a temperature program of 40 ° C., 5 min. hold, 10 ° C./min. to 250° C., 50° C./min. to 300° C., 1 min. hold. Separations were performed under constant flow of 0.7 mL He /min. Monoterpene product analysis was performed on the above GLC-MS system equipped with a β-cyclodextrin column (0.25 mm ID×30 m with a 0.25 μm film thickness). Split injections were made with an injector temperature of 230° C. and an oven program as follows: 70° C. for 15 min. hold, 10° C./min. to 210° C., 1 min. hold. Flow rate as above. Mass spectra were compared to those of authentic standards and analyzed by Hewlett-Packard Chemstation software. Stereochemistry was assigned according to retention times of enantiomerically pure standards.

[0107] Enzymatic production of terpene olefin was observed only with geranyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate, demonstrating that recombinant AG1 protein (SEQ ID No:13) combines monoterpene synthase and sesquiterpene synthase activity but has no diterpene synthase activity. The sesquiterpene product was identified as E-α-bisabolene by GLC-MS. Geranyl diphosphate was inefficiently converted by extracts of XL1-Blue/pGAG1 into the monoterpene (+)-4R-limonene. Conversion of geranyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate, but not of geranylgeranyl diphosphate, is also a property of both δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase (SEE EXAMPLE 9) As more fully set forth in EXAMPLE 4, lack of a transit peptide for plastid import, and the higher level of similarity with grand fir sesquiterpene synthases encoded by AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) as compared to levels of similarity with monoterpene synthases, suggested that AG1 (SEQ ID No:12), in fact, encodes a sesquiterpene synthase, designated as E-α-bisabolene synthase rather than a monoterpene synthase. Under physiological conditions of the intact plant cell, cytosolic E-α-bisabolene synthase is unlikely to encounter geranyl diphosphate, which arises in plastids (Gershenzon, J. & Croteau, R. (1993) in Lipid Metabolism in Plants ed. Moore, T. S. Jr. (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.), pp. 339-388), and thus there is no evolutionary pressure to select for discrimination against this adventitious substrate.

[0108] E-α-Bisabolene synthase (SEQ ID No:13) shares several absolutely or highly conserved residues with other cloned plant terpene synthases : Arg359, His361, Phe373, Leu422, Glu509, Trp516, Pro552, Asp566, Asp567, Asp570, Trp647, Pro653, Cys723 (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997)). The conserved DDXXD (SEQ ID No:36) element of terpene synthases (Asp566, Asp567, Asp570 of E-α-bisabolene synthase (SEQ ID No:13)) is involved in binding a divalent metal ion (Starks, C. M., et al., Science 277: 1815-1820(1997); Lesburg, C. A., et al., Science 277: 1820-1824(1997)), usually Mn2+ or Mg2+, which is thought to be employed in the ionization step of the reaction sequence to neutralize the negative charge of the diphosphate leaving group (Croteau, R. (1987) Chem. Rev. 87, 929-954; Cane, D. E. (1992) Ciba Found. Symp. Ser. 171, 163-167).

[0109] E-α-bisabolene synthase has not been cloned from any other organism before and is unusual as a terpene synthase which forms a single sesquiterpene product. Many terpene synthases have multiple products (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997); Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024; Munck, S. L. & Croteau, R. (1990) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 282, 58-64; Wagschal, K., et al., (1991) Tetrahedron 47, 5933-5944; Savage, T. J., et al., (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 4012-4020; Savage, T. J., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 320, 257-265) as a consequence of the electrophilic reaction mechanism (Gershenzon, J. & Croteau, R. (1993) in Lipid Metabolism in Plants ed. Moore, T. S. Jr. (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.), pp. 339-388; Croteau, R. (1987) Chem. Rev. 87, 929-954; Cane, D. E. (1992) Ciba Found. Symp. Ser. 171, 163-167), whereas formation of a single product requires tight control over the fate of the highly reactive carbocationic reaction intermediate at the active site.

[0110] The absolute product specificity of bisabolene synthase is consistent with its role as a precursor to a proposed defensive compound, the juvabione juvenile hormone analogue, that inhibits larval insect development. Juvabione is the methylester of todomatuic acid which is structurally derived from bisabolene (FIG. 2). In Abies species, the sesquiterpene insect juvenile hormone analogue, juvabione, which has severe detrimental effects on insect development and reproduction (Bowers, W. S., et al., (1976) Science 193, 542-547; Bowers, W. S. (1991) in Herbivores: Their Interaction with Secondary Plant Metabolites, Vol. I, G. A. Rosenthal and M. R. Berenbaum, eds. (Acad. Press, San Diego), pp. 431-456), has been known since the discovery of “paper factor” in the mid 1960s (Slama, K. & Williams, C. M. (1965) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 54, 411-414; Slama, K. & Williams, C. M. (1966) Nature 210, 329-330; Bowers, W. S., et al., (1966) Science 154, 1020-1021). In Grand Fir, todomatuic acid was found only after aphid feeding but was not detected in unchallenged trees (Puritch, G. S. & Nijholt, W. W. (1974) Can. J Bot. 52, 585-587) which, together with wound-induction of bisabolene synthase enzyme activity (disclosed in EXAMPLE 6, herein), suggests de novo biosynthesis of the juvenile hormone analogue as an inducible defense response against insect herbivores.

