P450s in plants, insects, and their fungal pathogens

Abstract

Plants, insects, and fungal pathogens utilize numerous P450s in their biosynthetic and detoxicative pathways that provide the basis for their growth, development, and defense mechanisms. With many of their genes and enzymatic functions remaining to be characterized, this chapter details both those identified with functions in basic metabolic processes conserved among species and those with functions in metabolic and catabolic processes specific to individual species. Discussions of those in plants detail their unusually large numbers of P450 genes and atypical monooxygenase reactivities; discussions of those in insects detail their more limited numbers of P450 genes and typical monooxygenase reactivities; discussions of those in fungal pathogens detail only the very few characterized as involved in their interactions with plants and insects. In enumerating this collection of plant, insect, and fungal P450s, this chapter seeks to highlight the many molecular, biochemical, and computational tools available for future functional characterizations and biotechnological applications.