Researchers engineer tobacco to produce toxic plant compound with drug potential
Scientists identified six enzymes that let tobacco plants synthesize atisinium, a complex molecule from deadly wolfsbane and larkspur, opening a route to new medicines.
Researchers traced the genetic pathways behind the toxic diterpenoid alkaloids produced by wolfsbane and larkspur, pinpointing six enzymes responsible for constructing the molecule atisinium. After cataloguing thousands of genes across multiple plant species, the team transferred the identified gene set into tobacco plants, which successfully recreated the full biosynthetic route. This bioengineered system yields the complex compound in quantities sufficient for further pharmacological testing.
The discovery could accelerate the development of novel treatments for pain, malaria, cancer and agricultural pests, while offering a greener alternative to traditional extraction methods. The study was published in Molecular Plant and involved scientists from Michigan State University, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the University of Michigan-Flint.
Why it matters
It creates a scalable, eco-friendly way to produce rare plant chemicals that may become future medicines.
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