EXAMPLE 6

Wound Induction of AG1 (SEQ ID No: 12) mRNA Expression

[0111] Grand fir sapling stem tissue was wounded and harvested utilizing a standard procedure (Gijzen, M., et al., (1991) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 289, 267-273). Total RNA was isolated (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 4, 220-225) and 20 μg of RNA per gel lane was separated under denaturing conditions (Sambrook, J., et al., (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Lab., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 2nd Ed) and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes (Schleicher and Schuell) according to the manufacturer's protocol. To prepare the hybridization probe, a 622 bp cDNA fragment (SEQ ID No:33) of AG1.28 (SEQ ID No:1) was amplified and labeled with [α-32P]dATP by PCR with primer 1.28 F (5′-TGA CAT AGT TCA CGA GGT GGC-3′) (SEQ ID No:34) and primer 1.28 R (5′-CAG CGG TTC AAT GAG ACA CTC-3′)(SEQ ID No:35). Blots were hybridized for 24 h at 60° C. in 3 x SSPE and 0.1% SDS, washed at 60° C. in 1 ×SSPE and 0.1%, SDS and subjected to autoradiography at −80° C. for 20 h.

[0112] Northern blots of total RNA extracted from sapling stems prior to wounding and after wounding were probed with the 622 bp cDNA fragment (SEQ ID No:33) which did not hybridize to any of the previously isolated grand fir terpene synthase cDNAs including abietadiene synthase, the two constitutive sesquiterpene synthase clones AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) or cloned monoterpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:21784-21792(1997); Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268). Messenger RNA was not detectable for E-α-bisabolene synthase prior to wounding. Following mechanical wounding of sapling stems, levels of E-α-bisabolene synthase mRNA transiently increased to a maximum 11 - 14 days after treatment, and thus demonstrated that increased mRNA accumulation for E-α-bisabolene synthase is responsible for the induced sesquiterpene defense response in grand fir. The slower increase of mRNA accumulation for E-α-bisabolene synthase as compared to rapid transcriptional activation of monoterpene synthase genes with a maximum mRNA accumulation 1-2 days after wounding (Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem 272:21784-21792(1997) shows that both early and late defensive responses in grand fir are triggered by wounding, possibly involving partly independent signalling pathways.

[0113] Whereas monoterpene and diterpene defense compounds are directed against insects early during their attack, bisabolene-derived phyto-juvenile hormone interferes with insect reproduction and development later during infestation. The inducible terpene-based chemical defense in grand fir is aimed at multiple targets in the physiology of attacking bark beetles and also the pathogenic fungi vectored to the grand fir trees by the bark beetles. The correct timing of each defense component is controlled by differential activation of the large Tps-gene family. This multicomponent and multitarget chemical defense strategy is an important factor in the more than 300 million years of conifer evolution (Langenheim, J. H. (1969) Science 163, 1157-1169; Langenheim, J. H. (1990) Am. Sci. 78, 16-24; Langenheim, J. H. (1994) J. Chem. Ecol. 20,1223-1280).

EXAMPLE 7

Isolation of cDNAs Encoding δ-Selinene Synthase and γ-Humulene Synthase

[0114] cDNA Isolation, 5′-RACE and Construction of expression Vectors—Construction of the wound-induced Grand Fir stem cDNA library has been previously described (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268), and the details of hybridization probe generation and library screening are set forth in EXAMPLE 3 and in Bohlmann, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792 (1997). As set forth in EXAMPLE 3, only the combination of primers C (SEQ ID No:2) and D (SEQ ID No:3) generated a specific PCR product of approximately 110 bps. Sub-cloning and sequencing of the 110 bp PCR product revealed that it consisted of four distinct sequences which were designated as probes 1, 2, 4 and 5. Upon screening of the wounded grand fir stem cDNA library, probes 4 (SEQ ID No:15) and 5 (SEQ ID No:25) hybridized, respectively, to two unique cDNA species designated ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) and ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26).

[0115] Since neither of the cDNA isolates encoded a starting methionine, 5′-RACE was carried out using the Marathon cDNA amplification kit (Clonetech) by following the manufacturer's protocol with slight modification. Total RNA was extracted from 60 saplings (two year-old; 6 or, 8 days after wounding) by scale-up of a published procedure (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 12, 20-25). PolyA+ mRNA was isolated using Oligotex beads and the spin column procedure described by Qiagen. To prevent RNA secondary structural features from obstructing full-length cDNA synthesis, three different cDNA synthesis reactions were performed by first denaturing the RNA at 42° C. or at 50° C., or by treatment with methylmercury hydroxide (Maniatis, T., et al., (1982) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 1st ed., pp 230-232, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). Twice as much mRNA (2 μg) as recommended in the protocol was used, and PCR amplification was performed as indicated, except that a low fidelity Taq polymerase was substituted. The respective cDNA-specific reverse PCR primers were 5′-CTGCGAACCTTGAGAGTGGTCTGCAG-3′ (SEQ ID No:16) for ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) and 5′-GTCTATCGATTCCCAGCCATTCC-3′ (SEQ ID No:27) for ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26).

