A functionally conserved STORR gene fusion in Papaver species that diverged 16.8 million years ago

Theresa Catania, Yi Li, Thilo Winzer, David Harvey, Fergus Meade, Anna Caridi, Andrew Leech, Tony R. Larson, Zemin Ning, Jiyang Chang, Yves Peer and Ian A. Graham ()
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Theresa Catania: University of York
Yi Li: University of York
Thilo Winzer: University of York
David Harvey: University of York
Fergus Meade: University of York
Anna Caridi: University of York
Andrew Leech: University of York
Tony R. Larson: University of York
Zemin Ning: Wellcome Genome Campus
Jiyang Chang: Ghent University, and VIB Centre for Plant Systems Biology
Yves Peer: Ghent University, and VIB Centre for Plant Systems Biology
Ian A. Graham: University of York

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The STORR gene fusion event is considered essential for the evolution of the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) in opium poppy as the resulting bi-modular protein performs the isomerization of (S)- to (R)-reticuline essential for their biosynthesis. Here, we show that of the 12 Papaver species analysed those containing the STORR gene fusion also contain promorphinans/morphinans with one important exception. P. californicum encodes a functionally conserved STORR but does not produce promorphinans/morphinans. We also show that the gene fusion event occurred only once, between 16.8-24.1 million years ago before the separation of P. californicum from other Clade 2 Papaver species. The most abundant BIA in P. californicum is (R)-glaucine, a member of the aporphine subclass of BIAs, raising the possibility that STORR, once evolved, contributes to the biosynthesis of more than just the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of BIAs in the Papaveraceae.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30856-w

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