Key Enzymes of Oxylipins Pathway

Plant oxylipins are a collection of signaling molecules made up of oxygenated fatty acids and metabolites obtained therefrom. The production, metabolism, and activity of oxylipins, particularly jasmonates, have improved considerably in the previous decade. Moreover, further mechanistic insights into enzyme function and signaling networks for oxilipins have been gained. The actions of lipoxygenases form the first basic step in the biosynthesis of almost all plant oxylipins with the cytochrome P450 and pathogen-induced oxygenases playing the supporting roles. These enzymes have a crucial function in defense against biotic and abiotic stresses of the environment such as diseases, insect attack, etc. As a result, when scientists look into how plants respond to stresses, these enzymes become a natural subject of research. This chapter briefly discusses and summarizes various enzymes involved in the phyto-oxilipin pathway, their occurrence in plants, structural features, and their role in plant developmental processes.