Anne Jaczkowski (Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover)
Anne Jaczkowski's Master thesis was awarded with the Prize for the Best Plant Science Master Thesis, which was carried out at Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover in the year 2024 with the title:
From single steps to complex pathways – elucidating biosynthetic processes via heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana
This master's thesis combines complex bioinformatics and biotechnological methods with the objective of optimising the elucidation and heterologous reconstruction of the biosynthesis of specialized plant natural products - a project of great scientific relevance for the biotechnological production of plant-derived agents.
Natural plant products are of great importance to humans because of their diverse biological activities and therefore potential application in areas such as medicine, the food industry and agriculture. However, there are two central challenges for the biotechnological production of plant-based substances: elucidating their biosynthesis and recreating it in a suitable production organism. Deciphering single biosynthetic steps often proves to be extremely complex, comparable to searching for a needle in a haystack. To effectively reduce the effort involved in screening potential gene candidates through targeted pre-selection, this master's thesis employs complex bioinformatics methods such as orthogroup and phylogeny analyses. This approach is demonstrated for the synthesis of specific substances from the genus Allium, whose degradation products contribute to the characteristic smell and taste of these plants.
Furthermore, this master’s thesis deals with the question of how to improve the reconstruction of complex, multi-step biosynthetic pathways in the heterologous screening and production plant Nicotiana benthamiana. For this purpose, the method of Modular Cloning (MoClo) was used to bundle the transfer of several synthesis steps. In the future, this may not only facilitate the elucidation of subsequent biosynthesis steps, but also contribute to a more efficient biotechnological production of natural products in the heterologous system. In this context, the heterologous biosynthesis of quassinoids – complex natural products with potential applications as pharmaceuticals or pesticides – was exemplarily addressed.
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Anne Jaczkowski conducted this work at the institute of botany in the working group of Prof. Dr. Jakob Franke.