XANTHOHUMOL BIOSYNTHESIS IN HOP GLANDULAR TRICHOMES
The female inflorescences (cones) of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus) are rich in terpenoid essential oils and resins, which are synthesized in glandular trichomes. In addition to components that give beer a characteristic flavor, hop cones contain a significant amount of xanthohumol, a prenylchalcone with cancer-preventive properties. Nagel et al. (pages 186–200) present an ESTanalysis of glandular trichomes from high-xanthohumol hop cultivars to investigate the biosynthesis of xanthohumol and other trichome metabolites. Their analysis identified O-methyltransferase OMT1 as the major enzyme catalyzing the final step in xanthohumol biosynthesis in hop cones and expands genomic resources available for H. lupulus.