Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40035234›Full record

ArticlePlant biotechnology journal2025

Elucidating the enzyme network driving Amaryllidaceae alkaloids biosynthesis in Leucojum aestivum.

Basanta Lamichhane, Sarah-Eve Gélinas, Natacha Merindol, Manoj Koirala, Karen Cristine Gonçalves Dos Santos, Hugo Germain, Isabel Desgagné-Penix

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Plant biotechnology journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Two roads to galanthamine turn out to be one.The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Basanta LamichhaneDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Sarah-Eve GélinasDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Natacha MerindolDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Manoj KoiralaDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Karen Cristine Gonçalves Dos SantosDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Hugo GermainDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Isabel Desgagné-PenixDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4355-5503

Funding

Canada Research Chairs CRC-2018-00137Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada RGPIN-2021-03218
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AAs) are diverse bioactive metabolites with significant pharmaceutical potential, derived from 4'-O-methylnorbelladine (4'OM). The biosynthesis of these compounds involves the condensation of tyramine and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde by norbelladine synthase (NBS) and/or noroxomaritidine/norcraugsodine reductase (NR), followed by O-methylation. Cytochrome P450 enzymes, particularly the CYP96T family, introduce further structural diversity through C-C couplings, resulting in lycorine, galanthamine and crinine cores. Despite their importance, the exact biosynthetic pathways remain poorly defined. In this study, we describe key enzymes from Leucojum aestivum (La), providing crucial insight into AA biosynthesis. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana demonstrated that LaNBS and LaNRII catalyse the conversion of tyramine and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde to norbelladine, which is subsequently O-methylated by a norbelladine-4'-O-methyltransferase (LaN4'OMT) in planta. Co-agroinfiltration of LaNBS, LaNRII, LaN4'OMT and LaCYP96T1 resulted in the production of various phenol-coupled products, with lycorine as the predominant compound, alongside haemanthamine, crinine/vittatine and norgalanthamine. This study identifies LaCYP96T1 and LaCYP96T2 as the first monocot enzymes capable of catalysing all three regioselective C-C phenol couplings and also highlights the substrate promiscuity of LaNRII. The findings not only elucidate critical steps in AA biosynthesis but also open new avenues for biotechnological application in producing valuable alkaloids, offering potential for novel drug development.

Indexed as

AmaryllidaceaeAmaryllidaceae AlkaloidsLiliaceaeBiosynthetic PathwaysCytochrome P-450 Enzyme SystemMethyltransferasesNicotianaPlant ProteinsAmaryllidaceae AlkaloidsCytochrome P-450 Enzyme SystemMethyltransferasesPlant Proteinsbiosynthetic pathwaycytochrome P450metabolic engineeringpharmaceuticalsphenol couplingspecialized metabolism

Identifiers

PMID40035234
PMCPMC12120901

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.