Forum TRENDS in Plant Science Vol.7 No.
2 February 2002
Book Review
Phytochemistry has
moved on
Evolution of Metabolic Pathways (Recent
Advances in Phytochemistry) (Vol. 34)
Edited by John Romeo, Ragai Ibrahim,
Luc Varin and Vincenzo De Luca, Pergamon
Press, 2000. US$275.00 hbk (xii + 467 pages).
ISBN 0 08 043860 1
Advances in
phytochemistry
have often arisen
from developments
in areas that at
first glance did not
seem closely
related, but have
later contributed
greatly to
advancement in the field. To illustrate
this point, it is interesting to examine
the Recent Advances in Phytochemistry
series. In the early volumes, biogenetic
pathways based on similarity to organic
chemical sequences were recognized.
The biochemistry described was largely
based on isolation and purification of
enzymes. Considerable emphasis was
placed on chemotaxonomic application
of the data, in an optimistic and now
somewhat naive way, to resolve
systematic and evolutionary problems
in various plant groups.
In this 34th volume, Evolution of
Metabolic Pathways, the results of a major
surge forward in understanding based on
developments in plant molecular biology
are presented. The emphasis has changed
from that previously described to isolation
and sequencing of the actual genes
responsible for enzymatic steps involved
in the production of a broad variety of
plant secondary compounds. Additionally,
expression of genes, and requisite
generation of proteins from these genes,
is explored. Evaluation of substrate
specificities for the resultant proteins is
now of major interest. Gene sequences
modified in the course of evolution are
seen to arise by gene duplication followed
by mutational changes within an
organism, as well as by changes in the
DNA of genetically isolated organisms.
Early studies compared similarities of
organic constituents and biogenetic
http://plants.trends.com
95
pathways. Today, gene sequences from synthase-related enzymes, macrolide and
distinct evolutionary lines can be polyketide synthases, enzymes involved
compared using cladistic analyses, to in formation of terpenoid precursors and
produce phylogenetic trees that permit terpene cyclases, plant phytochromes
estimation of the evolutionary pathways P450, the enzymes involved in synthesis
for the genes and proteins leading to of cyanogenic glycosides, certain
specific enzymatic changes, as well as for dioxygenases, acyltransferases,
the resulting secondary metabolites. glucosyltransferases, methyltransferases
Comparison of sequences from genetically and sulfotransferases, as well as a
isolated organisms and their hybrids discussion of brassinosteroids in plants.
provides a valuable method for This selection represents the most
establishing the phylogeny of plant taxa prominent enzymes of the majority of
as well. Interestingly, we can now use this plant biosynthetic pathways. The
evolutionary information to study the chapters are useful reference sources for
origins and distributional patterns of the techniques and experimental methods
compounds, the inverse approach to that that are both up to date and applicable to
used in chemosystematic studies in 1966, studying the origin and evolution of plant
when this series began. secondary metabolites.
The tools and approaches needed to The editing skills of John Romeo et al.
advance these studies have undergone contribute unity of writing style, chapter
major changes as well. There has been a content and organization, and greatly
metamorphosis from traditional organic enhance the quality of the volume. In
chemistry and biochemistry, through a spite of the inherently complex nature of
series of more advanced separation and the topic, the chapters are well written
characterization techniques, and edited and relatively easy to read.
determination of the range of substrates Because of the broad scope of the
and identification of products, and materials discussed and linked to the
estimation of gene phylogenies by cladistic evolution of metabolic pathways in plants,
methods, to PCR, RT-PCR, DNA cloning, this volume should be of interest to a
and expression of these DNA segments in similarly broad array of investigators.
appropriate organisms. This includes those who consider
This new volume brings together themselves to be phytochemists, as well as
contributions from plant biochemistry, plant biochemists, physiologists and
molecular biology and evolutionary molecular biologists. Those interested in
studies, in a remarkable and seamless the evolution and systematics of plants
way to present a valuable overview of the will find much information of value. To my
present-day status of phytochemistry knowledge, there is no single volume that
and, in a broad sense, plant secondary is as comprehensive and extensive in
metabolism. In a series of 14 chapters, coverage for this exciting area of research.
the discussion progresses from the roles
of the compounds produced, through a David S. Seigler
review of most of the major classes of Dept of Plant Biology, University of Illinois,
enzymes involved in plant secondary Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
metabolism. These include chalcone e-mail: d-seigler@uiuc.edu
Errata
The title of Missing links: the genetic architecture of flower and floral
diversification by the Floral Genome Project Research Group (Douglas E. Soltis
et al.), Trends Plant Sci. (2002) 7, 22–31 [PII: S1360-1385(01)02098-2] should have
read ‘Missing links: the genetic architecture of flowers and floral diversification’.
We apologise to the authors and to our readers for this error.
In Fig. 2 on page 25, the bracket for eudicots should extend down to also
include Ranunculales, Sabiaceae, Proteales, Trochodendrales, Buxales,
Caryophyllales, Santalales, Berberidopsidales and Gunnerales.
PII: S1360-1385(02)02234-3
1360-1385/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S1360-1385(01)02215-4