Conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in Nicotiana tabacum is mediated by CYP82E4, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase.

ABSTRACT: Nornicotine is a secondary tobacco alkaloid that is produced by the N-demethylation of nicotine. Nornicotine production and accumulation in tobacco are undesirable because nornicotine serves as the precursor in the synthesis of the well characterized carcinogen N'-nitrosonornicotine during the curing and processing of tobacco. Although nornicotine is typically a minor alkaloid in tobacco plants, in many tobacco populations a high percentage of individuals can be found that convert a substantial proportion of the nicotine to nornicotine during leaf senescence and curing. We used a microarray-based strategy to identify genes that are differentially regulated between closely related tobacco lines that accumulate either nicotine (nonconverters) or nornicotine (converters) as the predominant al

SUBMITTER: Siminszky B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1253577 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature