The last piece of the nicotine puzzle
Plant Science Research WeeklyNo other alkaloid has received as much scientific attention as nicotine. For better or for worse, tobacco has been used by humans for at least 12,000 years, yet the final steps of nicotine biosynthesis have remained stubbornly unresolved until now. A new paper in Cell by Chang et al. (2026) reveals that…
A “GAME” changer in plant secondary metabolism
Plant Science Research WeeklyCholesterol, an essential structural component of membranes and a precursor for steroid hormones, serves as a key metabolite at the interface of primary and secondary metabolism. However, the mechanisms regulating the balance between its diverse downstream metabolic pathways remain poorly understood.…
Review: A century of studying plant secondary metabolism—From “what?” to “where, how, and why?”
Plant Science Research WeeklyPhytochemicals, also known as plant secondary metabolites, play primary roles in plant development, structure, and response to the environment. Their metabolism has been studied for over a century. In a new review, Dixon and Dickinson discuss past and recent advances in understanding the identity, localization,…
Review. Plant synthetic biology for producing potent phyto-antimicrobials to combat antimicrobial resistance
Plant Science Research Weekly
Covid has turned our focus to human viral pathogens, but the challenges we face from cellular pathogens has not gone away, and is increasingly exacerbated by the development of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials. This fine review by Tiwari et al. provides an overview of how antimicrobials…