Identification of key genes involved verazine biosynthesis in Veratrum grandiflorum (PRJCA034551)

Cyclopamine is a steroid alkaloid in Melanthiaceae, which as an inhibitor of Hedgehog signaling pathway has been widely used in the treatment of small cell lung cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCCs), oral cancer, prostate cancer and digestive tract tumor. Moreover, the biosynthetic pathway of Cyclopamine are very complex, and the biosynthetic pathway is only deciphered to the precursor verazine. In the past literature reports, the genes related to veratrum nigrum and Veratrum californicum have been deciphered, but the genes related to Veratrum grandiflorum, one of the original source of Veratrum medicinal material in China, have not been reported. Therefore, it is necessary to excavate and identify the related genes, which will help to better analyze the biosynthetic pathways of other steroidal alkaloids in Veratrum, including cyclopamine, and also lay a foundation for the application of synthetic biology.