Plant-derived natural products: synthesis, function and application
August 2009
A new textbook has been released, co-edited by Professor Anne Osbourn of the John Innes Centre, which serves as a guide to the latest advances in the field of plant-derived natural products. Published by Springer, Plant-derived natural products: synthesis, function and application includes contributions from scientists working at the JIC and the Institute of Food Research, who along with other world-leading experts provide an overview of the different natural products, how they are made, and how they are, or could be, useful to humans.
Plants produce a huge array of natural products (secondary metabolites). These compounds have important ecological functions, providing protection against attack by herbivores and microbes and serving as attractants for pollinators and seed-dispersing agents. They may also contribute to competition and invasiveness by suppressing the growth of neighbouring plant species (a phenomenon known as allelopathy). Humans exploit natural products as sources of drugs, flavouring agents, fragrances and for a wide range of other applications. Rapid progress has been made in recent years in understanding natural product synthesis, regulation and function and the evolution of metabolic diversity. The book brings this information together with contemporary advances in chemistry, plant biology, ecology, agronomy and human health to provide a comprehensive guide to plant-derived natural products.
Professor Anne Osbourn is Head of the Department of Metabolic Biology at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK, where she runs a programme on plant-derived natural products. Her research is focused on the synthesis and function of plant-derived natural products and on mechanisms underpinning metabolic diversification.
"This book brings together the many different facets of plant-derived natural products, providing comprehensive coverage of all key aspects of the field, from distribution and analysis through synthesis, function and application to traditional medicines, nutraceuticals and novel non-food crops,” said Prof Osbourn.
“It is a true interdisciplinary project, with contributions from leading authorities with different areas of expertise from around the world. Each chapter is written in an informative yet accessible way, giving succinct coverage of the area without going into unnecessary detail. This book will be an excellent textbook for anyone who would like to know anything about plant-derived natural products, whether they are undergraduates, postgraduates or experienced researchers. As far as I am aware there is no other book of this kind available at present. Its publication is very timely, given the renewed and rapidly growing interest in plant-derived natural products across the food, health and bio-industry sectors. I am already finding it an extremely useful handbook" she said.
Dr Maria Traka and Professor Richard Mithen at the IFR are researching the role of dietary phytochemicals in maintaining and promoting health, and in preventing the onset and progression of chronic disease. They have authored a chapter on the Health Benefits of Dietary Plant Natural Products, reviewing the evidence for health benefits of diets rich in fruits and vegetables and certain classes of secondary metabolites. They then focus on the role of flavonoids in providing protection against cardiovascular disease, and glucosinolates in reducing cancer risk.
JIC's Dr Trevor Wang is researching the secondary metabolism of the model legume Lotus japonicus. Much analytical work in this area has been done in collaboration with Lionel Hill, who manages the JIC’s Metabolite service. Together they have contributed a chapter on ‘Approaches to the Analysis of Plant-Derived Natural Products’, including the recent development of metabolomics; the study of the entire small-molecule complement of the plant.
Dr Laetitia Shintu , Dr Gwénaëlle Le Gall and Dr Ian Colquhoun from IFR have produced a chapter on the use of metabolomics for the detection of unintended effects in genetically modified crops. This summarises the current procedures used to test GM crops, and also discusses how future crops, engineered to contain enhanced nutritional properties or health-related benefits, will need new testing procedures fully utilising metabolomic techniques.
Professor Rob Field, from the Department of Biological Chemistry at JIC, is an expert in the area of carbohydrate chemistry, and has produced a chapter on Oligosaccharide Signalling Molecules, carbohydrate-derived molecules that have key roles in development and may also activate a plant’s defence mechanisms against microbial infection.
Plant-derived Natural Products Synthesis, Function, and Application Osbourn, Anne E.; Lanzotti, Virginia (Eds.) 2009, XIV, 598 p. 193 illus., 29 in color., Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-387-85497-7
http://www.springer.com/life+sci/plant+sciences/book/978-0-387-85497-7
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Copyright John Innes Centre
2010
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