Biosynthesis of cabbage phytoalexins from indole glucosinolate

摘要: Brassica crop species are prolific producers of indole–sulfur phytoalexins that thought to have an important role in plant disease resistance. These molecules conspicuously absent the model Arabidopsis thaliana, and little is known about enzymatic steps assemble key precursor brassinin. Here, we report minimum set biosynthetic genes required generate cruciferous starting from well-studied glucosinolate pathway. In vitro biochemical characterization revealed additional for previously described carbon–sulfur lyase SUR1 processing cysteine–isothiocyanate conjugates, as well S-methyltransferase DTCMT methylates resulting dithiocarbamate, together completing a pathway Additionally, β-glucosidase BABG present rapa but was shown act myrosinase may be determinant plants synthesize indole glucosinolate. Transient expression entire Nicotiana benthamiana yields brassinin, demonstrating biosynthesis can engineered into noncruciferous plants. The identification these enzymes heterologous reconstitution phytoalexin sheds light on edible opens door using metabolic engineering systematically quantify impact resistance human health.