Biochemical controls in plants and animals: itaconate (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, June 08, 2025, 18:06 (3 days ago) @ David Turell

A busy protein:

https://phys.org/news/2025-06-growth-boost-molecule-animal-metabolism.html

"Within the animal kingdom, a naturally produced molecule known as itaconate serves a prominent role in the immune system as a defensive agent against viruses and inflammation. Itaconate is classified as a metabolite, a natural compound that arises when organisms convert food into energy.

"While itaconate is well known in animals, its presence and functions in plants are largely unexplored. Biologists at the University of California San Diego have now undertaken the first comprehensive exploration of itaconate's functions in plants. Researchers at the School of Biological Sciences, working with colleagues at Stanford University,... used chemical imaging and measurement techniques to not only prove that itaconate exists in plants, but to reveal its significant role in stimulating plant growth.

"'We found that itaconate is made in plants, particularly in growing cells," said study senior author Jazz Dickinson, an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. "Watering maize (corn) plants with itaconate made seedlings grow taller, which was exciting and encouraged us to investigate this metabolite further and understand how it interacts with plant proteins."

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"...they described how itaconate interacts with plant-specific proteins in Arabidopsis, a member of the mustard family.

"Further investigating these dynamics, the researchers found that itaconate plays multiple key roles in plant physiology. These include involvement in several critical plant processes, such as primary metabolism and oxygen-related stress response.

"Optimizing the natural benefits of itaconate—instead of synthetically derived chemicals—could be crucial for safely maximizing crop growth to support growing global populations.

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"...humans also make and use itaconate, the new study could offer fresh information for understanding the molecule's role in human development and growth.

Comment: this study shows how interrelated plant and animal metabolisms are.