Using Synthetic Biology to Understand the Function of Plant Specialized Metabolites

Bai, Yuechen; Liu, Xinyu; Baldwin, Ian T.

doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-060223-013842

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 135 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Plants have evolved a structurally diverse repertoire of metabolites to enable interaction with the surrounding environment. Thus, plant metabolites have many functions including attracting pollinators and seed dispersers, recruitment of beneficial microbes, deterring feeding insects and surrounding organisms, competition for space and resources, and mitigation of abiotic stresses (Erb and Kliebenstein, 2020; Weng et al, 2021; Bai et al, 2024). Most of these metabolites fall within the category of specialized metabolites, which are lineage and tissue specific metabolites that are biologically active and often more structurally complex than their precursors from core metabolism (Moghe and Last, 2015; Schenck and Last, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mode of action of the toxic proline mimic azetidine 2-carboxylic acid in plants

Santos,

Dwivedi,

Duong

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plants have an amazing capacity to outcompete neighboring organisms for space and resources. Toxic metabolites are major players in these interactions, which can have a broad range of effectiveness by targeting conserved molecular mechanisms, such as protein biosynthesis. However, lack of knowledge about defensive metabolite pathways, their modes of action, and resistance mechanisms limits our ability to manipulate these pathways for enhanced crop resilience. Nonproteogenic amino acids (NPAAs) are a structurally diverse class of metabolites with a variety of functions but are typically not incorporated during protein biosynthesis. Here, we investigate the mode of action of the NPAA azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (Aze), an analog of the amino acid proline (Pro). Using a combination of plate-based assays, metabolite feeding, metabolomics, and proteomics, we show that Aze inhibits the root growth of Arabidopsis and other plants. Aze-induced growth reduction was restored by supplementing L-, but not D-Pro, and non-targeted proteomics confirms that Aze is misincorporated for Pro during protein biosynthesis, specifically on cytosolically translated proteins. qRT-PCR analysis and free amino acid profiling show that the unfolded protein response is upregulated during Aze treatment implicating protein degradation of misfolded proteins. This study demonstrates the mode of action of Aze in plants and provides a foundation for engineering Aze production and tolerance in crops for enhanced resilience.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mode of action of the toxic proline mimic azetidine 2-carboxylic acid in plants

Santos,

Dwivedi,

Duong

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Gene-Directed In Vitro Mining Uncovers the Insect-Repellent Constituent from Mugwort (Artemisia argyi)

Zhi,

Dai,

Fang

et al. 2024

J. Am. Chem. Soc.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plants contain a vast array of natural products yet to be discovered, particularly those minor bioactive constituents. Identification of these constituents requires a significant amount of plant material, presenting considerable technical challenges. Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) is a widely recognized insect repellent herb, particularly renowned for its extensive usage during the Dragon Boat Festival in China, but the specific constituent responsible for its repellent activity remains unknown. Here, we employed a gene-directed in vitro mining approach to characterize mugwort terpene synthases (TPSs) systematically in a yeast expression system. Based on the establishment of "Terpene synthase-standard library", we have successfully identified 54 terpene products, including a novel compound designated as cyclosantalol. Through activity screening, we have identified that (+)-intermedeol, which presents in trace amount in plants, exhibits significant repellent activity against mosquitoes and ticks. After establishing its safety and efficacy, we then achieved its biosynthetic production in a yeast chassis, with an initial yield of 2.34 g/L. The methodology employed in this study not only identified a highly effective, safe, and commercially viable insect repellent derived from mugwort but also holds promise for uncovering and producing other valuable plant natural products in future research endeavors.

show abstract

Enhancing Withanolide Production in the Withania Species: Advances in In Vitro Culture and Synthetic Biology Approaches

Ahmad,

Shareen,

Ganie

et al. 2024

Plants

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Withanolides are naturally occurring steroidal lactones found in certain species of the Withania genus, especially Withania somnifera (commonly known as Ashwagandha). These compounds have gained considerable attention due to their wide range of therapeutic properties and potential applications in modern medicine. To meet the rapidly growing demand for withanolides, innovative approaches such as in vitro culture techniques and synthetic biology offer promising solutions. In recent years, synthetic biology has enabled the production of engineered withanolides using heterologous systems, such as yeast and bacteria. Additionally, in vitro methods like cell suspension culture and hairy root culture have been employed to enhance withanolide production. Nevertheless, one of the primary obstacles to increasing the production of withanolides using these techniques has been the intricacy of the biosynthetic pathways for withanolides. The present article examines new developments in withanolide production through in vitro culture. A comprehensive summary of viable traditional methods for producing withanolide is also provided. The development of withanolide production in heterologous systems is examined and emphasized. The use of machine learning as a potent tool to model and improve the bioprocesses involved in the generation of withanolide is then discussed. In addition, the control and modification of the withanolide biosynthesis pathway by metabolic engineering mediated by CRISPR are discussed.

show abstract

Using Synthetic Biology to Understand the Function of Plant Specialized Metabolites

Cited by 3 publications

References 135 publications

Mode of action of the toxic proline mimic azetidine 2-carboxylic acid in plants

Mode of action of the toxic proline mimic azetidine 2-carboxylic acid in plants

Gene-Directed In Vitro Mining Uncovers the Insect-Repellent Constituent from Mugwort (Artemisia argyi)

Enhancing Withanolide Production in the Withania Species: Advances in In Vitro Culture and Synthetic Biology Approaches

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About