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. 1997 Jun;114(2):565–573. doi: 10.1104/pp.114.2.565

Purification and Characterization of Allene Oxide Cyclase from Dry Corn Seeds.

J Ziegler 1, M Hamberg 1, O Miersch 1, B Parthier 1
PMCID: PMC158337  PMID: 12223729

Abstract

Allene oxide cyclase (AOC; EC 5.3.99.6) catalyzes the cyclization of 12,13(S)-epoxy-9(Z),11,15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid to 12-oxo- 10,15(Z)-phytodienoic acid, the precursor of jasmonic acid (JA). This soluble enzyme was purified 2000-fold from dry corn (Zea mays L.) kernels to apparent homogeneity. The dimeric protein has a molecular mass of 47 kD. Allene oxide cyclase activity was not affected by divalent ions and was not feedback-regulated by its product, 12-oxo-l0,15(Z)-phytodienoic acid, or by JA. ([plus or minus])-cis- 12,13-Epoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid, a substrate analog, strongly inhibited the enzyme, with 50% inhibition at 20 [mu]M. Modification of the inhibitor, such as methylation of the carboxyl group or a shift in the position of the epoxy group, abolished the inhibitory effect, indicating that both structural elements and their position are essential for binding to AOC. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are often used to interfere with JA biosynthesis, did not influence AOC activity. The purified enzyme catalyzed the cyclization of 12,13(S)-epoxy-9(Z),11,15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid derived from linolenic acid, but not that of 12,13(S)-epoxy-9(Z),11- octadecadienoic acid derived from linoleic acid.

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Selected References

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