[0116] The resulting PCR products were cloned into the pT7Blue-vector (Novagen) following standard procedures, and they were partially sequenced to reveal in each case a putative starting methionine codon, thus indicating that successful 5′-RACE syntheses had occurred. Full-length representatives were generated by designing 5′-and 3′-specific PCR primers for each cDNA for subsequent high fidelity amplification. The 5′-specific primers were designed with a BamHI restriction endonuclease site immediately upstream of the starting methionine codon for each cDNA (5′-GGAGGATCCATGGCTGAGATTTCTG-3′ (SEQ ID No:17) for ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) and 5′-TGGTACCATGGCTGGCGTTTCTGCTGTATC-3′ (SEQ ID No:28) for ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26)). The 3′-specific primers were designed to encompass the stop codon; the ag4.30 primer included a XhoI site whereas the ag5.9 primer included an EcoRI site (5′-AAAGTCTCGAGATATTAATTATTGCC-3p40 (SEQ ID No:18) for ag4.30 and 5′-TATGAATTCTCAAATAGGCACGGGGAC-3′ (SEQ ID No:29) for ag5.9) to facilitate ligation into the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector (Pharmacia).

[0117] PCR reactions were performed at 94° C. for 1 min, 50° C. for 1 min, and 72° C. for 6 min, for 30 cycles followed by a 5 min final extension period at 72° C., using Pfu polymerase and the buffer described by the manufacturer (Stratagene). The resulting DNA fragments were sequentially cloned by standard methods, first into pBluescript (SK-) (Stratagene), then into pGEX (Pharmacia) vectors designated as pGAG4 and pGAG5. For further subcloning of cDNAs into the pSBETa vector for high-level expression (Schenk, P.M., et al., (1995) Biotechniques 19, 196-200), inserts of pGAG4 and pGAG5 were amplified by PCR (Stratagene Pfu polymerase as above) using primer combinations 4-NdeI (5′-CTGGTTCCGCGTGGACATATGGCTGAGT-3′) (SEQ ID No:21) and 4-BamHI (5′-CTACAACCAAG-AGGATCCCTATTCCTCCATTGG-3′) (SEQ ID No:22) with pGAG4, and 5-NdeI (5′-CTGGTTCCGCGTGG-ACATATGGCTCAG-3′) (SEQ ID No:30) and 5-BamHI (5′-GTCAGTGACGATGGATCCTCAAATAGGCAC-GG-3′) (SEQ ID No:3 1) with pGAG5. The PCR products were digested with the above indicated restriction enzymes, purified by ultrafiltration, and then ligated into NdeI/BamHI-digested pSBETa to yield plasmid pSBAG4 and pSBAG5, respectively.

[0118] The original isolates, ag4.30 (SEQ ID No:14) and ag5.9 (SEQ ID No:26), and their corresponding full-length cDNA inserts of ag4 (SEQ ID No:20)(δ-selinene synthase)in pGAG4 and pSBAG4, and of ag5 (SEQ ID No:23)(γ-humulene synthase) in pGAG5 and pSBAG5, were entirely sequenced on both strands via primer walking using the dye-terminator-cycle sequencing method (Applied Biosystems) on a ABI 373 DNA Sequencer Stretch instrument at the Washington State University Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis. Sequence analysis was done using programs from the Wisconsin Package Version 9.0 of the Genetics Computer Group (Genetics Computer Group (1996) Program Manual for the Wisconsin Package, Version 9. 0, Genetics Computer Group, Madison, WI).

EXAMPLE 8

Sequence Analysis of cDNA Clone Inserts AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5

(SEQ ID No:23)

[0119] The δ-selinene synthase cDNA (SEQ ID No:19) encodes a protein that is 581 amino acids in length (SEQ ID No:20) with a predicted molecular weight of 67,625, and the γ-humulene synthase cDNA (SEQ ID No:23) encodes a protein of 593 residues (SEQ ID No:24) with a predicted molecular weight of 67,937. The γ-humulene synthase sequence (SEQ ID No:23) contains a stop codon in-frame with the putative initiation methionine at −21 bp of the 89 bp 5′-untranslated region, whereas the δ-selinene synthase sequence (SEQ ID No:19) is truncated at −12 bp. The nucleotide sequence surrounding the putative starting ATG of both sesquiterpene synthase genes is conserved, and resembles that which surrounds the initiating methionine of other plant genes (Joshi, C. P. (1987) Nucl. Acids Res. 15, 6643-6653). These data support the proposed location of the initiation sites and, thus, the identification of both cDNAs as sesquiterpene synthases, since the predicted molecular weights are appropriate for this class of cytosolic enzymes (Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266). Additionally, the proteins encoded by both cDNAs (SEQ ID Nos:20 and 24) lack a plastidial targeting peptide found in both monoterpene synthase and diterpene synthase preproteins (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268; Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792; Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024; Mau, C. J. D. & West, C. A. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 8497-8501).

