Discovery, characterization, and comparative analysis of new UGT72 and UGT84 family glycosyltransferases

Abstract

Glycosylated derivatives of natural product polyphenols display a spectrum of biological activities, rendering them critical for both nutritional and pharmacological applications. Their enzymatic synthesis by glycosyltransferases is frequently constrained by the limited repertoire of characterized enzyme-catalyzed transformations. Here, we explore the glycosylation capabilities and substrate preferences of newly identified plant uridine diphosphate (UDP)-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) within the UGT72 and UGT84 families, with particular focus on natural polyphenol glycosylation from UDP-glucose. Four UGTs are classified according to their phylogenetic relationships and reaction products, identifying them as biocatalysts for either glucoside (UGT72 enzymes) or glucose ester (UGT84 members) formation from selected phenylpropanoid compounds. Detailed kinetic evaluations expose the unique attributes of these enzymes, including their specific activities and regio-selectivities towards diverse polyphenolic substrates, with product characterizations validating the capacity of UGT84 family members to perform di-O-glycosylation on flavones. Sequence analysis coupled with structural predictions through AlphaFold reveal an unexpected absence of a conserved threonine residue across all four enzymes, a trait previously linked to pentosyltransferases. This comparative analysis broadens the understood substrate specificity range for UGT72 and UGT84 enzymes, enhancing our understanding of their utility in the production of natural phenolic glycosides. The findings from this in-depth characterization provide valuable insights into the functional versatility of UGT-mediated reactions.