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Xanthohumol (3′-[3,3-dimethyl allyl]-2′,4′,4-trihydroxy-6′-methoxychalcone) is the principal prenylated flavonoid of the female inflorescences of the hop plant (`hops''), an ingredient of beer. Human exposure to xanthohumol and related prenylflavonoids, such as 8-prenylnaringenin and isoxanthohumol, is primarily through beer consumption. Xanthohumol has been characterized a `broad-spectrum'' cancer chemopreventive agent in in vitro studies, while 8-prenylnaringenin enjoys fame as the most potent phytoestrogen known to date. These biological activities suggest that prenylflavonoids from hops have potential for application in cancer prevention programs and in prevention or treatment of (post-)menopausal `hot flashes'' and osteoporosis. Xanthohumol and 8-prenylnaringenin are metabolized into many flavonoid derivatives with modified 3,3-dimethyl allyl (prenyl) moieties. Xanthohumol is formed in lupulin glands by a specialized branch of flavonoid biosynthesis that involves prenylation and O-methylation of the polyketide intermediate chalconaringenin. Although a lupulin gland-specific chalcone synthase is known, the aromatic prenyltransferase and O-methyltransferase participating in xanthohumol have not been identified. The prenylflavonoid pathway is a possible target for breeding or biotechnological modification of hops with the aim of increasing xanthohumol levels for beer brewing and 8-prenylnaringenin levels for pharmaceutical production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A cDNA encoding a stilbene synthase, RtSTS, was isolated from the rhizomes of Tatar rhubarb, Rheum tataricum L. (Polygonaceae), a medicinal plant containing stilbenes and other polyketides. Recombinant RtSTS was expressed in E. coli and assayed with acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA), n-butyryl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, n-hexanoyl-CoA, cinnamoyl-CoA and p-coumaroyl-CoA as primers of polyketide synthesis. RtSTS synthesized resveratrol and a trace amount of naringenin chalcone from p-coumaroyl-CoA, supporting the enzyme''s identification as a resveratrol-type stilbene synthase (EC 2.3.1.95). Bis-noryangonin and p-coumaroyl triacetic acid lactone (CTAL)-type pyrones were observed in minor amounts in the reaction with p-coumaroyl-CoA and as major products with cinnamoyl CoA. As well, such pyrones, and not aromatic polyketides, were identified as the only products in assays with aliphatic and benzoyl CoA esters. Acetonyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone, a pyrone synthesized from acetyl-CoA, was identified as a new product of a stilbene synthase. Using Northern blot analysis, RtSTS transcript was found to be highly expressed in R. tataricum rhizomes, with low transcript levels also present in young leaves. This expression pattern correlated with the occurrence of resveratrol, which was detected in higher amounts in R. tataricum rhizomes compared with leaves and petioles using HPLC. Few stilbene synthases have been found in plants, and the identification of RtSTS provides additional sequence and catalytic information with which to study the evolution of plant polyketide synthases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L., and its narcotic and analgesic alkaloids, have an ancient history of use (and abuse) by humankind. A recent article by Allen and co-workers describes the metabolic engineering of morphine biosynthesis to block morphine formation and accumulate a potentially valuable pathway intermediate, (S)-reticuline. This work highlights the potential for modifying the production of pharmaceuticals in plants, but also raises questions about the complex regulation of biosynthetic pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plants display an immense diversity of specialized metabolites, many of which have been important to humanity as medicines, flavors, fragrances, pigments, insecticides and other fine chemicals. Apparently, much of the variation in plant specialized metabolism evolved through events of gene duplications followed by neo- or sub-functionalization. Most of the catalytic diversity of plant enzymes is unexplored since previous biochemical and genomics efforts have focused on a relatively small number of species. Interdisciplinary research in plant genomics, microbial engineering and synthetic biology provides an opportunity to accelerate the discovery of new enzymes. The massive identification, characterization and cataloguing of plant enzymes coupled with their deployment in metabolically optimized microbes provide a high-throughput functional genomics tool and a novel strain engineering pipeline. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]