Advances in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins

XIAO He; YAO Mingju; QIAO Xue

doi:10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049

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Advances in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins

更新时间：2025-07-03

- Advances in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins
- Synthetic Biology Journal Pages: 1-7(2025)
- 作者机构：
  
  北京大学药学院，天然药物与仿生药物国家重点实验室，北京大学-云南白药国际医学研究中心，北京，100191
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049
  CLC： Q816
- Received：27 May 2025，
  
  Revised：2025-06-27，
  
  Online First：03 July 2025，
- 稿件说明：
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肖和，姚明菊，乔雪. 长糖链皂苷的生物合成研究进展［J］. 合成生物学， 2025， 6. DOI： 10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049

XIAO He， YAO Mingju， QIAO Xue. Advances in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins［J］. Synthetic Biology Journal， 2025， 6. DOI： 10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049
肖和，姚明菊，乔雪. 长糖链皂苷的生物合成研究进展［J］. 合成生物学， 2025， 6. DOI： 10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049 DOI：

XIAO He， YAO Mingju， QIAO Xue. Advances in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins［J］. Synthetic Biology Journal， 2025， 6. DOI： 10.12211/2096-8280.2025-049 DOI：

摘要

含有多个糖基的长糖链皂苷是常见的植物次生代谢产物，具有调节免疫、抗肿瘤、降脂等药理活性，糖链组成差异是其结构多样性的重要原因。近期，英国约翰英纳斯中心Anne Osbourn教授团队和美国佐治亚大学Jim Leebens-Mack教授团队在

Nat. Chem. Biol.

期刊上发表了一篇文章，解析了肥皂草中八糖皂苷Saponarioside B的生物合成途径。其他长糖链皂苷如avenacin A-1、yossoside V、α-tomatine、QS-21等的生物合成途径也已于近年阐明。本文将结合相关研究，针对长糖链皂苷生物合成途径中的糖基化酶进行评论，为长糖链皂苷的生物合成酶挖掘与生物制造提供思路，为植物源皂苷的合成生物学提供线索。

Abstract

Saponins

featuring multiple glycosyl moieties in long sugar-chains

are significant plant secondary metabolites known for their diverse pharmacological properties

including immunomodulation

antitumor activity

and lipid-lowering effects. Variations in sugar chain composition critically contribute to their structural diversity. Recently

the biosynthetic pathway of Saponarioside B

an octasaccharide saponin derived from

Saponaria officinalis

was elucidated through collaborative research efforts led by Prof. Anne Osbourn (John Innes Centre

UK) and Prof. Jim Leebens-Mack (University of Georgia

USA)

as published in

Nature Chemical Biology

. The biosynthetic pathways of other long sugar-chain saponins

such as avenacin A-1

yossoside V

α-tomatine

and QS-21

have also been elucidated in recent years. This review aims to explore the glycosylation reactions and their catalytic enzymes in the biosynthesis of long sugar-chain saponins

integrating recent advances to update enzyme dis

coveries

optimize biomanufacturing strategies

and develop synthetic biology approaches for plant-derived saponins.

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Keywords

references

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CHUNG S Y , SEKI H. , FUJISAWA Y . ET AL. A cellulose synthase-derived enzyme catalyses 3-O-glucuronosylation in saponin biosynthesis [J ] . Nature Communications , 2020 , 11 ( 5664 ): 1 - 11 .

LIU Y , ZHAO X , GAN F , et al . Complete biosynthesis of QS-21 in engineered yeast [J ] . Nature , 2024 , 629 : 937 - 44 .

Qu G , Song Y , Xu X , et al . De novo biosynthesis of mogroside V by multiplexed engineered yeasts . Metabolic Engineering , 2025 , 88 : 160 - 171 .

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