Two CYP71AJ enzymes function as psoralen synthase and angelicin synthase in the biosynthesis of furanocoumarins in Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn.

KEY MESSAGE: Psoralen synthase and angelicin synthase responsible for the formation of psoralen and angelicin in Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn were identified and functionally characterized, respectively. Furanocoumarins were reported to possess several activities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective, and function as phytotoxin and allelochemical in plants. Furanocoumarins are the main bioactive ingredient in P. praeruptorum which is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL), p-coumaroyl CoA 2'-hyfroxylase (C2'H) were cloned previously to elucidate the biosynthetic mechanism of coumarin lactone ring. However, the genes involved in complex coumarins in P. praeruptorum have not been explored. Herein, putative psoralen synthase CYP71AJ49 and angelicin synthase CYP71AJ51 were cloned from P. praeruptorum. In vivo and in vitro yeast assays were conducted to confirm their activities. Furthermore, the results of High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) verified that CYP71AJ49 catalyzed the conversion of marmesin to psoralen, and CYP71AJ51 catalyzed columbianetin to angelicin. Subsequently, the expression profile showed that CYP71AJ49 and CYP71AJ51 were easily affected by environmental conditions, especially UV and temperature. The genes tissue-specific expression and compounds tissue-specific distribution pattern indicated the existence of substance transport in P. praeruptorum. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted with 27 CYP71AJs, CYP71AJ49 and CYP71AJ51 were classified in I-4 and I-2, respectively. These results provide further insight to understand the biosynthetic mechanism of complex coumarins.