Silencing nature's narcotics: metabolic engineering of the opium poppy.
The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L., and its narcotic and analgesic alkaloids, have an ancient history of use (and abuse) by humankind. A recent article by Allen and co-workers describes the metabolic engineering of morphine biosynthesis to block morphine formation and accumulate a potentially valuable pathway intermediate, (S)-reticuline. This work highlights the potential for modifying the production of pharmaceuticals in plants, but also raises questions about the complex regulation of biosynthetic pathways.
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Jonathan E
JE
Plant Biotechnology Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W9, Canada. jon.page@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D009020:Morphine / Q000378:metabolism*; D009892:Opium / Q000737:chemistry; D010207:Papaver / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified
D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D009020:Morphine; D009892:Opium; C003298:reticuline