fragrance-biosynthesis
Fragrance biosynthesis refers to the biochemical pathways through which plants produce and emit volatile organic compounds responsible for scent, including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and fatty acid derivatives. Understanding these pathways reveals how plants use fragrance as an ecological tool — attracting pollinators, repelling herbivores, and communicating with other organisms. Research in this field also has practical applications in agriculture, perfumery, and the development of plant-derived aromatic compounds.
PubMed · 2026-04-06
Scientists discovered that a small protein derived from a gene's 'antisense' strand can boost root growth and trigger production of rare fragrant compounds in agarwood trees, opening a new path for sustainable agarwood farming.
The antisense-derived peptide anti-AsWOX11 significantly enhanced adventitious root growth in Aquilaria sinensis (agarwood tree) compared to untreated plants.
Treatment induced production of two novel volatile compounds — α-gurjunene and α-cedrene — not previously associated with this pathway, expanding the tree's fragrance profile.
Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses confirmed the peptide modulates hormone signaling networks involved in both root development and secondary metabolite biosynthesis simultaneously.
