Ashihara Hiroshi, Kato Misako, Crozier Alan
Department of Biological Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2011(200):11-31. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-13443-2_2.
Methylxanthines and methyluric acids are purine alkaloids that are synthesized in quantity in a limited number of plant species, including tea, coffee and cacao. This review summarizes the pathways, enzymes and related genes of caffeine biosynthesis. The main biosynthetic pathway is a sequence consisting of xanthosine → 7-methylxanthosine → 7-methylxanthine → theobromine → caffeine. Catabolism of caffeine starts with its conversion to theophylline. Typically, this reaction is very slow in caffeine-accumulating plants. Finally, the ecological roles of caffeine and the production of decaffeinated coffee plants are discussed.
甲基黄嘌呤和甲基尿酸是嘌呤生物碱，在包括茶、咖啡和可可在内的少数植物物种中大量合成。本综述总结了咖啡因生物合成的途径、酶和相关基因。主要生物合成途径是由黄苷→7-甲基黄苷→7-甲基黄嘌呤→可可碱→咖啡因组成的序列。咖啡因的分解代谢始于其转化为茶碱。通常，这种反应在积累咖啡因的植物中非常缓慢。最后，讨论了咖啡因的生态作用和脱咖啡因咖啡植物的生产。
