Biosynthesis of Volatile Phenylpropenes in Plant Systems
Summary
Volatile phenylpropenes are a class of specialised metabolites derived from the core phenylpropanoid pathway, distinguished by a propenyl side chain attached to an aromatic ring. They perform multifaceted roles in plant defence, pollinator attraction and inter-organismic signalling, and underpin key applications in flavour, fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. Biosynthesis initiates with the deamination of l-phenylalanine by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, yielding cinnamic acid, which undergoes hydroxylation and activation to coniferyl alcohol. Subsequent acetylation by BAHD acyltransferases provides coniferyl acetate, the substrate for eugenol synthase (EGS), a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzyme family that catalyses reductive displacement of the acetate moiety to form eugenol or isoeugenol. Methylation steps, mediated by S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent O-methyltransferases, yield methyleugenol and methylchavicol. Spatial and temporal regulation is achieved through tissue-specific expression of enzyme paralogues in structures such as peltate glandular trichomes, as well as through developmental and environmental cues. Natural variation in gene copy number, catalytic efficiency and regulatory networks informs diverse chemotypes across species, and is being harnessed for metabolic engineering in microbial and plant systems to enhance production titres and tailor volatile profiles for industrial demand.
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Biosynthesis of Volatile Phenylpropenes in Plant Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biosynthesis of volatile phenylpropenes in plant systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phenylpropanoid pathway: A biosynthetic route converting phenylalanine into a range of aromatic compounds via cinnamic acid and related intermediates.
Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR): A widespread enzyme superfamily that catalyses NAD(P)(H)-dependent oxidation–reduction reactions, including eugenol synthase activity.
Eugenol synthase (EGS): An SDR-type enzyme that catalyses the reductive displacement of acetate from coniferyl acetate to produce eugenol or isoeugenol.
S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent O-methyltransferase: An enzyme that transfers methyl groups from SAM to hydroxylated phenylpropene substrates, forming methyleugenol or methylchavicol.
Peltate glandular trichomes: Specialized multicellular structures on aerial plant tissues where high levels of volatile phenylpropenes are synthesised and stored.
References
- Genome-Wide Analysis and Characterization of the SDR Gene Superfamily in Cinnamomum camphora and Identification of Synthase for Eugenol Biosynthesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Bioproduction of methylated phenylpropenes and isoeugenol in Escherichia coli. Metabolic Engineering Communications (2024).
- Eugenol transport and biosynthesis through grafting in aromatic plants of the Ocimum genus. Plant Biotechnology (2024).
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