Overview

• A Nature Plants study reports discovery of the gene encoding the cyclase that performs the final cyclization to nepetalactol.
• Functional expression in plants and bacteria confirmed the enzyme catalyzes the reaction, with assays led by master's student Chloée Tymen.
• Sequence comparisons show the enzyme occurs specifically in plant species that produce iridoids.
• The enzyme belongs to an unexpected class associated with different reactions, and its detailed catalytic mechanism remains unclear.
• Researchers say the finding completes the iridoid biosynthetic pathway in asterids and could enable future biotechnological production of valuable derivatives.