[0120] Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences indicates that they are 83% similar and 65% identical to each other, and both sesquiterpene synthases show about 66% similarity and 45% identity when compared to other terpenoid synthases from conifers, including abietadiene synthase (diterpene) from grand fir (Stofer Vogel, B., et al., (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23262-23268), myrcene synthase, pinene synthase and limonene synthase (monoterpenes) from this species (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792), and the taxadiene synthase (diterpene) from Pacific yew (Wildung, M. R. & Croteau, R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 9201-9204). Comparison of these gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases (SEQ ID Nos:20 and 24) to a range of terpenoid synthases from angiosperm species (Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381 (epi-aristolochene synthase from tobacco); Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266 (δ-cadinene synthase from cotton)) reveals similarities of about 56% and identities in the range of 30%.

[0121] Interestingly, the gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases show a greater resemblance to gymnosperm monoterpene synthases and diterpene synthases than they do to angiosperm sesquiterpene synthases, suggesting an ancient divergence of the gymnosperm tpsd family, which consists of monoterpene, sesquiterpene, and diterpene synthases (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792). Comparison with microbial sesquiterpene synthases did not reveal a significant similarity. For example, the δ-selinene and γ-humulene synthases (SEQ ID Nos:20 and 24) show 45-46% similarity and 18-22% identity when compared to trichodiene synthase from Fusarium sporotrichioides (Hohn, T. M. & Beremand, P. D. (1989) Gene 79, 131-138).

[0122] Studies employing amino acid-modifying reagents have implicated histidine, cysteine and arginine residues in catalysis by terpene synthases from angiosperms and gymnosperms (LaFever, R. E., et al., (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 313, 139-149; Dehal, S. S. & Croteau, R. (1988) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 261, 346-356; Munck, S. L. & Croteau, R. (1990) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 282, 58-64; Savage, T. J., et al., (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 4012-4020; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 293, 167-173; Rajaonarivony, J. I. M., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 296, 49-57; Rajaonarivony, J. I. M., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 299, 77-82; Savage, T. J., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 320, 257-265). Comparisons of all published terpene synthase sequences reveal cys507 (with reference to the numbering of the amino acid sequence of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24)) as the only universally conserved cysteine residue, and his95 and his141 (with reference to the numbering of the amino acid sequence of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24)) as the only conserved histidines. However, comparisons restricted to the sesquiterpene synthases reveal an additional conserved histidine residue at position 283 of the γ-humulene synthase sequence (SEQ ID No:24). Comparison among the sesquiterpene synthases also shows that eight arginine residues are conserved at positions 136, 139, 243, 247, 306, 329, 364 and 485 of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), a surprising number considering the broad taxonomic distribution of plant species compared (Facchini, P. J. & Chappell, J. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11088-11092; Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7375-7381; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266).

[0123] A highly conserved aspartate-rich motif (DDXXD) (SEQ ID No:36) is found in all terpenoid synthases, including those of microbial origin, as well as in prenyltransferases (Chen, A., et al., (1994) Protein Sci. 3, 600-607) which operate by a related mechanism on the common prenyl diphosphate substrates (Cane, D. E. (1980) Tetrahedron 36, 1109-1159; Poulter, C. D: & Rilling, H. C. (1978) Acc. Chem. Res. 11, 307-313; Poulter, C. D. & Rilling, H. C. (1981) in Biosynthesis of Isoprenoid Compounds (Porter, J. W. & Spurgeon, S. L., eds) Vol. 1, pp. 161-224, John Wiley and Sons, New York). Considerable evidence based on X-ray structural investigation and directed mutagenesis indicates that this motif is responsible for binding the divalent metal ion of the substrate disphosphate-metal ion complex (Tarshis, L. C., et al., (1994) Biochemistry 33, 10871-10877; Cane, D. E. & Xue, Q. (1996) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118, 1563-1564). A second DDXXD (SEQ ID No:39) motif is also present, of which the second aspartate residue is conserved among terpenoid synthases; the last aspartate residue is found only in the grand fir sesquiterpene synthases.

[0124] Sequence comparison between the δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and the γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) indicates that the two enzymes are very similar, but with the similarity decreasing toward the carboxy terminus of the proteins. This observation is consistent with the conclusions drawn from the aforementioned domain swapping experiments with related sesquiterpene synthases (Back, K. & Chappell, J. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 6841-6845) which suggest that the amino terminal regions of the proteins are involved in the initial, common steps of the cyclization reactions and that the more carboxy terminal regions are responsible for determining the specific product outcome.

[0125] The two gymnosperm sesquiterpene synthases (SEQ ID Nos:20 and 24) clearly resemble in sequence the angiosperm terpenoid synthases (roughly 55% similarity and 30% identity), with levels of conservation similar to those observed between the angiosperm sesquiterpene and diterpene synthases and the monoterpene synthases of this plant class (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792; Chen, X.-Y., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 324, 255-266). The regions of highest similarity between the various terpenoid synthases are clustered and likely represent those elements responsible for common cyclization chemistry (e.g., ionization, charge stabilization, deprotonation). The more variable regions likely impart the specific shape of the active site that enforces substrate and intermediate conformation and thus dictates the specific product outcome. The crystal structures of two sesquiterpene cyclases have recently been described for pentalenene synthase from Streptomyces UC5319 (Lesburg, Calif., et al., (1997) Science 277, 1820-1824) and epi-aristolochene synthase from tobacco (Starks, C. M., et al., (1997) Science 277, 1815-1820). Both enzymes have been shown to possess very similar fold structures related to farnesyl diphosphate synthase (Tarshis, L. C., et al., (1994) Biochemistry 33, 10871-10877), and to consist of mostly antiparallel α-helices that form a large central cavity.

