Sorgoleones biosynthesis

The combination of a root hair specific EST approach and expression analysis was an effective strategy for isolating candidate polyketide synthases potentially involved in sorgoleone biosynthesis. As a result of these efforts, two novel type III polyketide synthases have been identified that preferentially use long chain acyl Co-A s and are potentially involved in sorgoleone biosynthesis. These candidate polyketide synthases can form pentadecatriene resorcinol, an intermediate in sorgoleone biosynthesis. Furthermore, these efforts may aid in the identification of other polyketide synthases responsible for the biosynthesis of phenolic lipids in other plant species. 

Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of Novel Polyketide Synthases Likely to Be Involved in the Biosynthesis of Sorgoleone... 

Sorghum accumulates sorgoleone and its analogues in mature root hairs [80-82] and the production (approximately 18 mg/g of root dry weight) is optimum at temperatures ranging fiom 25°C to 35°C. The biosynthesis of these mole-eules appears to be stimulated by the presence of root exudates of other plants, suggesting that the allelopathic potential of sorghum may be enhaneed in the presence of competitors [81]. 

Labeling studies showed that biosynthesis of sorgoleone involves the convergence of the... 

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