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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Immobilization of Multi-biocatalysts in Alginate Beads for Cofactor Regeneration and Improved Reusability

Immobilization of Multi-biocatalysts in Alginate Beads for Cofactor Regeneration and Improved Reusability

Published on: April 22, 2016

Biocatalysts from alkaloid producing plants.

Hajo Kries¹, Sarah E O'Connor¹

¹The John Innes Centre, Department of Biological Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology

|January 17, 2016

Summary

Plant metabolic pathways for alkaloids are uncovering new reactions. This understanding offers novel biocatalysts for medicine and bioengineering, with plants remaining a key source for future discoveries.

Area of Science:

Plant biochemistry
Metabolic engineering
Biocatalysis

Background:

Plant metabolic pathways yield complex alkaloids like benzylisoquinoline and monoterpene indole alkaloids.
Enzymes in alkaloid biosynthesis are crucial for understanding these natural products.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight recent discoveries in plant alkaloid biosynthesis.
To explore the applications of plant biocatalysts in biocatalysis, bioengineering, and medicinal chemistry.

Main Methods:

Review of current research on plant alkaloid metabolic pathways.
Analysis of enzymatic reactions in alkaloid biosynthesis.
Exploration of chemo-enzymatic and synthetic biology approaches.

Main Results:

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Identification of novel enzymatic reactions in alkaloid biosynthesis.
Demonstration of plant biocatalysts transforming medically important scaffolds.
Adaptation of plant alkaloid pathways for microbial synthesis in medicinal chemistry.

Conclusions:

Plant metabolic pathways are a rich source of novel biocatalysts.
Understanding alkaloid biosynthesis enables diverse applications in biocatalysis and bioengineering.
Plants will continue to be vital for discovering new biocatalysts for the future.