Terpenoids are pervasive in nature and display an immense structural diversity. As the
largest category of plant secondary metabolites, terpenoids have important socioeconomic …

The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) superfamily comprises hemethiolate enzymes
that perform remarkable regio-and stereospecific oxidative chemistry. As such, CYPs are key …

In the Medicago genus, triterpene saponins are a group of bioactive compounds extensively
studied for their different biological and pharmaceutical properties. In this work, the …

Salvia miltiorrhiza is one of the most commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs. Tanshinone I
and tanshinone IIB with anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidative, anti-neoplastic …

Plants often protect themselves from their own bioactive defense metabolites by storing them
in less active forms. Consequently, plants also need systems allowing correct …

Saponins are specialized plant terpenoids derived from the mevalonic acid pathway.
Triterpenoid saponin cores are decorated with sugar residues, conferring a highly …

Saponins, prominent secondary plant metabolites, are recognized for their roles in plant
defense and medicinal benefits. Soyasaponins, commonly derived from legumes, are a …

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) catalyze a great number of biochemical
reactions and play vital roles in plant growth, development and secondary metabolism. As …

Plants produce a vast array of defense compounds to protect themselves from pathogen
attack or herbivore predation. Saponins are a specific class of defense compounds …

Metabolic enzymes tend to evolve towards catalytic efficacy, precision and speed. This
seems particularly true for ancient and conserved enzymes involved in fundamental cellular …