Functional characterization of two efficient glycosyltransferases catalysing the formation of rutin from Sophora japonica L.

Two efficient and selective glycosyltransferases were identified from Sophora japonica L. Sj3GT could regio-selectively catalyse 3- O -glucosylation of quercetin to produce isoquercitrin, and Sj6''RhaT could further catalyse its 6''- O -rhamnosylation to generate rutin. It is particularly noteworthy that Sj6''RhaT shows high sugar donor selectivity towards UDP-rhamnose.