Review
Clinical Neurology
Haotian Liu, Yong Xie, Xia Wang, Martine Abboud, Chao Ma, Wei Ge, Christopher J. Schofield
Summary: The article discusses the potential roles of 2OGDD in AD, highlighting the relationship with synaptic dysfunction/loss and the importance of regulating neuronal/glial differentiation through enzyme activity-dependent mechanisms to protect against synaptic loss.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shuo Wei, Wen Zhang, Rao Fu, Yang Zhang
Summary: Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the tomato 2ODD family and highlights the significant roles of these family members in plant metabolism. Moreover, we suggest that no FNSI genes in tomato contribute to the biosynthesis of flavones.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sam Borrowman, Jagadis Gupta Kapuganti, Gary J. Loake
Summary: After pathogen recognition, plant cells generate a burst of nitrosative products, such as nitric oxide (NO), which alter the cell's redox state and contribute to immune response orchestration. NO can modify target proteins through covalent attachment to specific cysteine (Cys) thiols, forming protein S-nitrosothiols (SNOs). This process, known as S-nitrosylation, regulates key processes in plant immunity, including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), immune response gene expression, hypersensitive response (HR) triggering, and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) establishment.
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Xin Du, Hai Hu
Summary: 2-HG plays a significant role in 2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria, tumors with IDH1/2mt mutations, and ccRCC, being regarded as an oncometabolite. It can also accumulate in hypoxic or acidic pH conditions, and has been shown to have a vital role in the fate decision of immune cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiao-Jiao Song, Xin Fang, Chen-Yi Li, Yan Jiang, Jian-Xu Li, Sheng Wu, Juan Guo, Yan Liu, Hang Fan, Yan-Bo Huang, Yu-Kun Wei, Yu Kong, Qing Zhao, Jing-Jing Xu, Yong-Hong Hu, Xiao-Ya Chen, Lei Yang
Summary: A 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (2-ODD) gene responsible for tanshinone IIA biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza was identified in this study. The gene, known as Sm2-ODD14, acts as a dehydrogenase and catalyzes the aromatization of the furan ring. The study also showed that Sm2-ODD14 controls the metabolite flux from dihydrofuran- to furan-tanshinones, which impacts the medicinal properties of S. miltiorrhiza.
Review
Plant Sciences
Mohd Fadhli Hamdan, Shiu-Cheung Lung, Ze-Hua Guo, Mee-Len Chye
Summary: Acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) play important roles in reproduction in plants and other organisms, potentially impacting crop improvement in agriculture.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pui Ying Lam, Lanxiang Wang, Clive Lo, Fu-Yuan Zhu
Summary: Plant metabolism plays a crucial role in plant survival, growth, development, and interaction with the environment. It is tightly regulated at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels in response to different growth stages and changing environment. Alternative splicing, a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism, generates multiple protein isoforms from a single gene and regulates plant metabolism by altering biochemical activities, protein interactions, and subcellular localization.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Akiyoshi Yoda, Xiaonan Xie, Kaori Yoneyama, Kenji Miura, Christopher S. P. McErlean, Takahito Nomura
Summary: Seeds of root parasitic plants are induced to germinate by strigolactones exudated from host roots. The biosynthesis pathway of 5-deoxystrigol, a major strigolactone, has not been fully understood. In this study, researchers identified Sobic.005G213500 as a regulator that affects the stereoselective biosynthesis of 5-deoxystrigol and provides insights into how different strigolactones are produced to combat parasitic weed infestations.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zuzanna Wojdyla, Tomasz Borowski
Summary: This article reviews the structure, catalytic mechanism, and selectivity of Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenases (ODDs). ODDs accept a variety of substrates and facilitate various reactions, with selectivity depending on the inherent properties of the reactants and the interactions between the substrate and the enzyme's binding cavity.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Ling-Chu Chang, Shih-Kai Chiang, Shuen-Ei Chen, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This review describes the molecular interactions, regulation, and disease relationships of OGDHc, a key enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Dysregulation of OGDHc can disrupt cellular redox homeostasis and lead to the accumulation of oncometabolites in cancer development. The potential of OGDHc as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment is discussed.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xin Zhang, Dongli Wang, Joyce Elberse, Linlu Qi, Wei Shi, You-Liang Peng, Robert C. Schuurink, Guido Van den Ackerveken, Junfeng Liu
