A promiscuous fatty acid ??hydroxylase CYP94A90 is likely involved in biosynthesis of a floral nitro compound in loquat ( <i>Eriobotrya japonica</i> )

Nitro groups are often associated with synthetically manufactured compounds such as medicines and explosives, rarely natural products. Loquat emits a nitro compound, (2-nitroethyl)benzene, flower scent. The compound exhibits fungistatic activity is biosynthesised from l-phenylalanine via (E/Z)-phenylacetaldoxime. Although aldoxime-producing CYP79s have been intensively studied, it unclear what enzymes form aldoximes either in plants or other organisms. Here, we report the identification of two cytochrome P450s that likely to be involved (2-nitroethyl)benzene biosynthesis loquat through differential gene expression analysis using RNA-seq functional yeast tobacco. CYP79D80 CYP94A90 catalysed formation (E/Z)-phenylacetaldoxime aldoxime, respectively. Expression profiles were correlated emission flowers. also functioned fatty acid ?-hydroxylase do CYP94A ?-hydroxylases. CYP94As tested all found catalyse operate concert biosynthesise loquat. ‘promiscuous ?-hydroxylases’, catalysing aldoximes, widely distributed dicot plants.