leading to high market prices and
poor availability.
Their biotechnological production is hampered by the
fragmentary knowledge of their biosynthesis. Here we report the discovery of the last four
missing steps of the (seco)iridoid biosynthesis pathway. Expression of the eight genes
encoding this pathway, together with two genes boosting precursor formation and two
downstream alkaloid biosynthesis genes, in an alternative plant host, allows the heterologous
production of the complex MIA strictosidine. This confirms the functionality of all enzymes
of the pathway and
highlights their utility for synthetic biology programmes towards a
sustainable biotechnological production of valuable (seco)iridoids and alkaloids with
pharmaceutical and agricultural applications