Benzoxazolinone detoxification by N-Glucosylation: The multi-compartment-network of Zea mays L.

The major detoxification product in maize roots after 24 h benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (BOA) exposure was identified as glucoside carbamate resulting from rearrangement of BOA-N-glucoside, but the pathway of N-glucosylation, enzymes involved and the site of synthesis were previously unknown. Assaying whole cell proteins revealed the necessity of H2O2 and Fe2+ ions for glucoside carbamate production. Peroxidase produced BOA radicals are apparently formed within the extraplastic space of the young maize root. Radicals seem to be the preferred substrate for N-glucosylation, either by direct reaction with glucose or, more likely, the N-glucoside is released by glucanase/glucosidase catalyzed hydrolysis from cell wall components harboring fixed BOA. [...

Operons

Operons (clusters of co-regulated genes with related functions) are common features of bacterial genomes. More recently, functional gene clustering has been reported in eukaryotes, from yeasts to filamentous fungi, plants, and animals. Gene clusters can consist of paralogous genes that have most likely arisen by gene duplication. However, there are now many examples of eukaryotic gene clusters that contain functionally related but non-homologous genes and that represent functional gene organizations with operon-like features (physical clustering and co-regulation). These include gene clusters for use of different carbon and nitrogen sources in yeasts, for production of antibiotics, toxins, and virulence determinants in filamentous fungi, for production of defense compounds in plants, and for innate and adaptive immunity in animals (the major histocompatibility locus). The aim of this article is to review features of functional gene clusters in prokaryotes and eukaryotes and the significance of clustering for effective function

Glucosides from MBOA and BOA Detoxification by Zea mays and Portulaca oleracea

Incubation of Zea mays cv. Nicco seedlings with 6-methoxybenzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA) led to a minor detoxification product hitherto only found in Poaceae. This new compound was identified as 1-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenylamino)-1-deoxy-beta-glucoside 1,2-carbamate (1) (methoxy glucoside carbamate) and represents an analogue to the previously described 1-(2-hydroxyphenylamino)-1-deoxy-beta-glucoside 1,2-carbamate (glucoside carbamate) from benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (BOA). In Portulaca oleracea var. sativa cv. Gelber treatment with BOA resulted in further unknown detoxification products, which were not synthesized in detectable amounts after BOA absorption in all other species tested. Compound 1 easily undergoes decay into BOA-5-O-glucoside (2). Z. mays seedlings, known to produce BOA-6-O-Glc on incubation with BOA, are able to transform BOA-5-OH into BOA-5-O-glucoside (2). Besides the known compounds, maize contained a formerly unseen product that accumulated during late stages of the detoxification process. It was isolated and identified as 1-(2-hydroxyphenylamino)-6-O-malonyl-1-deoxy-beta-glucoside 1,2-carbamate (3) (malonyl glucoside carbamate)