Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yohei Katsuyama, Akimasa Miyanaga
Summary: Polyketides and nonribosomal peptides are important natural products with useful bioactivities, synthesized by enzymes with modular structures. Recent advances in cryogenic electron microscopy have led to an increasing number of studies on the structures of whole modules.
CURRENT OPINION IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chang Liu, Sijin Li
Summary: This review summarizes the progress made in the past 10 years in type III PKS-catalyzed natural product biosynthesis in microorganisms, with a focus on complete biosynthesis strategies and achievements.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Daren W. Brown, Hye-Seon Kim, Amy E. McGovern, Crystal E. Probyn, Robert H. Proctor
Summary: The genus Fusarium includes pathogens that are of global concern to animal and plant health. Analysis of PKS genes in the genomes of Fusarium species revealed the potential of different clades of PKSs to produce structurally distinct polyketide-derived natural products. This highlights the diverse natural product potential of Fusarium and its ability to produce metabolites with medical and other applications.
FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yucong Zhou, Wentao Tao, Zhen Qi, Jianhua Wei, Ting Shi, Qianjin Kang, Jianting Zheng, Yilei Zhao, Linquan Bai
Summary: Polyketides are a rich source of drug leads, but manipulation of polyketide synthases often leads to reduced yields. The thioesterase domains of type I PKSs are identified as key bottlenecks in biosynthesis of polyene antibiotics. Strategies to engineer these domains can increase the production of engineered unnatural polyketide derivatives.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dengwei Lei, Zetian Qiu, Jianjun Qiao, Guang-Rong Zhao
Summary: Plant monoterpenoids with structural diversities have extensive applications, but their agricultural production is less effective due to geographical and seasonal dependence. Synthetic biology enables engineered microbes for efficient production, and plasticity engineering of plant MTPSs plays a key role in achieving this goal.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Jin-Quan Huang, Dong-Mei Li, Jian-Xu Li, Jia-Ling Lin, Xiu Tian, Ling-Jian Wang, Xiao-Ya Chen, Xin Fang
Summary: The research identified a crucial residue that determines product specificity of sesquiterpene synthases from different plant species, with a key role in 1,10-cyclization reactions. This residue can be engineered to improve the production of high-value terpenoids like patchoulol for potential medicinal use against SARS-CoV-2.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tong Wu, Sandra M. Kerbler, Alisdair R. Fernie, Youjun Zhang
Summary: Synthetic biology in plants has attracted increasing attention, and plant cells may be a promising alternative for the production of high-value metabolites. Commercial plant suspension cell cultures have been successfully used to produce valuable metabolites in a safe and cost-effective manner, but the variety of metabolites biosynthesized using plant platforms is currently limited.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lichao Sun, Fengjiao Xin, Hal S. Alper
Summary: Food additives and colorants play a crucial role in the food industry, sourced mainly through natural extraction, chemical synthesis, and bio-production. Increasing demand for sustainability, safety, and natural products has spurred interest in bio-based production methods, leading to the development of new additives and colorants. The potential of microbial hosts offers promising opportunities for the production of these food additives and colorants.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Wen Song, Alexander Forderer, Dongli Yu, Jijie Chai
Summary: Plants use both membrane-bound and intracellular immune receptors to distinguish self from invaders, initiating pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity respectively. Pathogens can overcome pattern-triggered immunity by secreting effectors, which are specifically recognized by intracellular NLRs receptors.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ling Yu Li, Yi Ling Hu, Jia Lin Sun, Long Bo Yu, Jing Shi, Zi Ru Wang, Zhi Kai Guo, Bo Zhang, Wen Jie Guo, Ren Xiang Tan, Hui Ming Ge
Summary: Through genome mining strategy and phylogenetic analysis, 25 distinct tetracycline gene clusters were discovered, resulting in the isolation and characterization of a novel tetracycline, hainancycline (1), elucidating the biosynthetic pathway of tetracyclines.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tingting Lou, Annan Li, Houchao Xu, Jingfeng Pan, Baiying Xing, Ruibo Wu, Jeroen S. Dickschat, Donghui Yang, Ming Ma
Summary: This study determined the crystal structures of three sesquiterpene synthases (STSs) and explored their catalytic mechanisms using combined molecular dynamics simulations and experimental validation. It revealed the key active site residues and their role in stabilizing reactive intermediates, providing deep insights into the catalytic mechanisms of these enzymes. The study also demonstrated the potential for expanding the chemical space of STSs, which could have implications in synthetic biology approaches for pharmaceutical and perfumery agents.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Adesola J. Tola, Amal Jaballi, Tagnon D. Missihoun
Summary: Plants respond to environmental stresses through changes in cellular homeostasis of reactive oxygen species, which can interact with cellular components and interfere with hormone signaling. Protein carbonylation plays a significant role in physiological processes, with implications for hydrogen peroxide sensing, cell proliferation, and antioxidant response. However, studying the impacts of carbonylation on protein functions in plants poses challenges, despite insights gained from research in bacteria and animals.
Review
Plant Sciences
Megan A. Outram, Melania Figueroa, Jana Sperschneider, Simon J. Williams, Peter N. Dodds
Summary: This article reviews recent advances in understanding host-pathogen co-evolution through the structural determination of effectors and their complexes with immunity receptors. The study highlights the use of recent advances in structural prediction and its role in the future development of designer resistance proteins.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Norihito Nakamichi, Junichiro Yamaguchi, Ayato Sato, Kazuhiro J. Fujimoto, Eisuke Ota
Summary: Recent advances in chemical biology have revealed the function and regulation of plant circadian clocks through small molecules, including post-translational modifications and metabolites.
Review
Plant Sciences
Oludoyin Adeseun Adigun, Muhammad Nadeem, Thu Huong Pham, Linda Elizabeth Jewell, Mumtaz Cheema, Raymond Thomas
Summary: Plant pathogens are a significant threat to food security and the agricultural economy, with understanding and utilizing plant immune systems being crucial for controlling pathogens and promoting sustainable agriculture. Lipids play a key role in plant defense against pathogens, yet there is limited information available on lipid signaling targets in the scientific literature.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Neill Kim, Olga Estrada, Benjamin Chavez, Charles Stewart, John C. D'Auria
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Charles Stewart, Kate Woods, Greg Macias, Andrew C. Allan, Roger P. Hellens, Joseph P. Noel
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2017)
Review
Plant Sciences
J. -L. Ferrer, M. B. Austin, C. Stewart, J. P. Noe
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2008)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rochelle R. Dotas, Trang T. Nguyen, Charles E. Stewart, Rodolfo Ghirlando, Davit A. Potoyan, Vincenzo Venditti
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raimund Nagel, Liza E. Alexander, Charles E. Stewart, Reuben J. Peters
Summary: Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are enzymes that catalyze the insertion of oxygen into C-H bonds. One interesting reaction they can mediate is the biosynthesis of gibberellin A (GA) phytohormones, involving ring contraction and aldehyde extrusion. A recent study investigated the structure and function of the CYP114 enzyme involved in this reaction and found that it requires a dedicated ferredoxin and the absence of a conserved acidic residue. The results provide insight into the mechanism underlying this unusual reaction.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrew Stewart, Philip Dershwitz, Charles Stewart, Michael R. Sawaya, Todd O. Yeates, Jeremy D. Semrau, Hans Zischka, Alan A. DiSpirito, Thomas A. Bobik
Summary: Methanobactins (MBs) are post-translationally modified peptides used by methanotrophs for copper acquisition. The biosynthetic pathway of MB formation is not fully understood, and there are still uncharacterized proteins in some MB gene clusters. This study focused on MbnF, a proposed flavin monooxygenase (FMO) protein, and found that it binds the precursor peptide for MB and may be involved in its processing. The X-ray crystal structure of MbnF was resolved, revealing its structural features and supporting its role as a type A FMO.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
C Stewart, BC Kang, K Liu, M Mazourek, SL Moore, EY Yoo, BD Kim, I Paran, MM Jahn
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
TW Johnson, S Naithani, C Stewart, B Zybailov, AD Jones, JH Golbeck, PR Chitnis
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2003)
Article
Plant Sciences
Charles Stewart, Michael Mazourek, Giulia M. Stellari, Mary O'Connell, Molly Jahn
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2007)
