A research team led by professors Kim Sang-gyu from the Department of Biological Sciences and Han Soon-gyu from the Department of Chemistry at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced Wednesday that they have identified the key process by which securinine-class compounds, known for their anticancer properties, are produced in Securinega suffruticosa, a plant native to Korea.
Securinega suffruticosa is a shrub commonly found in mountains and fields across Korea. The plant has attracted attention as a medicinal species with high potential for new drug development due to its various alkaloid components, including securinine.
Since securinine was first discovered in Securinega suffruticosa in 1956, more than 130 related compounds have been reported. Some of these are known to exhibit anticancer effects or can effectively reach the brain to promote nerve regeneration. However, understanding how these substances are synthesized within the plant remained an unsolved challenge for the past 70 years. Alkaloids, potent natural compounds produced by plants with strong medicinal properties, are particularly difficult to study for their biosynthesis processes due to their highly complex structures.
Professor Kim's team obtained Securinega suffruticosa specimens from the "KAIST Ecological Forest" in the Bulgoksan area of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, prepared research samples, and conducted precise plant genome analysis. Professor Han's team identified "virosine B," the immediate precursor to securinine, synthesized it in the laboratory, and observed its transformation.
The research revealed that a plant enzyme called "sulfotransferase" plays a crucial role in converting virosine B into the anticancer compound securinine.
KAIST explained that this finding demonstrates sulfotransferase can play a significant role in altering the structure of alkaloids themselves, rather than simply serving an auxiliary function of attaching chemical components.
"We have elucidated at the molecular level how high-value natural products obtainable from native plants are produced," the research team said. "This establishes a foundation for stable production of anticancer substances using microorganisms or cells, which could lead to various pharmaceutical applications."
The research findings were published in the international journal Nature Communications on December 23.