Transcriptome

Biology

Gene

Gene expression

Chemistry

Food science

Biochemistry

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Significance We identified the biosynthetic pathway for the nonsugar sweetener mogroside V, a noncaloric with a sweetening strength 250-fold that of sucrose. This compound is produced by the fruit of the endemic Chinese cucurbit Siraitia grosvenoriii , also known as monk fruit and luo-han-guo . The metabolic pathway was identified using a combination of genomic and transcriptomic databases of the Siraitia plant, together with a large-scale functional expression of candidate genes. The novelty of the pathway could be attributed to a highly coordinated gene expression pattern responsible for the unique epoxidations, hydroxylations, and glucosylations leading to the sweet mogrosides. These discoveries will facilitate the development of alternative natural sweeteners.

The biosynthetic pathway of the nonsugar, high-intensity sweetener mogroside V from Siraitia grosvenorii