Plant genomes secondary metabolism

Goossens, A., Hakkinen, S.T., Laakso, L, Seppanen-Laasko, T., Biondi, S. deSutter, V., Lammertyn, F., Nuutila, A.M., Soderlund, H., Zabeau, M. Inze, D. and Oksman-Caldentey, K.-M. (2003) A functional genomics approach toward the understanding of secondary metabolism in plant cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 100, 8595-600. 

To date over 30 plant terpenoid synthases have been cloned as cDNAs, and many of these were found to encode enzymes of secondary metabolism (43). Isolation and analysis of six genomic clones encoding monoterpene ((—)-pinene and (—)-limonene), sesquiterpene ((E)-a-bisabolene and S-selinene) and diterpene (abietadiene) synthases from Abies grandis, and a diterpene (taxadiene) synthase from Taxus brevifolia have been reported (44). Overexpression of a cotton farnesyl diphosphate synthase (EPPS) in transgenic Artemesia annua has resulted in 3- to 4-fold increase in the yield of the sesquiterpenoid anti-malarial drug, artemisinin, in hairy roots (45). 

Similarly, new approaches are also being applied to further unravel plant secondary metabolism at all levels, from genes to metabolites, from genome via transcriptome and proteome, to the metabolome. Besides, functional genomics, which aims at quantitatively determining the spatial and temporal accumulation of specific mRNA, proteins and metabolites is also being applied. Such an integrated... 

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