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School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Academic Staff

Publication details for Prof Robert Edwards

Cummins, I. & Edwards, R. (2004). Purification and cloning of an esterase from the weed black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides), which bioactivates aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicides. Plant Journal 39(6): 894-904.

Author(s) from Durham

  • Prof Robert Edwards

Abstract

Carboxyesterases which activate aryloxyphenoxypropionate (AOPP) graminicides to their bioactive herbicidal
acids by hydrolysing the respective ester precursors have been identified in black-grass (Alopecurus
myosuroides), a problem weed of cereal crops in Northern Europe. The dominant 40 kDa carboxyesterase
was purified 1700-fold and identified as a serine hydrolase by affinity labelling with a biotinylated
fluorophosphonate suicide substrate. MS–MS sequencing of a peptide digest identified it to be a member of
the GDSL family of serine hydrolases. The full-length A. myosuroides hydrolase (Amgdsh1) was cloned by
RACE-PCR and expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris as a secreted enzyme. Expression was associated with
activity towards AOPP esters. AmGDSH1 was predicted to be glycosylated and exported to the apoplast
in planta. Based on the analysis of related sequences in monocotyledonous plants an alternative classification
of the GDSL plant hydrolase superfamily is suggested and their importance in endogenous metabolism and
herbicide bioactivation in crops and weeds discussed.