Review
Plant Sciences
Haiyue Gong, Ping He, Xiaozhong Lan, Lingjiang Zeng, Zhihua Liao
Summary: In this review, we summarize the advances in the biosynthesis and engineering of MTA production, which holds great significance for the pharmaceutical industry.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Yuru Wen, Yiran Liao, Yueli Tang, Hongbo Zhang, Jiahui Zhang, Zhihua Liao
Summary: This review discusses the impact of elicitation on the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids (TAs). It covers single-elicitor treatment, multiple-elicitor treatment, and the combination of elicitation strategy with other strategies. While the synergistic effects of multiple elicitors have been observed, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Further research is needed to effectively implement elicitation strategies in commercial production and explore the integration of elicitation with other strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Prashanth Srinivasan, Christina D. Smolke
Summary: Microbial biosynthesis of plant natural products can provide valuable medicinal compounds. However, metabolite transport limitations pose challenges in reconstructing complex plant pathways in unicellular hosts. This study demonstrates that alleviating transport limitations in an engineered pathway can increase tropane alkaloid production and enable screening of useful derivatives. Incorporating plant transporters, cofactor regeneration mechanisms, and optimized growth conditions into a yeast platform significantly improves de novo production of hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Additionally, computational tools for biosynthetic pathway prediction can be used to produce diverse tropane alkaloid derivatives from simple precursors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Junlan Zeng, Muqi Liu, Lingjiang Zeng, Chunxian Yang, Ping He, Min Lin, Zhihua Liao, Fei Qiu
Summary: In this study, the roles of four novel biosynthesis genes in engineering tropane alkaloids (TAs) production were investigated. The results showed that co-overexpression of PYKS and CYP82M3 significantly increased the production of tropinone and tropine. Overexpression of UGT1 or LS greatly enhanced the production of littorine, hyoscyamine, anisodamine, and scopolamine. When all four biosynthesis genes were overexpressed together, the highest production of TAs was achieved, indicating a synergistic effect on TAs' production.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Monique de Nijs, Colin Crews, Folke Dorgelo, Susan MacDonald, Patrick P. J. Mulder
Summary: A study was conducted on the occurrence of tropane alkaloids (TAs), toxic plant metabolites, in food in Europe to identify the most relevant TAs for human health. Calystegines were found to be inherent TAs in commonly consumed European foods such as potato, eggplant, bell pepper, and broccoli. Additional low-molecular-weight tropanes and Convolvulaceae-type TAs were also detected in bell pepper. Furthermore, emerging TAs like atropine, scopolamine, convolvine, pseudotropine, and tropine were associated with the presence of weeds in food. The need for monitoring data and collaboration among food safety authorities, farmers, plant breeders, and food businesses to prevent the spread of invasive weeds and raise awareness was emphasized.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tengfei Zhao, Junlan Zeng, Mei Yang, Fei Qiu, Yueli Tang, Lingjiang Zeng, Chunxian Yang, Ping He, Xiaozhong Lan, Min Chen, Zhihua Liao, Fangyuan Zhang
Summary: The study investigated the metabolic and developmental roles of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene in A. belladonna through RNAi-mediated suppression. The results showed that ODC plays a critical role in regulating the biosynthesis of polyamines and medicinal tropane alkaloids, as well as participating in pollen development.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Duchesse-Lacours Zamar, Nicolas Papon, Vincent Courdavault
Summary: The Huang research group has successfully elucidated the complete pathway for cocaine biosynthesis and transferred it to Nicotiana benthamiana, resulting in the production of cocaine. This discovery not only has significant impact but also reveals the evolution of two distinct and convergent pathways for tropane alkaloid biosynthesis in Erythroxylaceae and Solanaceae. By exploring enzyme biochemical plasticity, this study provides new insights for metabolic engineering in reconstructing tropane alkaloid biosynthesis pathways in heterologous organisms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hannah M. Parks, Maris A. Cinelli, Matthew A. Bedewitz, Josh M. Grabar, Steven M. Hurney, Kevin D. Walker, A. Daniel Jones, Cornelius S. Barry
Summary: This study reveals major changes in the root alkaloid metabolome of Atropa belladonna when pyrrolidine ketide synthase (AbPyKS) is silenced, leading to the discovery of almost 40 pyrrolidine alkaloids that increase. These alkaloids share a core structure formed through the nonenzymatic Mannich-like decarboxylative condensation of the N-methyl Delta(1)-pyrrolinium cation with 2-O-malonylphenyllactate. This research provides insights into the complexity of the A. belladonna root metabolome and lays the foundation for further exploration of the biosynthesis, function, and potential applications of these novel alkaloids.
Review
Plant Sciences
Asem Mipeshwaree Devi, Khomdram Khedashwori Devi, Pukhrambam Premi Devi, Moirangthem Lakshmipriyari Devi, Sudripta Das
Summary: Plants produce secondary metabolites that are important for their primary functions. Some of these metabolites have benefits for human health. The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated system has been widely used for genome editing and functional genomics, but it also faces challenges in plant applications.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Randolph R. J. Arroo, Avninder S. Bhambra, Christophe Hano, Gulin Renda, Ketan C. Ruparelia, Meng F. Wang
Summary: Analysis of biochemical pathways involves using labelled precursors to monitor metabolic fate, with mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance as common monitoring tools.
PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Simon A. Haughey, Olivier P. Chevallier, Claire McVey, Christopher T. Elliott
Summary: In 2019, Uganda experienced a series of food poisoning events and deaths due to the presence of Tropane alkaloids, atropine and scopolamine, in the Super Cereal. The investigation revealed that the alkaloids were present because Datura seeds were incorporated during production of the Super Cereal, with all outbreaks caused by a single batch of the product.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yong-Jiang Wang, Tian Tain, Jia-Yi Yu, Jie Li, Bingyan Xu, Jianghua Chen, John C. D'Auria, Jian-Ping Huang, Sheng-Xiong Huang
Summary: We provided evidence for the independent origins of serial TA biosynthetic enzymes, explaining the chemotypic convergence of TAs in phylogenetically distant species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ali Alipour Najmi, Rainer Bischoff, Hjalmar P. Permentier
Summary: N-dealkylation is an important chemical transformation for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, as well as a crucial metabolic pathway in vivo. The identification and synthesis of drug metabolites has significant implications in drug development studies.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Florian Kaltner
Summary: Toxic plant alkaloids (TPAs) found in food may be affected by storing or processing, leading to decreased levels of the parent alkaloids. However, little is known about potential transformation products and their toxic potential. This perspective summarizes the current knowledge on the behavior of opium, pyrrolizidine, and tropane alkaloids during processing or storing, and highlights analytical strategies to identify and elucidate potential transformation products.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Devina Ghai, Arshpreet Kaur, Parvinderdeep S. Kahlon, Sandip V. Pawar, Jaspreet K. Sembi
Summary: Orchids, with their vast reservoir of secondary metabolites, hold immense therapeutic importance. High-throughput omics technologies have been used to analyze gene identification, functional annotation, and differential expression in orchid transcriptome data sets, with a focus on alkaloid and flavonoid biosynthesis. The study provides insights into potential gene targets for drug discovery and suggests strategies for genetic and epigenetic improvement of orchids for therapeutic product development.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
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
Charles Stewart, Christopher R. Vickery, Michael D. Burkart, Joseph P. Noel
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2013)
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)