Summary: The jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway is essential for plants to control wound responses, with the hydroxylation of JA by JASMONATE-INDUCED OXYGENASEs (JOXs) crucial for plant growth. The X-ray crystal structure of Arabidopsis JOX2 reveals the mechanism of JA recognition, with critical residues for JA binding conserved among JOXs from higher plants. This study provides insights into how higher plants hydroxylate the hormone JA.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anastasia V. Graf, Maria V. Maslova, Artem V. Artiukhov, Alexander L. Ksenofontov, Vasily A. Aleshin, Victoria I. Bunik
Summary: This study investigates the developmental impact of acute prenatal hypoxia (APH) on the fetus and its relationship with sex and gestational age. The results show that APH has different effects on behavior and brain biochemistry depending on sex and gestational age, while the effects on ECG depend on gestational age rather than sex.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Brendan M. O'Leary, Andrew P. Scafaro, Larry M. York
Summary: Recent technological advancements have greatly improved the ability to capture respiration rate data from plants, allowing for its inclusion in large-scale biological studies. These studies have led to an increased understanding of the correlations between respiration and other biological and biochemical measurements.
Review
Plant Sciences
Kensuke Kawade, Hiromitsu Tabeta, Ali Ferjani, Masami Yokota Hirai
Summary: Plants incorporate acquired carbon and nitrogen into amino acid metabolism, which produces the building blocks of proteins and the precursors of various metabolites. There is increasing evidence that amino acid metabolism undergoes plastic alteration to coordinate specific growth and developmental events. This research progress offers an opportunity to explore how amino acid metabolism can be modulated to serve special cellular needs and regulate specific growth and developmental pathways.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhenzhen Li, Huiwen Liu, Ann Bode, Xiangjian Luo
Summary: DHRS2 is a carbonyl reductase that plays critical roles in regulating the cell cycle, lipid metabolism, and hormone metabolism. Recent studies have shown that DHRS2 can impact cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by reprogramming lipid metabolism and redox homeostasis.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jillian M. Hagel, Xue Chen, Peter J. Facchini
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mehran Dastmalchi, Xue Chen, Jillian M. Hagel, Limei Chang, Rongji Chen, Sukanya Ramasamy, Sam Yeaman, Peterj Facchini
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mehran Dastmalchi, Limei Chang, Rongji Chen, Lisa Yu, Xue Chen, Jillian M. Hagel, Peter J. Facchini
Article
Plant Sciences
Aparna Singh, Ivette M. Menendez-Perdomo, Peter J. Facchini
PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiushi Li, Sukanya Ramasamy, Pooja Singh, Jillian M. Hagel, Sonja M. Dunemann, Xue Chen, Rongji Chen, Lisa Yu, Joseph E. Tucker, Peter J. Facchini, Sam Yeaman
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jeremy S. Morris, Kristian Mark P. Caldo, Siyu Liang, Peter Facchini
Summary: PR10/Bet v1-like proteins, a subset of PR proteins, play key roles in plant specialized metabolism by binding a wide range of lipophilic ligands.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Natali Ozber, Jacinta L. Watkins, Peter J. Facchini
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiushi Li, Sukanya Ramasamy, Pooja Singh, Jillian M. Hagel, Sonja M. Dunemann, Xue Chen, Rongji Chen, Lisa Yu, Joseph E. Tucker, Peter J. Facchini, Sam Yeaman
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ivette M. Menendez-Perdomo, Jillian M. Hagel, Peter J. Facchini
Summary: This study highlights the significance of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) in human health and their biosynthetic pathways and potential pharmaceutical applications in opium poppy. The research utilized liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to characterize 44 authentic BIAs, and identified 22 BIAs in opium poppy latex and root extracts. The deep library of diagnostic spectral data generated provides a valuable resource for BIA identification and research in plant specialized metabolism and microbial synthetic biology.
JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Samuel C. Carr, Megan A. Torres, Jeremy S. Morris, Peter J. Facchini, Kenneth K. S. Ng
Summary: Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are specialized metabolites with diverse structures and physiological effects, among which codeine and morphine are closely related BIAs with useful analgesic properties. The aldo-keto reductase (AKR) codeinone reductase (COR) plays a key role in the biosynthesis of codeine and morphine in opium poppy. Structural studies reveal a novel conformation in the beta 1o1 loop of COR, suggesting a model for BIA recognition and roles of key residues in substrate recognition.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Natali Ozber, Peter J. Facchini
Summary: Opium poppy is the exclusive commercial source of morphine and codeine, and also produces other alkaloids. BIA metabolism in opium poppy involves transport between various cell types and complex spatial organization and dynamics.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natali Ozber, Lisa Yu, Jillian M. Hagel, Peter J. Facchini
Summary: Systematic screening of morphine pathway intermediates in engineered yeast identified key biosynthetic enzymes that exhibit potent feedback inhibition. Specifically, 4'-O-methyltransferase (4' OMT) produces (S)-reticuline and salutaridinol-7-O-acetyltransferase (SalAT) and thebaine synthase (THS2) form the enzyme system responsible for the synthesis of thebaine. Addition of deuterated reticuline-d1 to a yeast strain capable of converting (S)-norcoclaurine to (S)-reticuline resulted in reduced product accumulation. Similar effects were observed with deuterated thebaine-d3 and a yeast strain able to convert salutaridine to thebaine. In vitro analysis showed that reticuline inhibits 4' OMT in a noncompetitive manner, while thebaine exerts mixed inhibition on SalAT/THS2. Furthermore, the addition of reticuline and thebaine led to the accumulation of pathway intermediates in a yeast strain engineered for de novo morphine biosynthesis, suggesting that blocking the interaction of these compounds with their respective enzymes could significantly increase opiate alkaloid production in engineered yeast.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natali Ozber, Samuel C. Carr, Jeremy S. Morris, Siyu Liang, Jacinta L. Watkins, Kristian M. Caldo, Jillian M. Hagel, Kenneth K. S. Ng, Peter J. Facchini
Summary: This study reveals the functional role of major latex proteins in aiding opium poppy accumulate alkaloids through protein aggregation. Major latex proteins are a family of alkaloid-binding proteins that undergo conformational changes in the presence of specific ligands.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ivette M. M. Menendez-Perdomo, Peter J. J. Facchini
Summary: Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are structurally diverse plant specialized metabolites mainly found in the order Ranunculales. The biosynthetic pathways of important BIAs in opium poppy have been elucidated, but little is known about them in sacred lotus. This study identified enzymes responsible for the formation of specific BIAs in sacred lotus and discussed other aspects of the biosynthetic pathways. The findings provide molecular tools for the synthetic biology production of valuable alkaloids.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jacinta L. Watkins, Qiushi Li, Sam Yeaman, Peter J. Facchini
Summary: This study elucidates a near-complete biosynthetic pathway from l-tyrosine to mescaline using transcriptomics and homology-guided gene discovery strategy. It identifies a cytochrome P450 that catalyzes the 3-hydroxylation of l-tyrosine to l-DOPA, a tyrosine/DOPA decarboxylase yielding dopamine, and four substrate-specific and regiospecific substituted phenethylamine O-methyltransferases. It also discovers an N-methyltransferase that displays broad substrate specificity and leads to the production of N-methylated phenethylamine derivatives.