EXAMPLE 9

Characterization of Substrate Specificity and Kinetic Parameters for δ-Selinene

Synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-Humulene Synthase (SEQ ID No:24)

[0126] The substrate specificity and other kinetic parameters of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) and δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) were investigated in order to confirm the identification and classification of these enzymes. The Km values for [1-3H]farnesyl diphosphate with γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) and δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) were estimated to be about 4.5 μM and 1.5 μM, respectively. The metal ion requirements of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) and δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) were also evaluated, as cofactor specificity is often characteristic of the different terpenoid synthase types (Savage, T. J., et al., (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 4012-4020). δ-Selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) shows a distinct preference for Mg2+; the maximum rate with Mn2+ is less than 10% of that with Mg2+ at saturation. By contrast, γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) can utilize Mg2+ or Mn2+ with comparable velocities in the cyclization reaction. For both enzymes, the Km value for Mg2+ is about 125 μM, and for Mn2+ about 25 μM. Neither of these sesquiterpene synthases requires K+ or other monovalent cation for activity. In contrast, the monoterpene synthases from conifers require Mn2+ or Fe2+ for activity, but Mg2+ fails to support catalysis (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 293, 167-173), and these enzymes also exhibit an absolute requirement for a monovalent cation, with K+ preferred (Bohlmann, J., et al., (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21784-21792; Savage, T. J., et al., (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 4012-4020).

[0127] Substrate specificity of δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) was evaluated by comparing farnesyl diphosphate (C15) to geranyl diphosphate (C10) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (C20) at saturation as precursors of the respective terpene olefins. Both enzymes failed to generate detectable olefinic products from geranylgeranyl diphosphate, whereas both synthesized monoterpenes from geranyl diphosphate at roughly half the rate of sesquiterpene biosynthesis from farnesyl diphosphate. The identities of the monoterpene products produced by the sesquiterpene synthases were determined by GLC-MS and are set forth in FIG. 4. Limonene is the principal monoterpene product of both synthases, with most of the other products being made in roughly comparable proportions by each, with the notable exception of E-ocimene which is a major product of δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) (22.4%) but is not detectable as a product of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24). γ-Humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) produces detectable amounts of camphene, the biosynthesis of which requires a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement as with longifolene and sativene; δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) does not produce this monoterpene.

[0128] Although δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) are both capable of producing monoterpenes when presented with geranyl diphosphate, several lines of evidence indicate that these enzymes are, in fact, sesquiterpene synthases. Firstly, as discussed in more detail in EXAMPLE 8, cDNAs encoding these enzymes (SEQ ID Nos:19 and 23) do not appear to encode preproteins bearing a plastidial transit peptide characteristic of monoterpene (and diterpene) synthases, but rather mature proteins of a size typical of cytosolic sesquiterpene synthases. Secondly, the divalent and monovalent ion requirements do not resemble those of the monoterpene synthases, but rather those of other sesquiterpene synthases. Finally, the acyclic monoterpenes (ocimenes) produced by δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) from geranyl diphosphate are not found in the turpentine fraction of grand fir oleoresin (Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1993) Phytochem. Anal. 4, 220-225; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1991) Plant Physiol. 96, 38-43; Smedman, L. A., et al., (1969) Phytochemistry 8, 1471-1479).

[0129] The accumulated evidence therefore clearly supports the identification of these novel enzymes (SEQ ID Nos:20 and 24) as sesquiterpene synthases. Since sesquiterpene biosynthesis occurs in the cytosol where the precursor farnesyl diphosphate is also synthesized, whereas the monoterpene synthases are compartmentalized within plastids where the precursor geranyl diphosphate also arises (Gershenzon, J. & Croteau, R. (1993) in Lipid Metabolism in Plants (Moore, Jr., T. S., ed) pp 340-388, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.; Colby, S. M., et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024; Belingheri, L., et al., (1988) J. Plant Physiol. 132, 80-85; Gleizes, M., et al., (1983) Planta 159, 373-381), the ability of these sesquiterpene synthases to produce monoterpenes in vitro may simply represent the adventitious utilization of a substrate that is never encountered in vivo and against which there is no evolutionary pressure to discriminate. It now seems likely that the adventitious utilization of geranyl diphosphate by the sesquiterpene synthases accounts, in part, for the relatively high level of limonene synthase activity observed in crude stem extracts of grand fir (Gijzen, M., et al., (1991) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 289, 267-273).

