Article Synopsis
- Decades of research on steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) in Solanaceae plants has revealed their metabolic pathways and biological functions, but engineering SGAs in other organisms has proven difficult.
- A key discovery is that a protein, GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM15 (GAME15), plays a crucial role in SGA biosynthesis by functioning as both a glucuronosyltransferase and a scaffold protein.
- Silencing GAME15 leads to reduced SGA levels, making plants more susceptible to pests, highlighting a balance between plant defense and toxicity, and indicating potential for producing these compounds in other systems for various applications.
Video Abstracts
Category Ranking
98%
Total Visits
921
Avg Visit Duration
2 minutes
Citations
20
Article Abstract
Decades of research on the infamous antinutritional steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) in Solanaceae plants have provided deep insights into their metabolism and roles. However, engineering SGAs in heterologous hosts has remained a challenge. We discovered that a protein evolved from the machinery involved in building plant cell walls is the crucial link in the biosynthesis of SGAs. We show that cellulose synthase-like M [GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM15 (GAME15)] functions both as a cholesterol glucuronosyltransferase and a scaffold protein. Silencing depletes SGAs, which makes plants more vulnerable to pests. Our findings illuminate plant evolutionary adaptations that balance chemical defense and self-toxicity and open possibilities for producing steroidal compounds in heterologous systems for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.adq5721 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
CSLD5-mediated cell wall remodelling regulates tissue mechanics and shoot meristem growth.
Nat Commun
August 2025
Key Laboratory of Plant Carbon Capture, CAS Centre for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China.
New tissues and organs in plants develop from stem cells located in meristematic tissues. Cell wall-mediated mechanics has been proposed to play crucial roles in controlling stem cell activity. Here, we show that in Arabidopsis shoot apical meristems (SAMs) Cellulose Synthase Like-D5 (CSLD5)-mediated cell wall synthesis modulates tissue mechanics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsCDPK24 and OsCDPK28 phosphorylate heat shock factor OsHSFA4d to orchestrate abiotic and biotic stress responses in rice.
Nat Commun
July 2025
New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Global warming impacts crop production and increases crop disease. It is commonly known that heat stress (HS) caused by extreme high temperature induces HS responses but suppresses disease resistance in plants. However, the molecular basis of this trade-off remains largely unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntegrated Metabolomics and Proteomics Analyses of the Grain-Filling Process and Differences in the Quality of Tibetan Hulless Barleys.
Plants (Basel)
June 2025
College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Tibetan hulless barley (qingke) grains are becoming more popular because of their high nutritional benefits. Comparative metabolomics and proteomics analyses of qingke grains (at 16, 20, 36, and 42 days after flowering) were conducted to explore the metabolic dynamics during grain filling and compare the differences in quality among three different varieties, Dulihuang, Kunlun 14, and Heilaoya. A total of 728 metabolites and 4864 proteins were identified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIlluminating Glucomannan Synthases To Explore Cell Wall Synthesis Bottlenecks.
ACS Synth Biol
July 2025
Independent Junior Research Group-Designer Glycans, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Hemicelluloses are important dietary fibers and a key component of lignocellulosic biomass. Despite numerous observations for fluorescently tagged cellulose synthases, the subcellular journeys and biochemical activities of intracellular cellulose synthase-like enzymes such as β-mannan synthases (ManS) remain largely unexplored. This study identifies C-terminal fluorescent protein tags that maintain ManS activity in yeast to accelerate the Design, Build, Test, Learn cycles for polysaccharide biosynthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdentification of crucial genes sustaining the curled leaf phenotype in perennial transgenic poplar via advanced proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses.
J Proteomics
August 2025
State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administrat
Populus tomentosa hybrid poplar 741 is a superior tree species in northern China. Due to its rapid growth, high productivity, and range of available genetic tools, it has always been a focus of forestry research. The perennial genetically modified Populus 741, exhibiting sustained overexpression of PtoCYCD3;3, consistently shows adaxial curvature and pronounced surface wrinkling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF