A Unique Flavoenzyme Operates in Ubiquinone Biosynthesis in Photosynthesis-related Eukaryotes

Overview

Journal Sci Adv

Specialties Biology
Science

Date 2021 Dec 8

PMID 34878842

Citations 7

Authors

Jing-Jing Xu

Xiao-Fan Zhang

Yan Jiang

Hang Fan

Jian-Xu Li

Chen-Yi Li

Qing Zhao

Lei Yang

Yong-Hong Hu

Cathie Martin

Xiao-Ya Chen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is an electron transporter in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, yet the biosynthetic pathway in eukaryotes remains only partially resolved. 6-hydroxylation completes the benzoquinone ring full substitution, a hallmark of CoQ. Here, we show that plants use a unique flavin-dependent monooxygenase (CoqF), instead of di-iron enzyme (Coq7) operating in animals and fungi, as a 6-hydroxylase. CoqF evolved early in eukaryotes and became widely distributed in photosynthetic and related organisms ranging from plants, algae, apicomplexans, and euglenids. Independent alternative gene losses in different groups and lateral gene transfer have ramified CoqF across the eukaryotic tree with predominance in green lineages. The exclusive presence of CoqF in Streptophyta hints at an association of the flavoenzyme with photoautotrophy in terrestrial environments. CoqF provides a phylogenetic marker distinguishing eukaryotes and represents a previously unknown target for drug design against parasitic protists.

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