{
  "abstract": "Macaranga tanarius (Euphorbiaceae), a myrmecophilic plant grown in subtropical countries, was identified as a source of Okinawan propolis, a honeybee product, which is glandular trichomes developed on the surface of the fruits. This tissue contains a high amount of characteristic geranylated flavonoids known as nymphaeols (nymphaeol A - C and isonymphaeol B), which exhibit strong antioxidant activity. In this study, we characterized the structure of glandular trichomes of M. tanarius, showing that they are sac-like structures containing drupelet-like aggregates of secretary cells, and a subcuticular cavity was also observed. From a cDNA library, we identified two prenyltransferase (PT) genes involved in biosynthesis of nymphaeols, and a PT gene grouped in a primary metabolic PT. Our biochemical experiments demonstrated that one of the former secondary metabolic PTs (MtPT1) is a B-ring-specific geranyltransferase for eriodictyol to yield nymphaeols B and isonymphaeol B. MtPT1 was unusual for a plant PT, an enzyme that yielded multiple reaction products. The other PT (MtPT3) transferred a geranyl moiety to the A-ring of eriodictyol to form nymphaeol A. Although dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) was not recognized as its prenyl donor substrate of eriodictyol, giving a B-ring geranylated eriodyctiol as the prenyl acceptor substrate, this enzyme used DMAPP to attach the prenyl moiety to the A-ring and produced nymphaeol C. These data suggest that M. tanarius has evolved its PT function to produce a diverse range of prenylated flavonoids using a limited set of genes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Kyoto University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "R. Munakata"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Maeda"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Shimizu"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Sugiyama"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Kumazawa"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Fukumoto"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "K. Yazaki"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1x4p4h9tgfe2j.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.23.753730",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753730v1.full",
  "id": "1x4p4h9tgfe2j",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753730v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "biochemistry"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214217909",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753730v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-23",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1x4p4h9tgfe2j.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:24:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.23.753730",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753730v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Biosynthesis of prenylated flavonoids by two membrane-bound prenyltransferases in glandular trichomes of Macaranga tanarius.",
  "title_text": "Biosynthesis of prenylated flavonoids by two membrane-bound prenyltransferases in glandular trichomes of Macaranga tanarius.",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:24:15Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1x4p4h9tgfe2j",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}