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Abstract

Camptotheca acuminata or Happy tree are well known for its production of valuable bioactive compounds such as terpenoids and alkaloids. Secoyohimbane, heteroyohimbane, and yohimbane-type alkaloids are some of the plants' naturally occurring products that have been studied for their pharmaceutical benefits in other plants but not in C. acuminata. Hence, their biosynthetic route in this plant remains unknown. Here, bioinformatic analysis and biochemical investigations were combined to find new enzymes involved in secoyohimbane, heteroyohimbane, and yohimbane alkaloid biosynthesis in C. acuminata. Six gene-encoding enzymes were identified, four of which converted strictosidine aglycone to the new secoyohimbane, heteroyohimbane, and yohimbane-type alkaloids. Further structural investigation reveals essential residues in the active site responsible for their activities. The discovery of new yohimbane and heteroyohimbane synthases in C. acuminata sheds more insight into understanding alkaloid biosynthesis in C. acuminata and paves the way to the production of new alkaloids with potential therapeutic properties.