Chromosome arm location of the genes for the biosynthesis of hordatines in barley.

Hordatines A and B, the strong antifungal compounds in barley (Hordeum vulgare), are biosynthesized from p-coumaroyl- and feruloyl-CoA and agmatine by two successive reactions catalyzed by agmatine coumaroyltransferase (ACT) and peroxidase. ACT catalyzes the formation of agmatine conjugates (p-coumaroylagmatine and feruloylagmatine) from precursor CoAs and agmatine, and peroxidase catalyzes the oxidative coupling of agmatine conjugates to form hordatines. Our previous study demonstrated that the short arm of barley chromosome 2H (2HS) is responsible for the biosynthesis of hordatines. In the present study, however, barley genes encoding the ACT (HvACT) and a peroxidase (HvPrx7) were found to be located on the long arm of 2H (2HL). The amounts of hordatines and precursor agmatine conjugates were analyzed in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and wheat lines carrying a whole 2H chromosome, 2HS or 2HL. The addition of 2H and 2HL elevated the levels of agmatine conjugates in wheat. This could be attributed to the HvACT on 2HL. However, the content of agmatine conjugates increased also in the 2HS addition line, suggesting the presence of another unidentified ACT gene on 2HS. Hordatines were detected in wheat, but their content was by far lower than those in barley. The 2H and 2HS addition lines accumulated substantial amounts of hordatines, while the 2HL addition line accumulated them as little as wheat did in spite of the substantial transcription of the HvPrx7 gene on 2HL and of the increased accumulation of the precursor agmatine conjugates. These facts suggest that the HvPrx7 gene on 2HL is not involved in the hordatine biosynthesis and that unidentified peroxidase gene responsible for the hordatine biosynthesis is located on 2HS in barley.