Limonoids are responsible for the bitter taste in citrus (e.g., limonin) and the active constituents of neem oil, a widely used bioinsecticide (e.g., azadirachtin), and have potential as anti-cancer drugs. However, despite the commercial value of limonoids, commercial-scale production has been challenging due to a limited understanding of how these molecules are synthesised in plants. Using ground-breaking methods, researchers at the John Innes Centre and Stanford University have revealed the biosynthetic pathway of these useful molecules, which certain plant families make, including mahogany and citrus.
NETL
NSTL
