2354 Metabolism and Ecology of Purine Alkaloids Ana Luisa Anaya 1
[Frontiers in Bioscience 11, 2354-2370, September 1, 2006] Metabolism and Ecology of Purine Alkaloids Ana Luisa Anaya 1, Rocio Cruz-Ortega 1 and George R. Waller 2 1Departamento de Ecologia Funcional, Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Mexico DF 04510, 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater, OK 74078, USA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Classification of alkaloids 4. The importance of purine in natural compounds 5. Purine alkaloids 5.1. Distribution of purine alkaloids in plants 5.2. Metabolism of purine alkaloids 6. Biosynthesis of caffeine 6.1. Purine ring methylation 6.2. Cultured cells 7. Catabolism of caffeine 8. Caffeine-free and low caffeine varieties of coffee 8.1. Patents 9. Ecological role of alkaloids 9.1. Herbivory 9.2. Allelopathy 9.2.1. Mechanism of action of caffeine and other purine alkaloids in plants 10. Perspective 11. Acknowledgements 12. References 1. ABSTRACT 2. INTRODUCTION In this review, the biosynthesis, catabolism, Alkaloids are one of the most diverse groups of ecological significance, and modes of action of purine secondary metabolites found in living organisms. They alkaloids particularly, caffeine, theobromine and have many distinct types of structure, metabolic pathways, theophylline in plants are discussed. In the biosynthesis of and ecological and pharmacological activities. Many caffeine, progress has been made in enzymology, the amino alkaloids have been used in medicine for centuries, and acid sequence of the enzymes, and in the genes encoding some are still important drugs. Alkaloids have, therefore, N-methyltransferases. In addition, caffeine-deficient plants been prominent in many scientific fields for years, and have been produced.
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