Thodberg et al. report the first step of the synthesis of cyanogenic glycosides, a plant defense mechanism, by a Flavin-dependent monooxygenase (FOS1) in ferns, revealing convergent evolution of biosynthesis across the plant kingdom. The authors isolate FOS1 as a catalytically active dimer and demonstrate that it catalyzes the formation of N-hydroxylated amino acids.
- Sara Thodberg
- Mette Sørensen
- Elizabeth Heather Jakobsen Neilson
