• Finding and analyzing plant metabolic gene clusters 

      Osbourn, A.; Papadopoulou, K. K.; Qi, X.; Field, B.; Wegel, E. (2012)
      Plants produce an array of diverse secondary metabolites with important ecological functions, providing protection against pests, diseases, and abiotic stresses. Secondary metabolites are also a rich source of bioactive ...
    • Sad3 and Sad4 are required for saponin biosynthesis and root development in oat 

      Mylona, P.; Owatworakit, A.; Papadopoulou, K.; Jenner, H.; Qin, B.; Findlay, K.; Hill, L.; Qi, X.; Bakht, S.; Melton, R.; Osbourn, A. (2008)
      Avenacins are antimicrobial triterpene glycosides that are produced by oat (Avena) roots. These compounds confer broad-spectrum resistance to soil pathogens. Avenacin A-1, the major avenacin produced by oats, is strongly ...
    • A serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferase is required for synthesis of antimicrobial compounds and disease resistance in oats 

      Mugford, S. T.; Qi, X.; Bakht, S.; Hill, L.; Wegel, E.; Hughes, R. K.; Papadopoulou, K.; Melton, R.; Philo, M.; Sainsbury, F.; Lomonossoff, G. P.; Roy, A. D.; Goss, R. J. M.; Osbourn, A. (2009)
      Serine carboxypeptidase-like (SCPL) proteins have recently emerged as a new group of plant acyltransferases. These enzymes share homology with peptidases but lack protease activity and instead are able to acylate natural ...