A5007994908- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Natural product bioactivities and synthesis
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Andrographolide Research and Applications
- Toxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins
- Ginseng Biological Effects and Applications
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Transgenic Plants and Applications
- Analytical Chemistry and Sensors
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Phytoestrogen effects and research
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Heat shock proteins research
- Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
- Plant pathogens and resistance mechanisms
Norwich Research Park
2022-2024
John Innes Centre
2021-2024
University of North Texas
2022
Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry
2022
Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
2013-2021
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
2015-2021
Central Drug Research Institute
2012-2014
The Chilean soapbark tree ( Quillaja saponaria ) produces soap-like molecules called QS saponins that are important vaccine adjuvants. These highly valuable compounds sourced by extraction from the bark, and their biosynthetic pathway is unknown. Here, we sequenced Q. genome. Through genome mining combinatorial expression in tobacco, identified 16 enzymes together enable production of advanced intermediates represent a bridgehead for adjuvant bioengineering. We further needed to make QS-7,...
Abstract QS-21 is a potent vaccine adjuvant currently sourced by extraction from the Chilean soapbark tree. It key component of human vaccines for shingles, malaria, coronavirus disease 2019 and others under development. The structure consists glycosylated triterpene scaffold coupled to complex 18-carbon acyl chain that critical immunostimulant activity. We previously identified early pathway steps needed make glycoside scaffold; however, biosynthetic route chain, which stimulation T cell...
QS-21 is a potent vaccine adjuvant and remains the only saponin-based that has been clinically approved for use in humans
Abstract Plant often responds to fungal pathogens by expressing a group of proteins known as pathogenesis-related (PRs). The expression PR is mediated through pathogen-induced signal-transduction pathways that are fine-tuned phytohormones such methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Here, we report functional characterization an Ocimum basilicum PR5 family member ( ObTLP1 ) was identified from MeJA-responsive sequence tag collection. encodes 226 amino acid polypeptide showed and structural similarities...
Abstract Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is well known for its diverse pharmacological properties and has been widely used in traditional medicine the treatment of various ailments. Although a variety secondary metabolites with potent biological activities are identified, our understanding biosynthetic pathways that produce them remained largely incomplete. We studied transcriptional changes sweet after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, which considered an elicitor metabolites, identified...
Wheat is a widely grown food crop that suffers major yield losses due to attack by pests and pathogens. A better understanding of biotic stress responses in wheat thus importance. The recently assembled bread genome coupled with extensive transcriptomic resources provides unprecedented new opportunities investigate pathogen challenge. Here, we analyze gene coexpression networks identify modules showing consistent induction response exposure. Within the top pathogen-induced modules, multiple...
Summary The medicinal plant sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum ) accumulates bioactive ursane‐ and oleanane‐type pentacyclic triterpenes PCT s), ursolic acid oleanolic acid, respectively, in a spatio‐temporal manner; however, the biosynthetic enzymes their contributions towards biosynthesis remain to be elucidated. Two CYP 716A subfamily cytochrome P450 monooxygenases 716A252 716A253) are identified from methyl jasmonate‐responsive expression sequence tag collection functionally characterized,...
Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) has been widely exploited in traditional medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases and health disorders. Ent-labdane-related diterpene (ent-LRD) specialized (i.e., secondary) metabolites kalmegh such as andrographolide, neoandrographolide 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, are known variety pharmacological activities. However, due to lack genomic transcriptomic information, underlying molecular basis ent-LRDs biosynthesis remained largely...
Abstract Soft-bodied slow-moving sea creatures such as stars and cucumbers lack an adaptive immune system have instead evolved the ability to make specialized protective chemicals (glycosylated steroids triterpenes) part of their innate system. This raises intriguing question how these biosynthetic pathways evolved. Sea star saponins are steroidal, while those cucumber triterpenoid. Sterol biosynthesis in animals involves cyclization 2,3-oxidosqualene lanosterol by oxidosqualene cyclase...
Abstract Isoflavones are a group of phenolic compounds mostly restricted to plants the legume family, where they mediate important interactions with plant-associated microbes, including in defense from pathogens and nodulation. Their well-studied health promoting attributes have made them prime target for metabolic engineering, both bioproduction isoflavones as high-value molecules, biofortification food crops. A key gene their biosynthesis, isoflavone synthase, was identified legumes over...
Pentacyclic triterpenes (PCTs) represent a major class of bioactive metabolites in banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) leaves; however, biosynthetic enzymes and their involvement the temporal accumulation PCTs remain to be studied. We use an integrated approach involving transcriptomics, metabolomics gene function analysis identify oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) that catalyzed sequential cyclization oxidative reactions towards PCT scaffold diversification....
Glycosyltransferases constitute a large family of enzymes across all domains life, but knowledge their biochemical function remains largely incomplete, particularly in the context plant specialized metabolism. The labdane diterpenes represent class phytochemicals with many pharmacological benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticarcinogenic. medicinal kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) produces bioactive diterpenes; notably, C19-hydroxyl diterpene (andrograpanin) is...
ABSTRACT Wheat is one of the most widely grown food crops in world. However, it succumbs to numerous pests and pathogens that cause substantial yield losses. A better understanding biotic stress responses wheat thus major importance. Here we identify previously unknown pathogen-induced biosynthetic pathways produce a diverse set molecules, including flavonoids, diterpenes triterpenes. These are encoded by six gene clusters share common regulatory network. We further associations with known...