Lu Jiaojiao, Yan Shan, Xue Zheyong
Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Bioactive Substance Biosynthesis and Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China.
J Adv Res. 2025 May;71:155-171. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.021. Epub 2024 May 23.
Triterpenoids are versatile secondary metabolites with a diverse array of physiological activities, possessing valuable pharmacological effects and influencing the growth and development of plants. As more triterpenoids in cereals are unearthed and characterized, their biological roles in plant growth and development are gaining recognition.
This review provides an overview of the structures, biosynthetic pathways, and diverse biological functions of triterpenoids identified in cereals. Our goal is to establish a basis for further exploration of triterpenoids with novel structures and functional activities in cereals, and to facilitate the potential application of triterpenoids in grain breeding, thus accelerating the development of superior grain varieties.
This review consolidates information on various triterpenoid skeletons and derivatives found in cereals, and summarizes the pivotal enzyme genes involved, including oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and other triterpenoid modifying enzymes like cytochrome P450, glycosyltransferase, and acyltransferase. Triterpenoid-modifying enzymes exhibit specificity towards catalytic sites within triterpenoid skeletons, generating a diverse array of functional triterpenoid derivatives. Furthermore, triterpenoids have been shown to significantly impact the nutritional value, yield, disease resistance, and stress response of cereals.
三萜类化合物是具有多种生理活性的多功能次生代谢产物，具有重要的药理作用，并影响植物的生长发育。随着谷物中越来越多的三萜类化合物被发现和表征，它们在植物生长发育中的生物学作用正逐渐得到认可。
本综述概述了谷物中已鉴定的三萜类化合物的结构、生物合成途径和多种生物学功能。我们的目标是为进一步探索谷物中具有新颖结构和功能活性的三萜类化合物奠定基础，并促进三萜类化合物在谷物育种中的潜在应用，从而加速优良谷物品种的开发。
本综述整合了谷物中发现的各种三萜类骨架和衍生物的信息，并总结了涉及的关键酶基因，包括氧化鲨烯环化酶（OSC）以及其他三萜类修饰酶，如细胞色素P450、糖基转移酶和酰基转移酶。三萜类修饰酶对三萜类骨架内的催化位点具有特异性，产生了各种各样的功能性三萜类衍生物。此外，三萜类化合物已被证明对谷物的营养价值、产量、抗病性和应激反应有显著影响。
