Identification of key enzymes responsible for protolimonoid biosynthesis in plants: Opening the door to azadirachtin production.

ABSTRACT: Limonoids are natural products made by plants belonging to the Meliaceae (Mahogany) and Rutaceae (Citrus) families. They are well known for their insecticidal activity, contribution to bitterness in citrus fruits, and potential pharmaceutical properties. The best known limonoid insecticide is azadirachtin, produced by the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). Despite intensive investigation of limonoids over the last half century, the route of limonoid biosynthesis remains unknown. Limonoids are classified as tetranortriterpenes because the prototypical 26-carbon limonoid scaffold is postulated to be formed from a 30-carbon triterpene scaffold by loss of 4 carbons with associated furan ring formation, by an as yet unknown mechanism. Here we have mined genome and transcriptome sequence res

SUBMITTER: Hodgson H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6708365 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature