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Sebastiaan Werten

4 papers in the library · 49 citations · publishing 2022-2024

Papers

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Substrate recognition by the 4‐hydroxytryptamine kinase PsiK in psilocybin biosynthesis

FEBS Letters October 24, 2024 Kai Rogge, Tobias Wagner, Dirk Hoffmeister et al. 4 citations

Psilocybin, the natural hallucinogen from Psilocybe (magic) mushrooms, is a highly promising drug candidate for the treatment of depression and several other mental health conditions. Biosynthesis of psilocybin from the amino acid l‐ tryptophan involves four strictly sequential modifications. The third of these, ATP‐dependent phosphorylation of the intermediate 4‐hydroxytryptamine, is catalysed...

The Second Methylation in Psilocybin Biosynthesis Is Enabled by a Hydrogen Bonding Network Extending into the Secondary Sphere Surrounding the Methyltransferase Active Site

ChemBioChem October 16, 2024 Jesse Hudspeth, Kai Rogge, Tobias Wagner et al. 1 citation

Abstract The Psilocybe cubensis SAM‐dependent methyltransferase, PsiM, catalyzes the last step in the biosynthesis of psilocybin. Likely evolved from monomethylating RNA methyltransferases, PsiM acquired a key amino acid exchange in the secondary sphere of the active site, M247 N, which is responsible for its capacity to dimethylate. Two variants, PsiM N247M and PsiM N247A , were generated to...

Methyl transfer in psilocybin biosynthesis

Nature Communications March 28, 2024 Jesse Hudspeth, Kai Rogge, Sebastian Dörner et al. 24 citations

Abstract Psilocybin, the natural hallucinogen produced by Psilocybe (“magic”) mushrooms, holds great promise for the treatment of depression and several other mental health conditions. The final step in the psilocybin biosynthetic pathway, dimethylation of the tryptophan-derived intermediate norbaeocystin, is catalysed by PsiM. Here we present atomic resolution (0.9 Å) crystal structures of...

Characterization of the Gateway Decarboxylase for Psilocybin Biosynthesis

ChemBioChem November 3, 2022 Tim Schäfer, Kristina Kramer, Sebastiaan Werten et al. 20 citations

Abstract The l ‐tryptophan decarboxylase PsiD catalyzes the initial step of the metabolic cascade to psilocybin, the major indoleethylamine natural product of the “magic” mushrooms and a candidate drug against major depressive disorder. Unlike numerous pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)‐dependent decarboxylases for natural product biosyntheses, PsiD is PLP‐independent and resembles type II...