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Functional Analysis and the Role of Members of SGT Gene Family of Withania somnifera

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Transgenesis and Secondary Metabolism

Part of the book series: Reference Series in Phytochemistry ((RSP))

Abstract

Sterol glycosyltransferases (SGTs) catalyze the attachment of a carbohydrate moiety to an aglycone sterol accepter molecule at different positions. SGTs are key enzymes for the biosynthesis of many precious natural plant products. SGTs of Withania somnifera (WsSGTs) help in the glycosylation of withanolides, a pharmaceutically important C-28 phytochemical product and phytosterols, such as sitosterol and stigmasterol. SGTs of W. somnifera glycosylate the sterol backbone at C-3, C-17, and C-27 positions. Modified phytosterols and withanolides play an important role in maintaining metabolic plasticity during adaptive response. The expression of SGTs changed during different biotic and abiotic stresses indicating their role in maintaining the cellular disturbances. Overexpression of WsSGTL1, a gene member of SGT gene family and silencing of SGT members through RNAi and artificial miRNA technology, in homologous (W. somnifera) and heterologous (Nicotiana tabacum and Arabidopsis thaliana) expression systems defines their role in growth and development of plants. The functional analysis of these genes has also been studied under abiotic (cold, heat, and salt) and biotic (SA, JA, Alternaria alternata, and Spodoptera litura) stress-providing tolerance to the plants. The chapter is concerned with the importance and application of SGTs in metabolic pathway engineering leading to biosynthesis of important bioactive compounds in W. somnifera.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics and Plant Molecular Biology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Pratibha Misra & Gaurav Singh

  2. Department of Botany, Lucknow University, Lucknow, 226007, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Manoj K. Mishra

  3. Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India

    Vibha Pandey

  4. Department of Biotechnology, Integral University, Lucknow, 226026, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Syed Saema

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  1. Pratibha Misra
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  2. Gaurav Singh
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  3. Manoj K. Mishra
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  4. Vibha Pandey
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  5. Syed Saema
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Correspondence to Pratibha Misra .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India

    Sumita Jha

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Misra, P., Singh, G., Mishra, M.K., Pandey, V., Saema, S. (2017). Functional Analysis and the Role of Members of SGT Gene Family of Withania somnifera . In: Jha, S. (eds) Transgenesis and Secondary Metabolism. Reference Series in Phytochemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28669-3_16

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