Limonoids are a class of plant natural products whose complex chemistry has been intensively investigated for over 50 years.
Limonoids are a class of plant natural products whose complex chemistry has been intensively investigated for over 50 years.
The best known limonoid, azadirachtin, is famous for being bee-friendly yet having a strong anti-insect effect; others are well known for contributing bitterness to citrus fruits, while further examples such as nimbolide, are being investigated for potential pharmaceutical anti-cancer uses.
Yet, despite this wealth of research, how plants even begin to make these useful chemicals has remained a mystery – until now.
Researchers from the John Innes Centre and Stanford University have uncovered new genes that encode this high-value chemistry.
Read more at: John Innes Centre
Melia azedarach (Chinaberry) was used in the study. (Photo Credit: Andrew Davis)
