A5036174024- Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Plant responses to water stress
- Malaria Research and Control
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Soybean genetics and cultivation
- Alkaloids: synthesis and pharmacology
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Berberine and alkaloids research
- Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
- Diatoms and Algae Research
University of York
2015-2024
University of North Texas
2022
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
2006-2016
Novelion (United Kingdom)
2010-2013
University of Oxford
2011
Kyoto University
2011
Universidade Federal de Viçosa
2011
University of Bonn
2011
Rothamsted Research
2005-2010
John Innes Centre
2010
Acyl lipids in Arabidopsis and all other plants have a myriad of diverse functions. These include providing the core diffusion barrier membranes that separates cells subcellular organelles. This function alone involves more than 10 membrane lipid classes, including phospholipids, galactolipids, sphingolipids, within each class variations acyl chain composition expand number structures to several hundred possible molecular species. form triacylglycerol account for 35% weight seeds represent...
Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry is routinely used for metabolomics experiments. In contrast the fairly routine and automated data acquisition steps, subsequent compound annotation identification require extensive manual analysis thus form a major bottleneck in interpretation. Here we present CAMERA, Bioconductor package integrating algorithms extract spectra, annotate isotope adduct peaks, propose accurate even highly complex data. To evaluate algorithms, compared of...
Artemisinin is a plant natural product produced by Artemisia annua and the active ingredient in most effective treatment for malaria. Efforts to eradicate malaria are increasing demand an affordable, high-quality, robust supply of artemisinin. We performed deep sequencing on transcriptome A. identify genes markers fast-track breeding. Extensive genetic variation enabled us build detailed map with nine linkage groups. Replicated field trials resulted quantitative trait loci (QTL) that...
Alkaloid Synthetic Pathway Noscapine, a nonaddictive alkaloid found in the opium poppy, can be used as cough suppressant and tubulin-binding antitumor agent. Winzer et al. (p. 1704 , published online 31 May; see Perspective by DellaPenna O'Connor ) that cluster of 10 genes were key to production noscapine. Poppies homozygous for this gene produced high levels noscapine, heterozygous poppies low those lacking no Silencing individual turn analyzing accumulation intermediate metabolites allowed...
Abstract The process of dark-induced senescence in plants is relatively poorly understood, but a functional electron-transfer flavoprotein/electron-transfer flavoprotein:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) complex, which supports respiration during carbon starvation, has recently been identified. Here, we studied the responses Arabidopsis thaliana mutants deficient expression isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate to extended darkness other environmental stresses. Evaluations...
A central goal of green chemistry is to produce industrially useful fatty acids in oilseed crops. Although genes encoding suitable acid-modifying enzymes are available from many wild species, progress has been limited because the expression these transgenic plants produces low yields desired products. For example, Ricinus communis acid hydroxylase 12 (FAH12) a maximum only 17% hydroxy (HFAs) when expressed Arabidopsis. cDNA clones R. for additional steps seed oil biosynthetic pathway were...
Acyl lipids in Arabidopsis and all other plants have a myriad of diverse functions. These include providing the core diffusion barrier membranes that separates cells subcellular organelles. This function alone involves more than 10 membrane lipid classes, including phospholipids, galactolipids, sphingolipids, within each class variations acyl chain composition expand number structures to several hundred possible molecular species. form triacylglycerol account for 35% weight seeds represent...
Background Health-promoting polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are abundant in forages grazed by ruminants and vegetable fish oils used as dietary supplements, but only a small proportion of PUFA finds its way into meat milk, because biohydrogenation the rumen. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens plays major role this activity. The aim study was to investigate mechanisms which affect growth B. , how metabolized metabolic response presence PUFA. Results Linoleic acid (LA; cis -9, -12-18:2) α-linolenic...
Abstract Arabidopsis thaliana COMATOSE (CTS) encodes an ABC transporter involved in peroxisomal import of substrates for β-oxidation. Various cts alleles and mutants disrupted steps β-oxidation have previously been reported to exhibit a severe block on seed germination. Oxylipin analysis cts, acyl CoA oxidase1 oxidase2 (acx1 acx2), keto thiolase2 dry seeds revealed that they contain elevated levels 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), jasmonic (JA), JA-Ile. transcriptomic showed accumulation...
We provide evidence that the peroxisomal ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter COMATOSE (CTS) is involved in biosynthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) Arabidopsis ( thaliana ) leaves. Basal JA levels were greatly reduced but not completely abolished two cts mutant alleles, and
Summary 3‐ketoacyl‐CoA thiolase (KAT) (EC: 2.3.1.16) catalyses a key step in fatty acid β‐oxidation. Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana KAT gene on chromosome 2 ( KAT2 ), which encodes peroxisomal thiolase, is activated early seedling growth. We identified T‐DNA insertion this abolishes its expression and eliminates most activity seedlings. In homozygous kat2 mutant, growth dependent upon exogenous sugar, storage triacylglycerol (TAG) lipid bodies persist green cotyledons. The...
Arabidopsis thaliana is used as a model system to study triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation and seed germination in oilseeds. Here, we consider the partitioning of these lipid reserves between embryo endosperm tissues mature seed. The accumulates significant quantities storage lipid, this effectively catabolized upon germination. This differs composition from that has specific function during Removing wild-type seeds resulted reduction hypocotyl elongation dark, demonstrating role for...
Abstract In mammals, electron-transfer flavoprotein:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETFQO) and flavoprotein (ETF) are functionally associated, ETF accepts electrons from at least nine mitochondrial matrix dehydrogenases transfers them to ubiquinone in the inner membrane. addition, mammalian ETF/ETFQO system plays a key role β-oxidation of fatty acids catabolism amino choline. By contrast, nothing is known function ETFQO plants. Sequence analysis unique Arabidopsis thaliana homologue revealed high...
We report a novel, highly sensitive and selective method for the extraction quantification of acyl CoA esters from plant tissues. The detects with chain lengths C4 to C20 down concentrations as low 6 fmol in extracts. Acyl standard solutions or extracts were derived their fluorescent etheno presence chloroacetaldehyde, separated by ion-paired reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, detected fluorometrically. This derivitization procedure circumvents selectivity problems...
Summary The Arabidopsis acyl‐CoA oxidase (ACX) family comprises isozymes with distinct fatty acid chain‐length specificities that together catalyse the first step of peroxisomal β ‐oxidation. We have isolated and characterized T‐DNA insertion mutants in medium to long‐chain ( ACX1 ) ACX2 oxidases, show corresponding endogenous activities are decreased mutants. Lipid catabolism during germination early post‐germinative growth was unaltered acx1‐1 mutant, but slightly delayed acx2‐1 3‐day‐old...
Abstract Wolbachia are intracellular maternally inherited bacteria that can spread through insect populations and block virus transmission by mosquitoes, providing an important approach to dengue control. To better understand the mechanisms of inhibition, we here perform proteomic quantification effects in Aedes aegypti mosquito cells midgut. Perturbations observed vesicular trafficking, lipid metabolism endoplasmic reticulum could impact viral entry replication. Wolbachia- infected display...
Abstract Triacylglycerol (TAG) levels and oil bodies persist in sucrose (Suc)-rescued Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings disrupted seed catabolism. This study set out to establish if TAG as a metabolically inert pool when downstream catabolism is disrupted, or other mechanisms, such fatty acid (FA) recycling into are operating. We show that composition changes significantly Suc-rescued compared with found dry seeds, 18:2 18:3 accumulating. However, 20:1 FA not efficiently recycled...
Substrate channeling in morphine biosynthesis Poppies are still the most economically viable source of excellent painkiller morphine. Winzer et al. have now identified a key enzyme poppy's biosynthetic pathway for The turns out to be an unusual protein that contains both cytochrome P-450 and oxidoreductase modules. Together these modules process two subsequent steps pathway. identification this may enable alternate routes less dependent on poppy cultivation. Science , issue p. 309
Plants, as predominantly sessile organisms, have evolved complex detoxification pathways to deal with a diverse range of toxic chemicals. The elasticity this stress response system additionally enables them tackle relatively recently produced, novel, synthetic pollutants. One such compound is the explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Large areas soil and groundwater are contaminated TNT, which both highly recalcitrant degradation, persists in environment for decades. Although TNT...
Summary The role of a subfamily lipid globule‐associated proteins, referred to as plant fibrillins (FIB1a, ‐1b, ‐2), was determined using RNA interference (RNAi) strategy. We show that Arabidopsis plants with reduced levels these plastid structural proteins are impaired in long‐term acclimation environmental constraint, namely photooxidative stress imposed by high light combined cold. As result, their photosynthetic apparatus is inefficiently protected. This leads the prevalence an abnormal...
Storage triacylglycerols in castor bean seeds are enriched the hydroxylated fatty acid ricinoleate. Extensive tissue-specific RNA-Seq transcriptome and lipid analysis will help identify components important for its biosynthesis.
The Euphorbiaceae produce a diverse range of diterpenoids, many which have pharmacological activities. These diterpenoids include ingenol mebutate, is licensed for the treatment precancerous skin condition (actinic keratosis), and phorbol derivatives such as resiniferatoxin prostratin, are undergoing investigation severe pain HIV, respectively. Despite interest in these their biosynthesis poorly understood at present, with only characterized step being conversion geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate...