Publications

Publications

2025

  • Bouwmeester H, Zerbe P, Peters RJ, Wang K, Dong L (2025) The role of isoprenoids in the chemical communication between plants and other organisms in their rhizosphere. aBIOTECH, accepted article.
  • Hawkins C, Xue B, Yasmin F, Wyatt G, Zerbe P, Rhee SY (2025) Plant Metabolic Network 16: expansion of underrepresented plant groups and experimentally supported enzyme data. Nucleic Acids Res. 53:D1606-D1613. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae991

2024

  • Zerbe P (2024) Plants against cancer: towards green Taxol production through pathway discovery and metabolic engineering. aBIOTECH 5:394–402.
  • Yasmin F, Cowie AE, Zerbe P (2024) Understanding the chemical language mediating maize immunity and environmental adaptation. New Phytol 243:2093–2101.
  • Cowie AE et al., Zerbe P (2024) The crystal structure of Grindelia robusta 7,13-copalyl diphosphate synthase reveals active site features controlling catalytic specificity. JBC. doi:10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107921
  • Wyatt G, Zerbe P, Tiedge K (2024) Characterization of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) PvKSL1 as a levopimaradiene/abietadiene-type diterpene synthase. Plant Biol. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13708

2023

  • Murphy KM et al., Zerbe P (2023) A dolabralexin-deficient mutant provides insight into specialized diterpenoid metabolism in maize. Plant Physiol 192:1338.
  • Köllner TG, Gershenzon J, Peters RJ, Zerbe P, Schmelz EA (2023) The terpene synthase gene family in maize - a clarification of existing community nomenclature. BMC Genomics 24:744. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09856-7. 

2022

  • Tiedge K et al., Zerbe P (2022) Comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal specialized metabolite drought stress responses in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). New Phytol 236:1393–1408.
  • Fan Z, Tieman DM, Knapp SJ, Zerbe P, Famula R, Barbey CR, Folta KM, Amadeu RR, Lee M, Oh Y, Lee S, Whitaker VM (2022) A multi-omics framework reveals strawberry flavor genes and their regulatory elements. New Phytol. 236:1089-1107. doi: 10.1111/nph.18416. 
  • Tiedge K, Destremps J, Solano-Sanchez J, Arce-Rodriguez ML, Zerbe P (2022) Foxtail mosaic virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Plant Methods 18:71. doi: 10.1186/s13007-022-00903-0. 
  • Murphy KM, Poretsky E, Liu H, Micic N, Nyhuis A, Bohlmann J, Schmelz EA, Zerbe P, Huffaker A, Bjarnholt N (2022) Shielding the oil reserves: the scutellum as a source of chemical defenses. Plant Physiol. 188:1944-1949. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac038. 

2021

  • Muchlinski A et al., Zerbe P (2021) Cytochrome P450-catalyzed biosynthesis of furanoditerpenoids in the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Plant J 108:1053–68.
  • Chen R, Bu Y, Ren J, Pelot KA, Hu X, Diao Y, Chen W, Zerbe P, Zhang L (2021) Discovery and modulation of diterpenoid metabolism improves glandular trichome formation, artemisinin production and stress resilience in Artemisia annua. New Phytol. 230:2387-2403. doi: 10.1111/nph.17351. 
  • Murphy KM, Edwards J, Louie KB, Bowen BP, Sundaresan V, Northen TR, Zerbe P (2021) Bioactive diterpenoids impact the composition of the root-associated microbiome in maize (Zea mays). Sci Rep. 11:333. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-79320-z. 
  • Kwon M, Utomo JC, Park K, Pascoe CA, Chiorean S, Ngo I, Pelot KA, Pan C-H, Kim S-W, Zerbe P, Vederas JC, Ro D-K (2021) Cytochrome P450-Catalyzed Biosynthesis of a Dihydrofuran Neoclerodane in Magic Mint (Salvia divinorum). ACS Catalysis 12:777-782. DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03691

2020

  • Ding Y, Weckwerth PR, Poretsky E, Murphy KM, Sims J, Saldivar E, Christensen SA, Char SN, Yang B, Tong AD, Shen Z, Kremling KA, Buckler ES, Kono T, Nelson DR, Bohlmann J, Bakker MG, Vaughan MM, Khalil AS, Betsiashvili M, Dressano K, Köllner TG, Briggs SP, Zerbe P, Schmelz EA, Huffaker A (2020) Genetic elucidation of interconnected antibiotic pathways mediating maize innate immunity. Nat Plants. 6:1375-1388. doi: 10.1038/s41477-020-00787-9. 
  • Karunanithi PS et al., Zerbe P (2020) The foxtail millet (Setaria italica) terpene synthase gene family. Plant J 103:781–800.
  • Tiedge K, Muchlinski A, Zerbe P (2020) Genomics-enabled analysis of specialized metabolism in bioenergy crops: Current progress and challenges. Syn Biol 5:ysaa005.
  • Murphy KM, Zerbe P (2020) Specialized diterpenoid metabolism in monocot crops: Biosynthesis and chemical diversity. Phytochemistry 172:112289. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2020.112289. 
  • Wang JZ, Lei Y, Xiao Y, He X, Liang J, Jiang J, Dong S, Ke H, Leon P, Zerbe P, Xiao Y, Dehesh K (2020) Uncovering the functional residues of Arabidopsis isoprenoid biosynthesis enzyme HDS. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117:355-361. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1916434117. 

2019

  • Murphy KM et al., Zerbe P (2019) A customizable approach for the enzymatic production and purification of diterpenoid natural products. J Vis Exp. doi:10.3791/59992
  • Karunanithi PS, Zerbe P (2019) Terpene synthases as metabolic gatekeepers in the evolution of plant terpenoid chemical diversity. Front Plant Sci 10:1166.
  • Karunanithi PS, Dhanota P, Addison JB, Tong S, Fiehn O, Zerbe P (2019) Functional characterization of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP71AU87 indicates a role in marrubiin biosynthesis in the medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare. BMC Plant Biol. 19:114. doi: 10.1186/s12870-019-1702-5. 
  • Ding Y et al., Zerbe P (2019) Multiple genes recruited from hormone pathways partition maize diterpenoid defences. Nat Plants 5:1043–56.
  • Pelot KA et al., Zerbe P (2019) Diterpene Synthase-Catalyzed Biosynthesis of Distinct Clerodane Stereoisomers. Chembiochem 20:111–7.
  • Muchlinski A, Chen X, Lovell JT, Köllner TG, Pelot KA, Zerbe P, Ruggiero M, Callaway L 3rd, Laliberte S, Chen F, Tholl D (2019) Biosynthesis and Emission of Stress-Induced Volatile Terpenes in Roots and Leaves of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Front Plant Sci. 10:1144. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01144. 
  • Ma LT, Lee YR, Tsao NW, Wang SY, Zerbe P, Chu FH (2019) Biochemical characterization of diterpene synthases of Taiwania cryptomerioides expands the known functional space of specialized diterpene metabolism in gymnosperms. Plant J. 100:1254-1272.  
  • Amini H, Naghavi MR, Shen T, Wang Y, Nasiri J, Khan IA, Fiehn O, Zerbe P, Maloof JN (2019) Tissue-Specific Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Candidate Genes for Terpenoid and Phenylpropanoid Metabolism in the Medicinal Plant Ferula assafoetida. G3 (Bethesda) 9:807-16.  

2018

  • Murphy KM, Ma LT, Ding Y, Schmelz EA, Zerbe P (2018) Functional Characterization of Two Class II Diterpene Synthases Indicates Additional Specialized Diterpenoid Pathways in Maize (Zea mays). Front Plant Sci. 9:1542. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01542. 
  • Pelot KA et al., Zerbe P (2018) Functional diversity of diterpene synthases in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Plant Physiol 178:54–71.
  • Lancaster J, Khrimian A, Young S, Lehner B, Luck K, Wallingford A, Ghosh SKB, Zerbe P, Muchlinski A, Marek PE, Sparks ME, Tokuhisa JG, Tittiger C, Köllner TG, Weber DC, Gundersen-Rindal DE, Kuhar TP, Tholl D (2018) De novo formation of an aggregation pheromone precursor by an isoprenyl diphosphate synthase-related terpene synthase in the harlequin bug. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115:E8634-41. 
  • Mafu S et al., Zerbe P (2018) Discovery, Biosynthesis and Stress-Related Accumulation of Dolabradiene-Derived Defenses in Maize. Plant Physiol 176:2677–90.

2006-2017

  • Mafu S, Karunanithi PS, Palazzo TA, Harrod BL, Rodriguez SM, Mollhoff IN, O'Brien TE, Tong S, Fiehn O, Tantillo DJ, Bohlmann J, Zerbe P (2017) Biosynthesis of the microtubule-destabilizing diterpene pseudolaric acid B from golden larch involves an unusual diterpene synthase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 114:974-979. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1612901114. 
  • Pelot KA, Hagelthorn DM, Addison JB, Zerbe P (2017) Biosynthesis of the oxygenated diterpene nezukol in the medicinal plant Isodon rubescens is catalyzed by a pair of diterpene synthases. Plos One 12:e0176507
  • Mafu S, Fischer E, Addison JB, Riberio Barbosana I, Zerbe P (2016) Substitution of two active-site residues alters C9-hydroxylation in a class II diterpene synthase. Chembiochem 17:2304-7.  
  • Wu X, Chen X, Dan J, Cao Y, Gao S, Guo Z, Zerbe P, Chai Y, Diao Y, Zhang L (2016) Characterization of anti-leukemia components from Indigo naturalis using comprehensive two-dimensional K562/cell membrane chromatography and in silico target identification. Sci Rep. 6:25491.  
  • Andersen-Ranberg J, Kongstad KT, Nielsen MT, Jensen NB, Pateraki I, Bach SS, Hamberger B, Zerbe P, Staerk D, Bohlmann J, Møller BL, Hamberger B (2016) Expanding the landscape of diterpene structural diversity through stereochemically controlled combinatorial biosynthesis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 55:2142-6.  
  • Chen R, Li Q, Tan H, Chen J, Xiao Y, Ma R, Gao S, Zerbe P, Chen W, Zhang L (2015) Gene-to-metabolite network for biosynthesis of lignans in MeJA-elicited Isatis indigotica hairy root cultures. Front Plant Sci. 6:952.  
  • Zerbe P (2015) Small molecules with big impact: terpenoid phytoalexins as key factors in maize stress tolerance. Plant Cell Environ. 38:2193-4.
  • Zerbe P, Rodriguez SM, Mafu S, Chiang A, Sandhu HK, O'Neil-Johnson M, Starks CM, Bohlmann J (2015) Exploring diterpene metabolism in non-model species: transcriptome-enabled discovery and functional characterization of labda-7,13E-dienyl diphosphate synthase from Grindelia robusta. Plant J. 83:783-93.  
  • Zerbe P, Bohlmann J (2015) Plant diterpene synthases: exploring modularity and metabolic diversity for bioengineering. Trends Biotechnol. 33:419-28.  
  • Zerbe P, Bohlmann J (2015) Enzymes for synthetic biology of ambroxide-related diterpenoid fragrance compounds. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol. 148:427-47.
  • Zerbe P (2015) Small molecules with big impact: terpenoid phytoalexins as key factors in maize stress tolerance. Plant, Cell & Environ. doi: 10.1111/pce.12523 (invited commentary).
  • De La Torre AR, Birol I, Bousquet J, Ingvarsson PK, Jansson S, Jones SJ, Keeling CI, MacKay J, Nilsson O, Ritland K, Street N, Yanchuk A, Zerbe P, Bohlmann J (2014) Insights into conifer giga-genomes. Plant Physiol. 166:1724-32. 
  • Zerbe P, Chiang A, Dullat H, O'Neil-Johnson M, Starks C, Hamberger B, Bohlmann J (2014) Diterpene synthases of the biosynthetic system of medicinally active diterpenoids in Marrubium vulgare. Plant J. 79:914-27.
  • Roach CR, Hall DE, Zerbe P, Bohlmann J (2014) Plasticity and evolution of (+)-3-carene synthase and (-)-sabinene synthase functions of a Sitka Spruce monoterpene synthase gene family associated with weevil resistance. J Biol Chem. 289: 23859-69.
  • Pateraki I, Andersen-Ranberg J, Hamberger Br, Heskes AM, Martens HJ, Zerbe P, Spanner Bach S, Møller BL, Bohlmann J, Hamberger BR (2013) Manoyl oxide (13R), the biosynthetic precursor of forskolin, is synthesized in specialized root cork cells in Coleus forskohlii. Plant Physiol. 164:1222-36.
  • Zerbe P, Hamberger BR, Yuen M, Chiang A, Sandhu HK, Madilao L, Ngyuen A, Hamberger B, Bach SS, Bohlmann J (2013) Gene discovery of modular diterpene metabolism in non-model systems. Plant Physiol. 162:1073-91.
