PubMed · 2026-04-13
Scientists identified the key enzymes behind oleuropein production in olive trees — the compound responsible for olive oil's distinctive bitter, peppery flavor and many of its health benefits. Using a novel comparative gene-discovery method across 15 plant species, they mapped critical steps in a biochemical pathway that was previously a black box.
Three polyphenol oxidase enzymes with 'oleuropein synthase' activity were discovered, directly linking a known enzyme family to oleuropein's final assembly steps.
Two novel enzymes (named 7eLAS) that produce a key intermediate compound were identified — notably, these work differently from their counterpart in the well-studied periwinkle plant, where a cytochrome P450 enzyme handles the same step.
Transcriptomic data from six olive cultivars across maturation stages, combined with expression data from 15 species across three plant orders, enabled untargeted discovery of multiple pathway enzymes in a single study.
