Discovery that plants tap bacteria-like genes to produce alkaloids may open new paths for crop protection products

Plants may rely on biological machinery more commonly associated with microbes to produce some of their most valuable chemical compounds, according to new research that could reshape how medicines are discovered and manufactured.

Scientists at the University of York have identified an unexpected genetic pathway used by plants to create alkaloids — a broad class of natural chemicals that underpin many pharmaceuticals, stimulants, and toxic compounds. The findings, published in New Phytologist, challenge long-standing assumptions about plant evolution and point to new ways of developing drugs more efficiently and sustainably.

Alkaloids play a central role in medicine, forming the basis of painkillers, treatments for neurological disorders, and widely consumed substances such as caffeine and nicotine. Understanding how plants make these compounds has become a priority for researchers seeking to reduce dependence on slow-growing crops and environmentally intensive manufacturing processes.

The research focused on Flueggea suffruticosa, a shrub known for producing securinine, a potent alkaloid with neurological effects. While tracing the steps behind its biosynthesis, scientists found that a critical reaction is driven by a gene that closely resembles those found in bacteria rather than in plants.

“That was completely unexpected,” said Benjamin Lichman, a biologist at the University of York and senior author of the study. “Plants and bacteria are very different forms of life, so finding a bacterial-like gene responsible for making an important plant chemical was a real surprise.”

The discovery suggests that plants have adopted and repurposed biochemical tools typically associated with microbes. According to the researchers, this evolutionary shortcut allows plants to expand their chemical defenses without developing entirely new molecular machinery from scratch.

The team believes the mechanism is not unique to Flueggea and may be widespread across the plant kingdom. By identifying similar genetic signatures, scientists can now search plant genomes more effectively for compounds with potential pharmaceutical value.

That approach could accelerate drug discovery while reducing reliance on rare plants or environmentally harmful chemical synthesis. It may also allow researchers to engineer microbes or plant cells to produce medically useful compounds in controlled laboratory settings.

“Alkaloids can be highly toxic, which means they must be carefully modified for medical use,” Lichman said. “By understanding how they are made, we can develop safer ways to produce them or even remove them from plants where they pose risks.”

Beyond medicine, the findings could have implications for agriculture. A better understanding of how plants synthesize defensive chemicals may help scientists breed crops that are more resistant to pests or environmental stress without heavy use of pesticides.