  • Zerbe P and Bohlmann J (2013b) Metabolic engineering of terpene synthases of conifer defense: bioproducts, biofuels and perfumes. In Recent Adv Phytochem. Vol. 44, Springer, pages 85-108.
  • Nystedt B, Street NR, Wetterbom A, Zuccolo A, Lin Y-C, Scofield DG, Vezzi F, Delhomme N, Giacomello S, Alexeyenko A, Vicedomini R, Sahlin K, Sherwood E, Elfstrand M, Gramzow L, Holmberg K, Hällman J, Keech O, Klasson L, Käller M, Luthman J, Lysholm F, Niittylä T, Olson Å, Rilakovic N, Ritland C, Rosselló JA, Sena J, Svensson T, Talavera-López C, Theißen G, Tuominen H, Vanneste K, Wu Z-Q, Zhang B, Zerbe P, Arvestad L, Bhalerao R, Bohlmann J, Bousquet J, Gil RG, Hvidsten TR, de Jong P, MacKay J, Morgante M, Ritland K, Sundberg B, Thompson SL, Van de Peer Y, Andersson B, Nilsson O, Ingvarsson PK, Lundeberg J, Jansson S (2013) The Norway spruce genome sequence and conifer genome evolution. Nature 497:579-84.
  • Xiao M, Zhang Y, Chen X, Lee EJ, Barber C, Chakrabarty R, Desgagné-Penix I, Haslam TM, Kim YB, Liu E, Macnevin G, Masada-Atsumi S, Reed D, Stout JM, Zerbe P, Zhang Y, Bohlmann J, Covello PS, De Luca V, Page JE, Ro DK, Martin VJ, Facchini PJ, Sensen CW (2013) Transcriptome analysis based on next-generation sequencing of non-model plants producing specialized metabolites of biotechnological interest. J Biotechnol. S0168-1656.
  • Hall DE, Zerbe P, Jancsik S, Quesada AL, Dullat H, Madilao LL, Yuen M, Bohlmann J (2013) Evolution of conifer diterpene synthases: Diterpene resin acid biosynthesis in lodgepole pine and jack pine involves mono- and bifunctional diterpene synthases. Plant Physiol. 161:600-16.
  • Caniard A, Zerbe P, Legrand S, Cohade A, Valot N, Magnard J-L, Bohlmann J, Legendre L (2012) Discovery and functional characterization of two diterpene synthases for sclareol biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea and their relevance for perfume manufacture. BMC Plant Biol. 12:119.
  • Zerbe P, Chiang A, Yuen M, Hamberger BR, Hamberger B, Draper JA, Britton R, Bohlmann J (2012) Bifunctional cis-abienol synthase from Abies balsamea discovered by transcriptome sequencing and its implications for diterpenoid fragrance production. J Biol Chem. 287:12121-31.
  • Zerbe P, Chiang A, Bohlmann J (2012) Mutational analysis of white spruce (Picea glauca) ent- kaurene synthase (PgKS) reveals common and distinct mechanisms of conifer diterpene synthases of general and specialized metabolism. Phytochemistry 74:30-39.
  • Bleeker PM, Spyropoulou EA, Diergaarde PJ, Volpin H, De Both MT, Zerbe P, Bohlmann J, Falara V, Matsuba Y, Pichersky E, Haring MA, Schuurink RC (2011) RNA-seq discovery, functional characterization,  and  comparison  of  sesquiterpene  synthases  from  Solanum  lycopersicum  and Solanum habrochaites trichomes. Plant Mol Biol. 77:323-36.
  • Keeling CI, Madilao LL, Zerbe P, Dullat HK, Bohlmann J (2011) The primary diterpene synthase products of Picea abies levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase (PaLAS) are epimers of a thermally unstable diterpenol. J Biol Chem. 286:21145-53.
  • Schaller F, Zerbe P, Reinbothe S, Reinbothe C, Hofmann E, Pollmann S (2008) The allene oxide cyclase family of Arabidopsis thaliana: localization and cyclization. FEBS J. 275:2428-41.
  • Zerbe P, Weiler E, Schaller F (2007) Preparative enzymatic solid phase synthesis of cis(+)-12-oxo-phytodienoic acid: physical interaction of AOS and AOC is not necessary. Phytochemistry 68:229-36.
  • Hofmann E, Zerbe P, Schaller F (2006) The crystal structure of Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide cyclase: insights into the oxylipin cyclization reaction. Plant Cell 18:3201-17.