Biosynthesis of plant bioactive substances from yeast through metabolic engineering to control plant pathogens

• Published in: Phytopathologia mediterranea 2009-08, Vol.48 (2), p.350-350
• Main Authors: Trantas, E, Panopoulos, N, Ververidis, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0031-9465

Compounds of phenylpropanoid metabolism belonging to the stilbenoid, isoflavonoid and flavonol subgroup are thought to possess diverse functions such that depict them as antimicrobial agents (phytoalexins), feeding re-pellants (insect and herbivore protectants), photorecep-tors, visual attractors (flower pigments), UV protectants, signals in the early steps of rhizobia-legume symbiosis, regulators of auxin transport and stimulators of pollen germination. Resveratrol, a stilbenoid, genistein, an isoflavone and kaempferol, a flavonol, have been shown to belong to substances with high prospects. Those compounds beyond the beneficial properties for human health, have been shown to act as phytoalexins, thus acting as antimicrobial agents following the pathogen attack (all types of biological activities are reviewed in Ververidis F., Trantas E. et al., 2007. Biotechnology Journal 2, 1214-1234; Ververidis F., Trantas E. et al., 2007. Biotechnology Journal 2, 1235-1249). To exploit such behaviour three genetically modified yeast strains harbouring plasmids that permit the biosynthesis of resveratrol, genistein and kaempferol have been constructed. The transcriptionally active yeast strains were used in suspensions for evaluating the production efficiency, from precursor compounds. The potential to use the enriched suspensions in crude or in purified form for controlling the populations of the pathogens is evaluated.