A Scots pine 4-coumarate:CoA ligase with high cinnamic acid affinity is the primary candidate for pinosylvin biosynthesis.

ABSTRACT: Pinosylvin and its derivatives are defense-related stilbenoids that contribute to pathogen and decay resistance of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) heartwood. While most enzymes in the pinosylvin biosynthesis pathway in Scots pine have been identified, the enzyme responsible for activating cinnamic acid to cinnamoyl-CoA, an essential precursor for pinosylvin biosynthesis, has remained unknown. In this study, we explored Scots pine transcriptomic data to observe the expression profiles of the 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) genes and produced the enzymes in Nicotiana benthamiana to assay their kinetic properties. We identified and characterized four 4CL isoforms, one of which (Ps4CL2) was both co-expressed with pinosylvin biosynthesis genes under stilbene-inducing conditions and exhibited an u

SUBMITTER: Taniwan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12917453 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature