title: Microbial Factories for the Production of Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloids.
abstract: Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a family of ∼2500 alkaloids with both potential and realized pharmaceutical value, including most notably the opiates such as codeine and morphine. Only a few BIAs accumulate readily in plants, which limits the pharmaceutical potential of the family. Shifting BIA production to microbial sources could provide a scalable and flexible source of these compounds in the future. This review details the current status of microbial BIA synthesis and derivatization, including rapid developments in the past 6 months culminating in the synthesis of opioids from glucose in a microbial host.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada; Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Narcross
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada; Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fossati
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada; Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bourgeois
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dueber
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada; Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada. Electronic address: vincent.martin@concordia.ca.
authors.forename: Vincent J J
authors.initials: VJJ
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060847:Metabolic Engineering; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044182:Benzylisoquinolines
keywords: aromatic amino acids; benzylisoquinoline alkaloids; biosecurity; dopamine; microbial synthesis; morphinans