A cDNA clone for β-caryophyllene synthase from Artemisia annua

An homology-based cloning strategy yielded a full-length cDNA from Artemisia annua that encoded a protein of 60.3 kDa which resembled a sesquiterpene synthase in sequence. Heterologous expression of the gene in Escherichia coli provided a soluble recombinant enzyme capable of catalyzing the divalent metal ion-dependent conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to β-caryophyllene, a sesquiterpene olefin found in the essential oil of A. annua. In reaction parameters and kinetic properties, β-caryophyllene synthase resembles other sesquiterpene synthases of angiosperms. The β-caryophyllene synthase gene is expressed in most plant tissues during early development, and is induced in mature tissue in response to fungal elicitor thus suggesting a role for β-caryophyllene in plant defense. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]