Total Biosynthesis of the Tubulin-Binding Alkaloid Colchicine.

ABSTRACT: Colchicine (1) is a bioactive plant alkaloid from Colchicum and Gloriosa species that is used as a pharmaceutical treatment for inflammatory diseases, including gouty arthritis and familial Mediterranean fever. The activity of this alkaloid is attributed to its ability to bind tubulin dimers and inhibit microtubule assembly, which not only promotes anti-inflammatory effects, but also makes colchicine a potent mitotic poison. The biochemical origins of colchicine biosynthesis have been investigated for over 50 years, but only recently has the underlying enzymatic machinery become clear. Here, we report the discovery of multiple pathway enzymes from Gloriosa superba that allows for the reconstitution of a complete metabolic route to 1. This includes three e

SUBMITTER: Nett RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10824269 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature