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Creators/Authors contains: "Walker, Kevin"

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  1. Summary Plant‐specialized metabolism is complex, with frequent examples of highly branched biosynthetic pathways, and shared chemical intermediates. As such, many plant‐specialized metabolic networks are poorly characterized.TheN‐methyl Δ1‐pyrrolinium cation is a simple pyrrolidine alkaloid and precursor of pharmacologically important tropane alkaloids. Silencing of pyrrolidine ketide synthase (AbPyKS) in the roots ofAtropa belladonna(Deadly Nightshade) reduces tropane alkaloid abundance and causes highN‐methyl Δ1‐pyrrolinium cation accumulation. The consequences of this metabolic shift on alkaloid metabolism are unknown. In this study, we utilized discovery metabolomics coupled withAbPyKSsilencing to reveal major changes in the root alkaloid metabolome ofA. belladonna.We discovered and annotated almost 40 pyrrolidine alkaloids that increase whenAbPyKSactivity is reduced. Suppression of phenyllactate biosynthesis, combined with metabolic engineeringin planta, and chemical synthesis indicates several of these pyrrolidines share a core structure formed through the nonenzymatic Mannich‐like decarboxylative condensation of theN‐methyl Δ1‐pyrrolinium cation with 2‐O‐malonylphenyllactate. Decoration of this core scaffold through hydroxylation and glycosylation leads to mono‐ and dipyrrolidine alkaloid diversity.This study reveals the previously unknown complexity of theA. belladonnaroot metabolome and creates a foundation for future investigation into the biosynthesis, function, and potential utility of these novel alkaloids. 
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  2. null (Ed.)