Phytoalexins: Current Progress and Future Prospects

Phytoalexins are low molecular weight antimicrobial compounds that are produced by plants as

a response to biotic and abiotic stresses. As such they take part in an intricate defense system which

enables plants to control invading microorganisms. In the 1950s, research on phytoalexins started

with progress in their biochemistry and bio-organic chemistry, resulting in the determination of their

structure, their biological activity, as well as mechanisms of their synthesis and catabolism by

microorganisms. Elucidation of the biosynthesis of numerous phytoalexins also permitted the use of

molecular biology tools for the exploration of the genes encoding enzymes of their synthesis

pathways and their regulators. This has led to potential applications for increasing plant resistance to

diseases. Phytoalexins display an enormous diversity belonging to various chemical families such as

for instance, phenolics, terpenoids, furanoacetylenes, steroid glycoalkaloids, sulfur-containing

compounds and indoles.

Research and review papers dealing with numerous aspects of phytoalexins including modulation

of their biosynthesis, molecular engineering in plants, biological activities, structure/activity

relationships and phytoalexin metabolism by micro-organisms are published in this issue.