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Publications - Cell and Metabolic Biology
Publications
Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) are bitter tasting plant specialized metabolites derived from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) that contain a characteristic lactone ring. STLs can be found in many plant families that are distantly related to each other and outside the plant kingdom. They are especially prevalent in the plant families Apiaceae and Asteraceae, the latter being one of the largest plant families besides the Orchidaceae. The STL diversity is especially large in the Asteraceae, which made them an ideal object for chemosystematic studies in these species. Many STLs show a high bioactivity, for example as protective compounds against herbivory. STLs are also relevant for pharmaceutical applications, such as the treatment of malaria with artemisinin. Recent findings have dramatically changed our knowledge about the biosynthesis of STLs, as well as their developmental, spatial, and environmental regulation. This review intents to update the currently achieved progress in these aspects. With the advancement of genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas and the rapid acceleration of the speed of genome sequencing, even deeper insights into the biosynthesis, regulation, and enzyme evolution of STL can be expected in the future. Apart from their role as protective compounds, there may be a more subtle role of STL in regulatory processes of plants that will be discussed as well.
Publications
Rational re-design of the substrate pocket of phenylpropanoid-flavonoid O-methyltransferase (PFOMT) from Mesembryanthe-mum crystallinum, an enzyme that selectively methylates the 3’-position (= meta-position) in catechol-moieties of flavonoids to guiacol-moieties, provided the basis for the generation of variants with opposite, i. e. 4’- (para-) regioselectivity and enhanced catalytic efficiency. A double variant (Y51R/N202W) identified through a newly developed colorimetric assay efficiently modified the para-position in flavanone and flavano-nol substrates, providing access to the sweetener molecule hesperetin and other rare plant flavonoids having an isovanil-loid motif.
This page was last modified on 27 Jan 2025 .
