Yang Qu

Ayahuasca plant genomes reveal retrotransposon-derived centromeres and contrasting routes to DMT and β-carbolines

The paper presents the genomes of Ayahuasca source plants, revealing retrotransposon-derived centromeres and distinct biosynthetic pathways for DMT and beta-carbolines.

A cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase-like scaffold organizes monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis

The paper identifies VinBLAST, a scaffold protein that facilitates the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by enhancing the interaction and activity of key enzymes.

Ancient gene clusters govern the initiation of monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis and C3 stereochemistry inversion

This study identifies and characterizes a conserved oxidase-reductase pair responsible for C3 stereochemistry inversion in monoterpenoid indole alkaloids and traces the evolutionary origin of the gene clusters involved.

Stereochemical Insights into Sarpagan and Akuammiline Alkaloid Biosynthesis

This study investigates the stereochemical outcomes of enzymes involved in sarpagan and akuammiline alkaloid biosynthesis, revealing how enzymatic activities control C16 stereochemistry across species.

Oxidation of Four Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloid Classes by Three Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases from Tabernaemontana litoralis

This study identifies and characterizes three new CYPs in T. litoralis that catalyze specific oxidations of four MIA skeletons, expanding understanding of MIA biosynthesis.

Parallel evolution of methyltransferases leads to vobasine biosynthesis in Tabernaemontana elegans and Catharanthus roseus

This study identifies and characterizes a new gammaTMT-like enzyme from Tabernaemontana elegans, showing parallel evolution of methyltransferases leading to perivine N-methylation in two plant species.

Improved protein glycosylation enabled heterologous biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids and their unnatural derivatives in yeast

This study improves yeast-based biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by expressing a key enzyme and integrating biosynthetic gene cassettes, enabling production of vinblastine precursors and their unnatural derivatives.