Jing-Ke Weng

Sponsor: USDA

Discovery and engineering of plant branched cyclic peptide biosynthesis

Plants offer an enormous chemodiversity that is essential for discovering new medicines, with 25% of all FDA-approved drugs coming from plants. However, the production of plant-derived natural products faces significant challenges. Our research aims to explore the biosynthesis and bioengineering of lyciumins and moroidins, two classes of branched cyclic peptides with potential pharmaceutical applications. Lyciumins, inhibitors of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme, come from the Goji berry, while moroidins, derived from the Australian stinging tree, exhibit anti-mitotic activities suitable for cancer therapy. Both are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) in plants, suggesting potential for enhanced chemical diversity and production. We propose to advance our understanding of RiPP diversity and biosynthesis, supporting new strategies for their engineering and application in medicine.