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Review
. 2014 Nov 5;19(11):18033-56.
doi: 10.3390/molecules191118033.

Deciphering the role of phytoalexins in plant-microorganism interactions and human health

Philippe Jeandet  1 , Claire Hébrard  2 , Marie-Alice Deville  3 , Sylvain Cordelier  4 , Stéphan Dorey  5 , Aziz Aziz  6 , Jérôme Crouzet  7
Affiliations
Review

Deciphering the role of phytoalexins in plant-microorganism interactions and human health

Philippe Jeandet et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Phytoalexins are low molecular weight antimicrobial compounds that are produced by plants as a response to biotic and abiotic stresses. As such they take part in an intricate defense system which enables plants to control invading microorganisms. In this review we present the key features of this diverse group of molecules, namely their chemical structures, biosynthesis, regulatory mechanisms, biological activities, metabolism and molecular engineering.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biosynthetic pathways to the main flavonoid and stilbenoid phytoalexins from the Leguminosae family. (adapted from [10,38,39]). The dashed arrows represent hypothetical steps and the solid arrows denote reactions for which the catalyzing enzymes have been cloned.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Biosynthetic pathway of diterpenoid phytoalexins.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Biosynthetic pathway from tryptophan to camalexin (adapted from [2]).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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