BIOSS
Centre for Biological Signalling Studies

The single berberine bridge enzyme homolog of Physcomitrella patens is a cellobiose oxidase

Toplak M, Wiedemann G, Ulićević J, Daniel B, Hoernstein SNW, Kothe J, Niederhauser J, Reski R, Winkler A, Macheroux P.

FEBS J. 2018;285(10):1923-1943.

FEBS J.                   online article

Berberine bridge enzymes (BBE) are involved in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. Here we cloned and expressed PpBBE1 of Physcomitrella patens, the most basal land plant harboring a BBE enzyme. In this study we performed biochemical, structural, and in vivo characterization of PpBBE1. Catalytic residues in the active site were identified using a structure-guided mutagenesis approach. Our results suggest a role of BBE-like enzymes in primary metabolic reactions and signaling of carbohydrate utilization.