Exploring Triterpene Diversity in Monocots

Projektbeschreibung

Forschung zur Synthese von Triterpenen bei Pflanzen

Triterpene gehören zu einer großen Gruppe biologisch aktiver Inhaltsstoffe in Pflanzenextrakten. Als Teil des pflanzlichen Abwehrmechanismus sind sie von enormer Bedeutung für Pharmazie, Landwirtschaft und Biotechnologie. Schwerpunkt bisheriger Studien zur Biosynthese von Triterpenen waren Eudikotyledonen. Über die Biosynthese in Monokotyledonen (einkeimblättrigen Pflanzen) ist aber noch wenig bekannt. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt EXTRIDIM liefert Grundlagenwissen zum Ursprung der Triterpensynthese in Monokotyledonen, dem Mechanismus der metabolischen Diversifizierung bei diesen Pflanzen. Die Forschungsarbeit befasst sich vor allem mit Getreidepflanzen, die für mehr als die Hälfte der Weltbevölkerung Grundnahrungsmittel sind. Genauere Kenntnisse zur Triterpen-Biosynthese in den wichtigsten Getreidepflanzen könnten der Wissenschaft neue Wege zeigen, Pflanzenschutz und Ernährungssicherheit zu verbessern und an neuen Medikamenten zu forschen.

Ziel

Triterpenes are one of the most diverse groups of plant natural products, with important roles in plant defense and wide use in medicine, food, and cosmetics. So far, studies on triterpene biosynthesis have largely focused on eudicot plants, while little is known about triterpene biosynthesis in monocots. Here, we seek to expand current knowledge of triterpene chemistry and biochemistry in monocots and to investigate mechanisms of metabolic diversification in this group of plants, and specifically in the cereals group, which together provides more than half of the global human caloric intake. Monocot genomes will be mined for identification of new triterpene-related genes and biosynthetic gene clusters. These will be utilized for biosynthesis of novel triterpene compounds via combinatorial recombinant expression in yeast and plant systems. Entire triterpene metabolic pathways will ultimately be introduced into the monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon, and pathogen-tolerance of the engineered plants will be evaluated. This will serve as an important proof-of-concept for the possibility of introducing these pathways into agriculturally-important cereals and grasses. The recent publication of the common wheat genome, coupled with fears for re-emergence of devastating fungal wheat pathogens in Europe, indicate the timeliness and relevance of the proposed action. EXTRIDIM is a highly interdisciplinary project that will draw upon the synergistic combination of the expertise and well-established scientific approach of the host lab, together with the background and complementary skills of the researcher in plant molecular biology and metabolic engineering. The proposed research will greatly contribute to the researcher’s career development and strengthen the host lab, will advance our understanding of triterpene biosynthesis in the agriculturally-important cereal crops, and will potentially lead to new applications in plant protection and drug discovery.