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PubMed2026

A chromosome-scale genome of Capsicum pubescens provides insights into candidate terpene-associated gene clusters and pan variation of terpene synthases.

A chromosome-scale genome of Capsicum pubescens and comparative pan-TPS analysis support structural characterization and gene-level prioritization of a chromosome-9 terpene-associated candidate locus in this accession. Capsicum pubescens is one of the five domesticated Capsicum species, mainly cultivated in mid- to high-elevation regions of the Americas. Despite its distinctive morphology and fruit traits, genomic resources for C. pubescens remain less developed than those for the widely cultivated C. annuum. Here, we assembled a chromosome-scale reference genome for accession HNUCP0001, spanning 3.70 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 278.01 Mb. Comparative genomics revealed 679 significantly expanded gene families enriched in sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis. Genome-wide biosynthetic gene-cluster mining identified multiple terpene-associated candidate loci, which were subsequently prioritized using genome-derived structural criteria and Capsicum pubescens-specific expression evidence. Subsequently, we curated the terpene synthase (TPS) repertoire and, across 16 Capsicum genomes, resolved 36 TPS orthogroups with pronounced presence/absence variation, highlighting dynamic lineage-specific diversification. Together, these analyses establish HNUCP0001 as an accession-specific genomic resource and provide a comparative framework for prioritizing terpene-associated TPS genes and candidate BGCs in Capsicum. These candidate loci, together with accession-level transcriptomic and metabolomic evidence, offer testable hypotheses for future functional studies of specialized terpenoid metabolism in C. pubescens.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed2026

Therapeutic Potential of Terpenes in Lung Cancer: Modulation of 4-Oxo- Retinoic Acid, TNF-α, NF-κB, and HDAC2 Pathways.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes various epithelial malignancies, such as squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Despite advancements in surgical resection, chemoradiotherapy, and multimodal therapies, NSCLC prognosis remains challenging due to its complex molecular landscape, drug resistance, and high treatment costs. Recent research highlights the potential of natural compounds, particularly terpenes and terpenoids, derived from essential oils (EOs), to enhance NSCLC treatment. These compounds exhibit anticancer properties and modulate key pathways like the 4-oxo-retinoic acid pathway, TNF-α signaling, NF-κB activation, and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Retinoids, a subclass of terpenes, show both chemopreventive and therapeutic benefits, especially when combined with other agents, though challenges in dosing and delivery methods limit their clinical application. Terpenes may also synergize with emerging therapies, such as antiangiogenic treatments and immunotherapy, to improve outcomes. Biomarkers, including genomic, epigenomic, and proteomic markers, play a critical role in predicting responses to terpene-based treatments, supporting personalized medicine. The integration of terpenes into existing regimens, in combination with conventional therapies, holds promise in overcoming clinical challenges, improving patient outcomes, and advancing natural compound use in modern oncology. Future research should focus on optimizing terpene therapies and addressing clinical hurdles.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Divergent Lineage of Terpene Synthases Establishes Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Brown Macroalgae.

Brown algae of the order Dictyotales uniquely stand out among stramenopiles (heterokonts) as prolific producers of bioactive terpenoid molecules associated with chemical defense and antifouling. Although more than 200 sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids have been reported, largely from the genera of Dictyota and Dictyopteris, their biosynthetic origin has remained unknown for decades. Leveraging de novo genome and transcriptome sequencing in the nonmodel alga Dictyota coriacea, we identified a brown algal-specific lineage of type I terpene synthases (TSs) that harbors novel catalytic motifs distinct from those characterized in plants, microbes, red algae, and metazoans. Across three brown algal species, we characterized 15 terpene synthases, including DcTS-2, which produces the diterpene alcohol dilophol, a proposed biosynthetic intermediate to the antifouling metabolite pachydictyol A. X-ray crystal structures of the monoterpene synthase DcTS-3 further revealed that the brown algal enzymes retain the canonical terpene synthase fold, and together with mutagenesis studies, suggest the catalytic role of the novel motifs defining this newly established evolutionary lineage. Brown algal terpene synthases separate into two subgroups, with mono- and diTSs containing putative chloroplast-targeting sequences while sesquiTSs lack them, suggesting convergent compartmentalization of terpene biosynthesis with land plants. Together, these findings establish the molecular basis of terpenoid biosynthesis in brown algae and highlight the challenges of adapting established biosynthetic logic to nonmodel marine algae.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed2026

High-level terpene production via a novel Actinomycetota-derived MVA pathway in E. coli.

The heterologous production of terpene in microbial hosts is often limited by inefficient and unstable pathway expression, creating a major bottleneck for industrial-scale synthesis. While E. coli as a chassis offers significant advantages, such as rapid growth, ease of cultivation, and genetic tractability. Its endogenous supply of terpenoid precursors remains a critical constraint, fundamentally restricting high-yield production. To address this challenge, we developed a genomically integrated Mevalonate (MVA) pathway from Actinomycetota in E. coli BL21(DE3) to enhance terpene precursor supply. Our approach began with an in silico multi-layer global genome mining analysis of 25,261 Actinomycetota genomes to identify a series of MVA pathway enzymes with potentially high catalytic efficiency, created a high-efficiency chassis E. coli MVA platform (ecMVA-1 and ecMVA-2) for terpene precursor synthesis. Its functionality was validated by testing eight distinct TSs. Among them, the fermentation of artemisinin precursor amorphadiene using a 5-liter bioreactor yielded 947.80 mg/L. These results indicated that E. coli (MVA) is well-suited for TS studies in the laboratory as well as holding significant promise for industrial applications. In addition, this in silico approach offers a new perspective for metabolic engineering and provides potential reservoir of diverse chassis for the industrial production of terpenoid-derived compounds.

Actinomycetota↗

PubMed2026

Haplotype-specific expression of a terpene synthase underlies linalool variation in the grapevine cultivar Riesling.

Grapevine cultivars vary widely in monoterpenoid content, yet the genetic and regulatory mechanisms underlying this variation remain poorly characterized beyond highly aromatic Muscat types. We profiled free volatiles and monoterpenoid glycosides in a Riesling × Cabernet Sauvignon F1 mapping population, revealing extensive variation and transgressive segregation consistent with multigenic control. QTL mapping identified 70 significant loci associated with 48 volatile compounds and monoterpene glycosides, including two major QTLs explaining 33.6% and 33.4% of phenotypic variance in (3S)-linalool accumulation. Integration of haplotype-resolved transcriptomics with metabolite data, enabled by a chromosome-scale diploid Riesling genome assembly, resolved a (3S)-linalool/nerolidol synthase cluster on chromosome 10 and identified VviTPS54 as the strongest candidate underlying linalool variation. VviTPS54 exhibited haplotype-specific expression strongly correlated with (3S)-linalool accumulation across genotypes, while no QTL was detected at the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase 1 (VviDXS1) locus previously identified in Muscat cultivars. In addition, VviDXS1 expression was not correlated with terpene levels, indicating that regulatory variation within terpene synthase clusters, rather than methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway flux, drives monoterpenoid composition in this population. These results establish regulatory variation of terpene synthases as a key mechanism underlying monoterpenoid diversity in grapevine and demonstrate that resolving such variation requires haplotype-phased genome assemblies coupled with haplotype-resolved transcriptomics to detect allele-specific expression differences at complex, heterozygous loci.

Grapevine↗

PubMed2025

Integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses of Chrysanthemum aromaticum provide insights into the volatile terpene biosynthesis.

Chrysanthemum aromaticum is renowned for its uniformly emitted strong and attractive scent, primarily attributed to volatile terpenes. Despite its commercial and horticultural significance, the molecular mechanisms underlying volatile terpene production in C. aromaticum remain largely unexplored. Here, we present the haplotype-resolved genome assembly of C. aromaticum, with a total size of 3.10 Gb, comprising nine anchored chromosomes with a contig N50 of 30.66 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 350.58 Mb. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a distant relationship between C. aromaticum and C. indicum, suggesting that C. aromaticum likely represents a distinct species rather than a variety of C. indicum. Through integrated genomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and biochemical analyses, we identified seven TPS involved in monoterpene biosynthesis and six TPS for sesquiterpene biosynthesis. Notably, comparative genomic analysis revealed a gene cluster for α-bisabolol biosynthesis in C. aromaticum, which has specifically expanded in Chrysanthemum species through tandem gene duplications, contributing to the elevated accumulation of α-bisabolol in the leaves of C. aromaticum. Our study provides important insights into the biosynthesis of volatile terpenes, highlighting the genetic basis for C. aromaticum's unique aromatic profile.

Chrysanthemum↗

PubMed2026

Maize terpene synthase 8 (ZmTPS8) produces a blend of sesquiterpenes and contributes to defense against pests and pathogens.

Maize (Zea mays) produces terpenoid-based chemical defenses through a large family of terpene synthases, but the contributions of individual enzymes to specific compounds and stress resistance remain difficult to predict. Maize terpene synthase 8 (ZmTPS8) produces multiple sesquiterpenes in heterologous systems, but its in planta function remains unknown. We integrated a metabolite genome-wide association study (mGWAS), CRISPR/Cas9 generated tps8 loss-of-function mutants, metabolite profiling, and biotic stress assays to define ZmTPS8's role in terpene synthesis and biotic stress responses. The mGWAS identified ZmTPS8 as the primary locus associated with herbivore-induced emission of the sesquiterpene volatile germacrene D. Consistently, ZmTPS8 expression was induced by foliar and root herbivory, and tps8 mutants exhibited reduced emission of germacrene D, α-copaene, and δ-cadinene during Spodoptera frugiperda feeding. Loss of ZmTPS8 increased S. frugiperda larval growth but did not affect the belowground herbivore Diabrotica virgifera virgifera. ZmTPS8 also contributed to resistance against sugarcane mosaic virus, and the fungal pathogen Fusarium verticillioides, affecting terpenoid profiles, global metabolism, and fungal toxin production, but had no impact on Cochliobolus heterostrophus or Pythium spp. susceptibility. Together, these results demonstrate that ZmTPS8 contributes to maize defense in a threat-dependent manner, shaping volatile emissions and defense outcomes.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2025

Vinigrol Tricyclic Scaffold Biosynthesis Employs an Atypical Terpene Cyclase and a Multipotent Cyclization Cascade.

Vinigrol (1) is a fungal diterpenoid consisting of a decahydro-1,5-butanonaphthalene ring system with no analogs in nature. Despite immense efforts in synthetic studies, the vinigrol biosynthesis pathway remains largely unknown. Herein, we identified a biosynthetic gene cluster for 1 and fully elucidated the biosynthetic pathway. By employing an AlphaFold-generated model structure, we identified the possible catalytic residues of the noncanonical terpene cyclase and analyzed their function by site-directed mutagenesis. We found that the G340A mutation opened a cryptic pathway for an unprecedented tetracyclic diterpene, defined here as virgarene. Retro-biosynthetic theoretical analysis provided a solid foundation for the complex cyclization pathway for the vinigrol scaffold, its chemical transformation to a structurally distinct bonnadiene, and redirection of the enzymatic cyclization cascade to virgarene. Close inspection of the terpene cyclization pathway via integrated experimental and theoretical approaches would allow efficient exploration of novel terpenoid chemistries.

Cyclization↗

PubMed1977

New methylcyclopentanoid terpenes from the larval defensive secretion of a chrysomelid beetle (Plagiodera versicolora).

The defensive secretion of larvae of the chrysomelid beetle Plagiodera versicolora contains two unstable, volatile methylcyclopentanoid terpenes: a dialdehyde (chrysomelidial) isomeric with dolichodial and anisomorphal, and a closely related enol lactone (plagiolactone). Chrysomelidial and plagiolactone are shown to have structures III and IV on the basis of a detailed analysis of their spectra, coupled with chemical transformations to products of known structure.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Comparative genomic analysis of Artemisia argyi reveals asymmetric expansion of terpene synthases and conservation of artemisinin biosynthesis.

Artemisia argyi, a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family, possesses significant therapeutic and economic value. We present a 7.88 Gb chromosome-level haplotype-resolved genome assembly, revealing its unique evolutionary trajectory. The karyotype (2n = 34) of A. argyi is that of an autotetraploid, which underwent gametic chromosome fusion prior to species-specific whole-genome duplication (WGD-3). The genome exhibits pronounced multivalent chromosome pairing and frequent recombination among homologous groups. Asymmetrical evolution following WGD-3 is a hallmark feature, evidenced by imbalanced allelic gene loss and widespread neofunctionalization. The terpene synthase (TPS) gene family exemplifies this pattern, having expanded through four duplication events in A. argyi. Recent tandem duplications and allelic functional differentiation have generated substantial gene functional diversity. Notably, we identified a tandem-duplicated six-copy ADS homolog (AarADS)-a key TPS gene in the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway of Artemisia annua (AanADS)-localized exclusively to a single chromosome in A. argyi. Unlike AanADS, which converts farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to amorpha-4,11-diene, AarADS catalyzes FPP to α-bisabolol. Evolutionary analysis suggested that AanADS acquired its specialized function via a derived mutation in the A. annua lineage. This study elucidates the genomic evolution underpinning A. argyi's distinctive medicinal properties.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1979