Nicotine's last biosynthesis steps mapped in wild tobacco, ending a long mystery
Apr 10, 2026
Nicotine, a potent insecticidal alkaloid unique to the nightshade family, has been employed in agriculture as a pesticide since 1690. It also has therapeutic potential for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Despite its profound influence on human
history, agriculture, and plant evolution, however, the final steps of nicotine biosynthesis have remained unclear until now. ...read more read less