Biosynthesis of medicinal tropane alkaloids in yeast.

ABSTRACT: Tropane alkaloids from nightshade plants are neurotransmitter inhibitors that are used for treating neuromuscular disorders and are classified as essential medicines by the World Health Organization^1,2. Challenges in global supplies have resulted in frequent shortages of these drugs^3,4. Further vulnerabilities in supply chains have been revealed by events such as the Australian wildfires⁵ and the COVID-19 pandemic⁶. Rapidly deployable production strategies that are robust to environmental and socioeconomic upheaval^7,8 are needed. Here we engineered baker's yeast to produce the medicinal alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine, starting from simple sugars and amino acids. We combined functional genomics to identify a missing pathway enzym

SUBMITTER: Srinivasan P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7529995 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature