Complete biosynthetic pathway of furochromones in Saposhnikovia divaricata and its evolutionary mechanism in Apiaceae plants

Abstract Furochromones are specific bioactive secondary metabolites of many Apiaceae plants. Their biosynthesis remains largely unexplored. In this work, we dissect the complete biosynthetic pathway of major furochromones in the medicinal plant Saposhnikovia divaricata by characterizing prenyltransf...

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Main Authors: Jian-lin Zou, Hong-ye Li, Bao Nie, Zi-long Wang, Chun-xue Zhao, Yun-gang Tian, Li-qun Lin, Wei-zhe Xu, Zhuang-wei Hou, Wen-kai Sun, Xiao-xu Han, Meng Zhang, Hao-tian Wang, Qing-yan Li, Li Wang, Min Ye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58498-8
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Summary:Abstract Furochromones are specific bioactive secondary metabolites of many Apiaceae plants. Their biosynthesis remains largely unexplored. In this work, we dissect the complete biosynthetic pathway of major furochromones in the medicinal plant Saposhnikovia divaricata by characterizing prenyltransferase, peucenin cyclase, methyltransferase, hydroxylase, and glycosyltransferases. De novo biosynthesis of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin and 5-O-methylvisamminoside is realized in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Through comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses, we further find that proximal duplication and high expression of a pentaketide chromone synthase gene SdPCS, together with the presence of a lineage-specific peucenin cyclase gene SdPC, lead to the predominant accumulation of furochromones in the roots of S. divaricata among surveyed Apiaceae plants. This study paves the way for metabolic engineering production of furochromones, and sheds light into evolutionary mechanisms of furochromone biosynthesis among Apiaceae plants.
ISSN:2041-1723