EXAMPLE 10

Product Profiles of δ-Selinene Synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and γ-Humulene Synthase

(SEQ ID No:24) Expressed In Vitro

[0130] Expression of Sesquiterpene Synthase cDNAs AG4 (SEQ ID No:19) and AG5 (SEQ ID No:23) in E. coli. Both putative sesquiterpene cyclase cDNAs (SEQ ID Nos:19 and 23) were expressed in bacterial strains E. coli XL1-Blue/pGAG4, E. coli XL1-Blue/pGAG5, E. coli BL21(DE3)/pSBAG4, and E. coli BL21(DE3)/pSBAG5 as set forth in EXAMPLE 7. Bacteria were grown to A600=0.5 at 37° C. in 5 ml or 100 ml of LB medium supplemented with 100 μg ampicillin/ml or 30 μg kanamycin/ml as determined by the vector. Cultures were then induced by addition of 1 mM isopropyl-1-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside and grown for another 12 h at 20° C. Cells were harvested by centrifugation (2000×g, 10 min) and resuspended in either 1 ml or 5 ml sesquiterpene synthase assay buffer (EXAMPLE 2). Cells were disrupted by sonication (Braun-Sonic 2000 with microprobe at maximum power for 15 seconds at 0-4° C.) and the homogenates were cleared by centrifugation (18,000×g, 10 min). Preparative assays were employed to generate product for GLC-MS analysis, as set forth in EXAMPLE 2, with quantification of composition via the total ion current chromatogram.

[0131] Product Profile of Recombinant δ-Selinene Synthase (SEQ ID No:20) In Vitro. Large scale incubation with [1-3H]farnesyl diphosphate, followed by isolation of the derived olefins and GLC-MS analysis, revealed the enzyme encoded by AG4 (SEQ ID No: 19) to produce mainly δ-selinene, for which this synthase is named, along with germacrene B and guai-6,9-diene as major products. In addition, 17 other sesquiterpene olefins were identified by GLC-MS, and another 14 products which displayed the characteristic sesquiterpene olefin mass spectral pattern [m/z 204 (P+), 189 (P+- CH3), and 161 (P+-C3H7)], were detected for a total of at least 34 different sesquiterpene products (TABLE I).

2TABLE 1Sesquiterpene products of δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthaseProducts are listed in order of their abundance and were identified bymatching GLC retention time and mass spectrum to authentic standards.Compounds labeled as (tent.) were tentatively identified based on themass spectrum alone.δ-Selinene Synthase (ag4)γ-Humulene Synthase (ag5)(SEQ ID No.20)(SEQ ID No:24)sesquiterpene%sesquiterpene%δ-Selinene25.3 γ-Humulene28.6 E,E-Germacrene B17.4 Sibirene15.1 Guaia-6,9-diene9.7Longifolene11.8 Germacrene A6.7β-Himachalene7.2δ-Amorphene6.4γ-Himachalene5.8Unknown4.7α-Himachalene4.8Unknown4.4β-Bisabolene3.9Germacrene C3.4α-Longipinene3.4α-Amorphene2.7Sativene3.1Unknown2.6α-Ylangene2.7α-Selinene1.7β-Gurjunene2.0β-Caryophyllene1.5γ-Bisabolene1.9δ-Cadinene1.4β-Longipinene1.5Unknown1.4E-β-Farnesene1.3Unknown1.3E-α-Bisabolene0.9Z,E-Germacrene B (tent.)1.3δ-Amorphene0.5Seli-3,7(11)-diene1.2α-Amorphene0.5Germacrene D0.8β-Ylangene0.3α-Humulene0.71,5,9-trimethylcyclododeca-0.2β-Bisabolene0.71,5,9-triene (tent. 2 isomers)Sibirene0.7Longicyclene0.2α-Guiaene0.2β-Cubebene0.1α-Cadinene0.2α-Copaene0.1α-Ylangene0.1α-Cubebene0.1α-Copaene0.1Z,E-Germacrene B (tent.)0.19 unknowns, each <1%3.4Cyclosativene<0.1 26 unknowns, each <1%4.1

[0132] A cyclization scheme to account for the generation of this remarkable number of products has been formulated in which the route to the principal product, δ-selinene, is based upon the formation of other eudesmane sesquiterpenes (Cane, D. E. (1981) in Biosynthesis of Isoprenoid Compounds (Porter, J. W. & Spurgeon, S. L., eds) Vol. 1, pp 283-374, John Wiley and Sons, New York; Cane, D. E. (1990) Chem. Rev. 90, 1089-1103; Cane, D. E. (1992) in Secondary Metabolites: Their Function and Evolution (Chadwick, D. J. & Whelan, J., eds) pp 163-183, Ciba Foundation Symposium 171, John Wiley and Sons, West Sussex, UK). The cyclization scheme is set forth in Steele et al. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 2078-2089 (1998), incorporated herein by reference.

[0133]

Product Profile of Recombinant γ-Humulene Synthase
(SEQ ID No:24) In Vitro. Although the array of products generated by δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) is remarkable, an even more bewildering spectrum of sesquiterpene olefins is produced by the synthase encoded by AG5 (SEQ ID No:23). γ-Humulene, the principal olefin for which this synthase has been named, sibirene and longifolene were identified by GLC-MS analysis as major products. In addition, 23 other sesquiterpenes were identified, along with 26 unknown sesquiterpene olefins, for a total of 52 different products (TABLE I). These products range in complexity from the simple acyclic olefin E-β-farnesene, to the complex tetracyclic olefins longicyclene and cyclosativene.

[0134] A reaction scheme has been proposed to account for the remarkable array of sesquiterpenes produced, in vitro, by γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) which appears to utilize exclusively cisoid-nerolidyl diphosphate as an intermediate, for example, in the formation of the principal product. Due to its complexity, the cyclization scheme is set forth in Steele et al. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 2078-2089(1998).

[0135] Although γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) appears to be restricted to utilization of the cisoid-nerolidyl diphosphate intermediate, as opposed to δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) which utilizes both cisoid- and transoid-forms, the former is able to catalyze formation of the greater number and the more diverse products, including acyclic, monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic and tetracyclic types, as well as olefins produced by Wagner-Meerwein rearrangements. It is worth noting that, in spite of the remarkable number of different sesquiterpene skeletal types generated by the recombinant δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No.20) and γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), deprotonation in each set of structures occurs from the same few carbons of the common substrate, providing at least a measure of uniformity between the two. The γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), in particular, catalyzes several very complex reaction cascades and generates far more products than any terpenoid synthase thus far described, and, along with δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20), it accounts for many of the constitutively produced cortical sesquiterpenes. However, the cDNA species encoding synthases responsible for the formation of several of the more abundant constitutive sesquiterpenes of grand fir oleoresin (e.g., α-muurolene, α-copaene, α-cubebene and β-caryophyllene) have not yet been acquired. Although E-α-bisabolene is a product of γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), and δ-cadinene is a product of δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20), these two sesquiterpenes account for only a small fraction of the many olefins generated by these two synthases. Thus, γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) and δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) cannot be responsible for the wound-induced production of E-α-bisabolene and δ-cadinene.

[0136] The ability of terpene synthases to produce multiple products has been well documented (Munck, S. L. & Croteau, R. (1990) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 282, 58-64; Savage, T. J., et al., (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 4012-4020; Lewinsohn, E., et al., (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 293, 167-173; Savage, T. J., et al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 320, 257-265; Wagschal, K., et al., (1991) Tetrahedron 47, 5933-5944) and may be a consequence of the unusual electrophilic reaction mechanisms employed by this enzyme type (Gershenzon, J. & Croteau, R. (1993) in Lipid Metabolism in Plants (Moore, Jr., T. S., ed) pp 340-388, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.; Cane, D. E. (1992) in Secondary Metabolites: Their Function and Evolution (Chadwick, D. J. & Whelan, J., eds) pp 163-183, Ciba Foundation Symposium 171, John Wiley and Sons, West Sussex, UK; Croteau, R. (1987) Chem. Rev. 87, 929-954) that may also represent an evolutionary adaptation for the production of the maximum number of terpene products using the minimum genetic and enzymatic machinery (Langenheim, J. H. (1994) J. Chem. Ecol. 20, 1223-1280). Nevertheless, the production of 34 different sesquiterpenes by δ-selinene synthase (SEQ ID No:20) and 52 discrete sesquiterpenes by γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24), by variations upon several different cyclization routes, is quite remarkable. The reaction cascade catalyzed by γ-humulene synthase (SEQ ID No:24) is particularly complex in generating (by deprotonation) stable olefinic end-products corresponding to many of the proposed carbocationic intermediates of each cyclization route (see, Steele et al. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 2078-2089(1998)).

EXAMPLE 11

Additional Representative Nucleic Acid Sequences Encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase

[0137] In addition to the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:12, examples of representative nucleic acid sequences of the present invention that encode an E-α-bisabolene synthase protein are set forth in SEQ ID No:37, SEQ ID No:39 and SEQ ID No:41. The nucleic acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID No:39 and SEQ ID No:41 were generated using a computer and encode E-α-bisabolene synthase protein sequences, set forth in SEQ ID No:40 and SEQ ID No:42, having conservative amino acid substitutions relative to the E-α-bisabolene synthase protein sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:13.

[0138] The cDNA set forth in SEQ ID No:37 was isolated in the same way as cDNA AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) encoding E-α-bisabolene synthase from Grand fir. The cDNA set forth in SEQ ID No:37 differs from cDNA AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) by one nucleotide at position 194 (a “C” in AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) compared to a “T” in the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:37). Consequently, the protein E-α-bisabolene synthase sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:13, encoded by AG1 (SEQ ID No:12) includes an alanine residue at position 65, whereas the protein sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:38, encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:37, includes a valine residue at position number 65. The sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:37 is presently believed to be the correct sequence of a Grand fir E-α-bisabolene synthase cDNA, while the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:12 is believed to be the result of a cloning artifact resulting in a “T” to “C” substitution at position 194. Nonetheless, both of the proteins set forth in SEQ ID No:13 and SEQ ID No:38 are functional E-α-bisabolene synthase proteins.

[0139] In addition to the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:19, examples of representative nucleic acid sequences of the present invention that encode δ-selinene synthase protein are set forth in SEQ ID No:43, SEQ ID No:45 and SEQ ID No:47. The nucleic acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID No:43; SEQ ID No:45 and SEQ ID No:47 were generated using a computer and encode δ-selinene synthase protein sequences, set forth in SEQ ID No:44, SEQ ID No:46 and SEQ ID No:48, having conservative amino acid substitutions relative to the δ-selinene synthase protein sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:20.

[0140] In addition to the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:23, examples of representative nucleic acid sequences of the present invention that encode a γ-humulene synthase protein are set forth in SEQ ID No:49, SEQ ID No:51 and SEQ ID No:53. The nucleic acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID No:49; SEQ ID No:51 and SEQ ID No:53 were generated using a computer and encode γ-humulene synthase protein sequences, set forth in SEQ ID No:50, SEQ ID No:52 and SEQ ID No:54, having conservative amino acid substitutions relative to the γ-humulene synthase protein sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:24.

EXAMPLE 12

Hybridization of Grand fir (Abies grandis) E-α-bisabolene Synthase cDNA (SEQ ID NO:12), d-Selinene Synthase cDNA (SEQ ID No:19) and g-Humulene Synthase cDNA (SEQ ID No:23) to Other Nucleic Acid Sequences of the Present Invention

[0141] The nucleic acid molecules of the present invention that encode an E-α-bisabolene synthase protein, a δ-selinene synthase protein or a γ-humulene synthase protein are preferably capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID No:19 or SEQ ID No:23, respectively, or to the complementary sequence of the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID No:19 or SEQ ID No:23, respectively, under the following stringent hybridization conditions: incubation in 3 X SSC at 65° C. for 16 hours, followed by washing under the following conditions: two washes in 2 X SSC at 18° C. to 25° C. for twenty minutes per wash, followed by one wash in 0.5 X SSC at 55° C. for thirty minutes.

[0142] Utilizing the foregoing hybridization and wash conditions, the E-α-bisabolene synthase cDNA molecule, having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:12, was used to probe a Northern blot bearing RNA samples from the following plant species: Grand fir (Abies grandis), White fir (Abies concolor), Western larch (Larix occidentalis), Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). RNA was isolated from two to five year-old saplings according to the method disclosed in Lewinsohn et al., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 21:20-25 (1994), incorporated herein by reference. The radiolabelled cDNA probe (SEQ ID No:12) hybridized to an RNA band of approximately 2.5 kilobases in all of the foregoing RNA samples.

[0143] The foregoing RNA samples were probed with the cDNA molecules having the nucleic acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID No:19 and SEQ ID No:23, encoding Grand fir δ-selinene synthase and γ-humulene synthase, respectively. The hybridization and wash conditions were as set forth in the foregoing description of the hybridization experiment utilizing the E-α-bisabolene synthase cDNA molecule, having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No:12, as probe. The δ-selinene synthase nucleic acid probe (SEQ ID No:19) hybridized to an RNA band of approximately 1.8 kilobases in all of the foregoing RNA samples. The γ-humulene synthase nucleic acid probe (SEQ ID No:23) hybridized to an RNA band of approximately 1.8 kilobases in all of the foregoing RNA samples.

[0144] The ability of the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention to hybridize to one or more of the nucleic acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:23, or to their complementary sequences, can be determined utilizing any standard nucleic acid hybridization technique including, for example, the technique set forth at pages 9.52 to 9.55 of Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual (2nd edition), J. Sambrook, E. F. Fritsch and T. Maniatis eds, the cited pages of which are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLE 13

Properties of the E-α-Bisabolene Synthase Proteins δ-Selinene Synthase Proteins and γ-Humulene Synthase Proteins of the Present Invention

[0145] Representative E-α-bisabolene synthase proteins, δ-selinene synthase proteins and γ-humulene synthase proteins of the present invention preferably possess the following properties. Each of the three types of sesquiterpene synthases (E-α-bisabolene synthases, δ-selinene synthases and γ-humulene synthases) preferably has a requirement for divalent cations, such as Mg++ or Mn++, for catalysis and each preferably has an optimal catalytic activity within the range of from about pH 6.5 to about pH 7.5. The preferred substrate for each of the three types of sesquiterpene synthases is famesyl diphosphate, but each can also utilize geranyl diphosphate as an adventitious substrate. Preferably each of the three types of sesquiterpene synthases lacks an amino-terminal plastidial targeting sequence, each preferably has a pI in the range of from about 4.5 to about 6.0 and each preferably includes at least one XXDDXXD (SEQ ID No:55) motif where each X residue represents a hydrophobic amino acid and D is an aspartate residue that functions in the coordination of the divalent cation. Further, each of the three types of sesquiterpene synthases preferably includes an arginine residue within the first 25 amino acids of the amino terminus that functions in ionization and/or isomerization of the substrate.

[0146] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	09234393	Jan 1999	US
Child	09865171	May 2001	US

Sesquiterpene synthases from grand fir (abies grandis), and methods of use

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