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Copy number variations of functional genes influence contents of glycyrrhizic acid in Glycyrrhiza uralensis

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Abstract

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a widely used Chinese herb and glycyrrhizic acid is believed to be its marker compound. Three key enzymes, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR), squalene synthase (SQS) and beta-amyrin synthase (β-AS), are involved in the glycyrrhizic acid biosynthetic pathway. In this paper, the relationship between copy number variations (CNVs) of HMGR, SQS and β-AS genes and the content levels of glycyrrhizic acid in G. uralensis were investigated. CNVs of the 62 G. uralensis samples from different origins were determined by real-time PCR and their glycyrrhizic acid contents were analyzed by HPLC. The real-time PCR results showed that the copy numbers of HMGR, SQS1 and β-AS in the 62 G. uralensis samples were either one copy or two copies. According to the copy number patterns of HMGR, SQS1 and β-AS, the 62 G. uralensis samples can be divided into six groups. Among the six groups, group B with two copies of HMGR, one copy of SQS1 and β-AS contained relatively higher contents of glycyrrhizic acid. The accumulation of glycyrrhizic acid was lower in the group C with two copies of β-AS, one copy of SQS1 and HMGR. The results of this work may provide a basis for enhancing the accumulation of glycyrrhizic acid in cultivars of G. uralensis.

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Abbreviations

CNVs:

Copy number variations

HMGR:

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase

MVA:

Mevalonic acid

SQS:

Squalene synthase

β-AS:

β-Amyrin synthase

RSD:

Relative standard deviation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China

    Ying Liu, Xin-Jie Zhan, Ya Gao, Hao Wen, Hong-Hao Chen, Li-Qiang Wang & Chun-Sheng Liu

  2. Department of Antibiotic, Beijing Institute for Drug Control, Beijing, 100035, China

    Wen-Dong Li

Authors
  1. Ying Liu
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  2. Xin-Jie Zhan
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  3. Wen-Dong Li
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  4. Ya Gao
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  5. Hao Wen
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  6. Hong-Hao Chen
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  7. Li-Qiang Wang
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  8. Chun-Sheng Liu
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Correspondence to Chun-Sheng Liu.

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Communicated by A. Chandra.

Y. Liu and X.-J. Zhan contributed equally to this work.

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Liu, Y., Zhan, XJ., Li, WD. et al. Copy number variations of functional genes influence contents of glycyrrhizic acid in Glycyrrhiza uralensis . Acta Physiol Plant 36, 1433–1440 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-014-1521-0

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