title: Phylogenetic origin of a secondary pathway: the case of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
abstract: Recent studies have revealed high sequence similarity between homospermidine synthase (HSS), the first pathway-specific enzyme in the biosynthesis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, a class of sporadically occurring plant defence compounds, and deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS), a ubiquitous enzyme involved in the post-translational activation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). The recruitment of DHS during the evolution of the alkaloid pathway is discussed and interpreted as evolution by change of function.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ober
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; C063507:deoxyhypusine synthase; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; C028376:homospermidine synthetase