Identification and functional characterization of diterpene synthases for triptolide biosynthesis from Tripterygium wilfordii.

ABSTRACT: Tripterygium wilfordii, which has long been used as a medicinal plant, exhibits impressive and effective anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and anti-tumor activities. The main active ingredients are diterpenoids and triterpenoids, such as triptolide and celastrol, respectively. A major challenge to harnessing these natural products is that they are found in very low amounts in planta. Access has been further limited by the lack of knowledge regarding their underlying biosynthetic pathways, particularly for the abeo-abietane tri-epoxide lactone triptolide. Here suspension cell cultures of T. wilfordii were found to produce triptolide in an inducible fashion, with feeding studies indicating that miltiradiene is the relevant abietane olefin precursor. Subsequently, transcriptome data were u

SUBMITTER: Su P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5848467 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature