How a Plant’s Enzymes Help Create the Natural Compound Triptonide
The plant Tripterygium wilfordii produces compounds like triptonide, which have potential for disease treatment and non-hormonal male contraception. This study shows that specific enzymes called cytochrome P450s play a key role in creating these compounds. By using tobacco plants and yeast as hosts, researchers identified the minimal set of genes required for triptonide production. They also found a way to increase triptonide yield by over nine times, opening up the possibility of producing these compounds via fermentation.
