Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40121242›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Structural basis for psilocybin biosynthesis.

Chunyan Meng, Wenting Guo, Chuan Xiao, Yan Wen, Xudong Zhu, Qingrong Zhang, Yuxuan Liang, Hongwei Li, Sha Xu, Yuntan Qiu and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 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. Reconstituting a two-step pathway forMetabolic engineering communications · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Psilocybin modulates social behaviour in male and female mice in a time-dependent manner.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Reaction Engineering of In Vitro Natural Product Biosynthesis: Challenges and Strategies.Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology · 2025
    Review
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

13 authors.

Chunyan Meng *Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Wenting Guo *Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Chuan Xiao *Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yan Wen *Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xudong ZhuGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Qingrong ZhangSchool of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Yuxuan LiangSchool of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Hongwei LiGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Sha XuState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4685-6296
Yuntan QiuGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. qiuyt8@mail2.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5653-7956
Haitao ChenSchool of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China. chenht56@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8490-5039
Wei-Jye LinGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. linwj26@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6057-7325
Baixing WuGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. wu_baixing@gibh.ac.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2502-9785

Funding

Guangdong Science and Technology Department (Science and Technology Department, Guangdong Province) 2023B1212060013, 2020B1212030004National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 31900435
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Psilocybin shows significant therapeutic potential for psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in addressing various psychiatric conditions. The biosynthetic approach promises rapid and efficient production of psilocybin. Understanding the enzymes that contribute to the biosynthesis of psilocybin can enhance its production process. In this study, we elucidate the crystal structures of L-tryptophan-specific decarboxylase PsiD in both its apo and tryptamine-bound states, the 4-hydroxytryptamine kinase PsiK bound to its substrate, and several forms of the methyltransferase PsiM in either apo or substrate-bound forms derived from the psychedelic mushroom. Structure-based evaluations reveal the mechanisms of self-cleavage and self-inhibition in PsiD, along with the sequential catalytic steps from 4-hydroxytryptamine to the final compound, psilocybin. Additionally, we showcase the antidepressant properties of biosynthetic intermediates of psilocybin on female mice experiencing depression-like behaviors induced by sub-chronic variable stress. Our studies establish a structural basis for the future biosynthetic production of psilocybin using these enzymes and emphasize the clinical potential of norbaeocystin.

Indexed as

PsilocybinAgaricalesAnimalsAntidepressive AgentsAromatic-L-Amino-Acid DecarboxylasesCrystallography, X-RayDepressionFemaleHallucinogensHumansMethyltransferasesMiceModels, MolecularAntidepressive AgentsAromatic-L-Amino-Acid DecarboxylasesHallucinogensMethyltransferasesPsilocybin

Identifiers

PMID40121242
PMCPMC11929908

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.