Cloning and Expression Analysis of Acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase Gene in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.

PurposeTo study the structural and expression characteristics of acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase (AACT) in biosynthesis pathway of terpenoids in Perilla frutescens.

MethodsThe AACT gene was cloned from P. frutescens by gene cloning technique, and was analysed using bioinformatics and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results1) The full length open reading frame of AACT gene was 1254 bp, encoding 417 amino acids. 2) Bioinformatics analysis showed that PfAACT was a hydrophobin with a molecular weight of 42.972 ku and an isoeletric point of 8.07. 3) The amino acids of PfAACT were higher homologous with IrAACT (Isodon rubescens), SmAACT (Salvia miltiorrhiza), PvAACT (Prunella vulgaris) and SiAACT (Sesamum indicum), which indicated PfAACT protein was highly conserved in the evolutionary process. The phylogenetic analysis showed that PfAACT had the closest relationship with AACT of I. rubescens. 4) qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression level of PfAACT gene was higher in leaves than that in roots and stems, and the expression of PfAACT gene was highest in the middle and late September than in other time.

ConclusionWe firstly cloned the PfAACT gene from P. frutescens. The results of structural and expression characteristics of gene provide a reference for the study of key gene of Perilla terpenoid biosynthesis.