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Secondary metabolism: High cholesterol in tomato

A straightforward approach reveals the full cholesterol biosynthetic pathway in tomato, which is composed of ten enzymatic steps, opening the door for bioengineering of high-value molecules in crops. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that cholesterogenesis evolved from the more ancient phytosterol pathway.

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Figure 1: A simplified scheme of the sterol pathway in plants.

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Correspondence to Thomas J. Bach.

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Bach, T. Secondary metabolism: High cholesterol in tomato. Nature Plants 3, 16213 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.213

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