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Updated: Sep 11, 2025

A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
Biosynthesis of modular signaling molecules requires functional diversification of carboxylesterases in Pristionchus
Pei Zhang1,2, Penghieng Theam3, Wenya Xu1,2
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China.
Abstract:
The entomophilic roundworm Pristionchus pacificus produces a group of complex ascaroside pheromones (e.g., ubas#1), which are built with various intermediates originating from primary metabolic pathways. However, the exact biosynthetic pathways resulting in the production of these modular pheromones remain enigmatic. Here, the application of a workflow combing bioinformatic tools, CRISPR engineering and chemical analysis supports the discovery of three new carboxylesterases Ppa-UAR-5, Ppa-UAR-6 and Ppa-UAR-12 from P. pacificus. Ppa-UAR-5 links two simple ascarosides oscr#9 and ascr#12 to the 2'-position of ubas#3 to furnish the biosynthesis of ubas#1 and ubas#2, whereas Ppa-UAR-12 links two ascr#1 at the 4'-position to synthesize dasc#1. Finally, Ppa-UAR-6 is essential for the biosynthesis of npar#1-3 and part#9. The expression patterns of Ppa-uar-6 and Ppa-uar-12 in intestinal and epidermal cells further suggest pheromone biosynthesis is tissue-specific. These findings support the notion that the expansion and subsequent diversification of carboxylesterases in P. pacificus generates complex modular signaling pheromones.
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