The biosynthetic pathway of specific steroidal compounds ... was also to find out more about the ecological role of steroidal saponins in plants," says Prashant Sonawane, describing the questions ...

Saponarioside B, a saponin triterpenoid glycoside, is a potential precursor for the synthesis of pharmaceutical adjuvants. Jo et al. have now reported its complete biosynthetic pathway.

The analysis highlights extensive gene family expansions linked to saponin biosynthesis and underscores the importance of specific gene duplications in enhancing these pathways. Comparative ...