Researchers from the Biochemistry of Secondary Plant Metabolites group and the University of Bonn have decoded the genetic basis of withanolide biosynthesis in nightshade plants such as Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera), physalis and stinging nettles for the first time. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, offers critical insights into the molecular architecture underlying the synthesis of these pharmacologically active compounds.
Genetic decoding of withanolide biosynthesis as a basis for new pharmaceuticals
The researchers identified gene clusters responsible for the biosynthesis of medically relevant steroids, that have been used in traditional herbal medicine for centuries. Through integrative bioinformatic analyses and functional validation in model systems such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) and Nicotiana benthamiana, the research teams successfully reconstructed the initial steps of artificial withanolide production. These findings provide a proof-of-concept for targeted biotechnological synthesis and are likely to contribute to the development of new treatments for oncological and anti-inflammatory indications.
This project, supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with funding in excess of €500,000, is scheduled to continue until 2026. It represents a significant milestone in the biotechnical use of nightshade plants for advanced biomedical applications.
- Hakim et al. (2025): Phylogenomics and metabolic engineering reveal a conserved gene cluster in Solanaceae plants for withanolide biosynthesis. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61686-1
- Leibniz University Hannover Press Release: Nightshade Plants as a Basis for Medicines
- SAT.1 Regional (25 September 2025): Nightshade Plants Provide the Basis for New Medicines
