Three cytochrome P450 enzymes consecutively catalyze the biosynthesis of furanoclerodane precursors in Salvia species.
Plant communications May 12, 2025 Ruoxi Lin, Haixiu Li, Yiren Xiao et al.
Three cytochrome P450 enzymes in the ornamental sage Salvia splendens convert kolavenol into salviarin precursors: annonene, hardwickiic acid, and hautriwaic acid. Orthologous genes in Salvia divinorum encode enzymes with kolavenol synthase, annonene synthase, and hardwickiic acid synthase activity, supporting these as intermediate steps in the biosynthesis of the psychoactive furanoclerodane salvinorin A, which is used in treating opioid addiction. S. splendens can serve as a model for studying furanoclerodane biosynthesis, and the findings provide tools for producing salvinorin A in biotechnological systems.