Oxylipin Biosynthesis and Metabolism in Plant Systems

Oxylipins are a diverse class of oxygenated fatty acids generated through both enzyme-mediated and non-enzymatic oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids in plants. The initial step is most often catalysed by lipoxygenases (LOXs), which insert dioxygen into linoleic, linolenic or other C18/C20 fatty acids to form hydroperoxide intermediates. These hydroperoxides are then channelled into distinct metabolic branches by specific enzymes: allene oxide synthases (AOS) convert them into unstable allene oxides that cyclise to jasmonic acid (JA) and related cyclopentenones or undergo hydrolysis to yield ketols; hydroperoxide lyases (HPL) cleave them to form green leaf volatiles (GLVs); divinyl ether synthases produce divinyl ethers implicated in defence; and α-dioxygenases catalyse α-oxidation to generate 2-hydroperoxy fatty acids involved in cell-death regulation. Together, these pathways produce over six hundred structurally distinct oxylipins that function as local and systemic signals modulating plant development, immunity, abiotic stress responses and inter-organism communication. Beyond their biological roles, plant oxylipins have been harnessed for applications in sustainable agriculture, natural flavours and pharmaceuticals, underlining their global significance and practical utility.

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Oxylipin Biosynthesis and Metabolism in Plant Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxylipin biosynthesis and metabolism in plant systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Oxylipin: Oxygenated fatty acid derivative formed via enzyme-catalysed or non-enzymatic lipid oxidation.

Lipoxygenase (LOX): Enzyme that inserts molecular oxygen into polyunsaturated fatty acids to produce hydroperoxides.

Allene oxide synthase (AOS): Cytochrome P450 enzyme that converts hydroperoxides into reactive allene oxides, precursors of jasmonates and ketols.

Hydroperoxide lyase (HPL): Enzyme that cleaves fatty acid hydroperoxides to form volatile aldehydes and alcohols known as green leaf volatiles.

Jasmonic acid (JA): Cyclopentanone-based phytohormone derived from allene oxides, central to defence signalling and development.

Ketol: Oxylipin produced by non-enzymatic or enzymatic hydrolysis of allene oxides, with emerging hormone-like signalling roles.

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs): Short-chain aldehydes, alcohols and esters generated by HPL that contribute to plant aroma and inter-organism communication.

References

1. Distinct Mechanistic Behaviour of Tomato CYP74C3 and Maize CYP74A19 Allene Oxide Synthases: Insights from Trapping Experiments and Allene Oxide Isolation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
2. Ketols Emerge as Potent Oxylipin Signals Regulating Diverse Physiological Processes in Plants. Plants (2023).
3. Biocatalytic Synthesis of Natural Green Leaf Volatiles Using the Lipoxygenase Metabolic Pathway. Catalysts (2019).
4. α-Oxidation of Fatty Acids in Higher Plants IDENTIFICATION OF A PATHOGEN-INDUCIBLE OXYGENASE (PIOX) AS AN α-DIOXYGENASE AND BIOSYNTHESIS OF 2-HYDROPEROXYLINOLENIC ACID*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (1999).
5. Activation of the Fatty Acid α-Dioxygenase Pathway during Bacterial Infection of Tobacco Leaves FORMATION OF OXYLIPINS PROTECTING AGAINST CELL DEATH*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (2003).