Cloning and Prokaryotic Expression of Squalene Epoxidase Gene from Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To clone the squalene epoxidase genes of Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus(PvfSE),and perform bioinformatics analysis and prokaryotic expression. Method: Total RNA was extracted from root of P. vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus by trizol method, and reverse-transcribed into first stand of cDNA. Specific primers for PvfSE cloning were designed according to the transcriptome data of P. vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus,and the cDNA sequence of PvfSE gene was isolated. Bioinformatics of PvfSE was analyzed by relevant software. The prokaryotic expression vector pMal-c2X-PvfSE was built to express recombinant protein in Escherichia coli cells. Result: The PvfSE gene contained a 1 887 bp open reading frame,encoding a predicted protein of 628 amino acids. The calculated molecular weight was 68.8 kDa,the theoretical isoelectric point was 9.28,the aliphatic index was 95.18,the grand average of hydropathicity was -0.060, and the instability index was 40.36. The protein was unstable. Bioinformatics analysis showed that PvfSE had two transmembrane domains and no signal peptide. PvfSE was most likely to be located in chloroplast or cytoplasmic membrane. PvfSE was a mixed protein with FAD/NAD(P) binding domain and squalene epoxidase domain. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that PvfSE had a relatively close relationship with CpSE1,CpSE3,OsSE1 and OsSE2,which was involved in the biosynthesis of triterpene saponins in Cucurbita pepo and Ononis spinosa. In addition,PvfSE protein was expressed in E. coli. Conclusion: In this study,PvfSE gene was cloned and expressed in BL21(DE3),which lays a foundation for the further study on the gene functions of PvfSE and the biosynthetic pathway of triterpenoid saponins in P. vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus.