Oryzalexin S biosynthesis: a cross-stitched disappearing pathway.

Unlabelled: Rice produces many diterpenoid phytoalexins and, reflecting the importance of these natural products in this important cereal crop plant, its genome contains three biosynthetic gene clusters () for such metabolism. The chromosome 4 () is largely associated with momilactone production, in part due to the presence of the initiating -copalyl diphosphate (CPP) synthase gene (). Oryzalexin S is also derived from -CPP.

Interdependent evolution of biosynthetic gene clusters for momilactone production in rice.

Plants can contain biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that nominally resemble those found in microbes. However, while horizontal gene transmission is often observed in microbes, plants are limited to vertical gene transmission, implying that their BGCs may exhibit distinct inheritance patterns. Rice (Oryza sativa) contains two unlinked BGCs involved in diterpenoid phytoalexin metabolism, with one clearly required for momilactone biosynthesis, while the other is associated with production of phytocassanes.

Functional Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Surface-Related Antigen as a Potential Blood-Stage Vaccine Target.

Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion is a multistep process that involves a spectrum of interactions that are not well characterized. We have characterized a 113-kDa immunogenic protein, PF3D7_1431400 (PF14_0293), that possesses coiled-coil structures. The protein is localized on the surfaces of both merozoites and gametocytes, hence the name Plasmodium falciparum surface-related antigen (PfSRA).