Characterization of Two BAHD Acetyltransferases Highly Expressed in the Flowers of Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton

Volatile benzenoid compounds are found in diverse aromatic bouquets emitted by most moth-pollinated flowers. The night-blooming Jasminum sambac is widely cultivated worldwide in the tropics and subtropics for ornamental and industrial purposes owing to its fragrant flowers. Benzylacetate is a characteristic constituent in jasmine scent which makes up to approximately 20–30% of the total emission in the headspace or extract, but the biosynthesis enzymes and the encoding genes have not yet been described. Here, we identify two cytosolic BAHD acyltransferases specifically expressed in the petals with a positive correlation closely to the emission pattern of the volatile benzenoids. Both JsBEAT1 and JsBEAT2 could use benzylalcohol and acetate-CoA as substrates to make benzylacetate in vitro. The recombinant GST-JsBEAT1 has an estimated apparent Km of 447.3 μM for benzylalcohol and 546.0 μM for acetate-CoA, whereas in the instance of the His-JsBEAT2, the Km values are marginally lower, being 278.7 and 317.3 μM, respectively. However, the catalytic reactions by the GST-JsBEAT1 are more efficient than that by the His-JsBEAT2, based on the steady-state kcat parameters. Furthermore, ectopic expression of JsBEAT1 and JsBEAT2 in the transgenic P. hybrida plants, driven by a flower-specific promotor, significantly enhances the biosynthesis of benzylbenzoate and benzylacetate, as well as the total VOCs.