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Parallel evolution in the biosynthesis of a juvenile hormone compound reveals metabolic convergence in plants and insects.

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Title: Parallel evolution in the biosynthesis of a juvenile hormone compound reveals metabolic convergence in plants and insects.
Authors: Wang, Weijiao1 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Chi1 (AUTHOR), Chen, Xinlu1 (AUTHOR), Chaiprasongsuk, Minta1 (AUTHOR), Paudel, Pradeep2 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Aijun2 (AUTHOR), Chen, Feng1 (AUTHOR) fengc@utk.edu
Source: New Phytologist. Apr2026, Vol. 250 Issue 1, p602-615. 14p.
Subjects: Biosynthesis, Convergent evolution, Methyltransferases, Autotrophs, Insects, Cyperus, Juvenile hormones
Abstract: Summary: Plants have evolved diverse defenses against herbivores, and some species produce juvenile hormone III (JH III) that disrupts insect growth and reproduction. While the insect JH III biosynthetic pathway is well‐established, its occurrence and basis in plants remain unresolved.We investigated the molecular and biochemical basis of JH III biosynthesis in the model sedge Cyperus iria. Comparative genomics, expression profiling, metabolic analyses, and in vitro enzyme assays were combined with transient pathway reconstruction in Nicotiana benthamiana.Cyperus iria harbors members of the same enzyme families of four insect JH III pathway enzymes but lacks a canonical farnesoic acid methyltransferase (FAMT). A pair of SABATH methyltransferases was identified as functional FAMTs (CiFAMT) in C. iria. Functional validation in N. benthamiana transient assay demonstrated that CiFAMT can replace the insect farnesoic acid methyltransferase within an otherwise insect‐based pathway, confirming its role in methyl farnesoate biosynthesis.Our results demonstrate that plants and insects have independently evolved the capacity to biosynthesize structurally identical JH III through recruitment of non‐homologous enzymes. This provides compelling evidence for structural convergent evolution of a specialized metabolite with ecological implications for plant‐insect interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of New Phytologist is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 192087524
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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  Data: Parallel evolution in the biosynthesis of a juvenile hormone compound reveals metabolic convergence in plants and insects.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Weijiao%22">Wang, Weijiao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Chi%22">Zhang, Chi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Xinlu%22">Chen, Xinlu</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chaiprasongsuk%2C+Minta%22">Chaiprasongsuk, Minta</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paudel%2C+Pradeep%22">Paudel, Pradeep</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Aijun%22">Zhang, Aijun</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Feng%22">Chen, Feng</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> fengc@utk.edu</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22New+Phytologist%22">New Phytologist</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 250 Issue 1, p602-615. 14p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biosynthesis%22">Biosynthesis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Convergent+evolution%22">Convergent evolution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Methyltransferases%22">Methyltransferases</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autotrophs%22">Autotrophs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Insects%22">Insects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cyperus%22">Cyperus</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Juvenile+hormones%22">Juvenile hormones</searchLink>
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  Data: Summary: Plants have evolved diverse defenses against herbivores, and some species produce juvenile hormone III (JH III) that disrupts insect growth and reproduction. While the insect JH III biosynthetic pathway is well‐established, its occurrence and basis in plants remain unresolved.We investigated the molecular and biochemical basis of JH III biosynthesis in the model sedge Cyperus iria. Comparative genomics, expression profiling, metabolic analyses, and in vitro enzyme assays were combined with transient pathway reconstruction in Nicotiana benthamiana.Cyperus iria harbors members of the same enzyme families of four insect JH III pathway enzymes but lacks a canonical farnesoic acid methyltransferase (FAMT). A pair of SABATH methyltransferases was identified as functional FAMTs (CiFAMT) in C. iria. Functional validation in N. benthamiana transient assay demonstrated that CiFAMT can replace the insect farnesoic acid methyltransferase within an otherwise insect‐based pathway, confirming its role in methyl farnesoate biosynthesis.Our results demonstrate that plants and insects have independently evolved the capacity to biosynthesize structurally identical JH III through recruitment of non‐homologous enzymes. This provides compelling evidence for structural convergent evolution of a specialized metabolite with ecological implications for plant‐insect interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of New Phytologist is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/nph.70896
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 602
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Biosynthesis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Convergent evolution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Methyltransferases
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autotrophs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Insects
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cyperus
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Juvenile hormones
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Parallel evolution in the biosynthesis of a juvenile hormone compound reveals metabolic convergence in plants and insects.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Wang, Weijiao
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            NameFull: Zhang, Chi
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            NameFull: Chen, Xinlu
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            NameFull: Chaiprasongsuk, Minta
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            NameFull: Paudel, Pradeep
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            NameFull: Zhang, Aijun
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            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 250
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