Ibotenic Acid Biosynthesis in the Fly Agaric Is Initiated by Glutamate Hydroxylation

[Jabberwocky]

Ibotenic Acid Biosynthesis in the Fly Agaric Is Initiated by Glutamate Hydroxylation

The fly agaric, Amanita muscaria, is widely known for its content of the psychoactive metabolites ibotenic acid and muscimol. However, their biosynthetic pathway and the respective enzymes are entirely unknown. 50 years ago, the biosynthesis was hypothesized ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"The fly agaric, Amanita muscaria, is widely known for its content of the psychoactive metabolites ibotenic acid and muscimol. However, their biosynthetic pathway and the respective enzymes are entirely unknown. 50 years ago, the biosynthesis was hypothesized to start with 3‐hydroxyglutamate. Here, we build on this hypothesis by the identification and recombinant production of a glutamate hydroxylase from A. muscaria"

 

[G_Chem]

So does this mean spiking the substrate they grow from with glutamate would increase potency?

-GC

 

[Jabberwocky]

So does this mean spiking the substrate they grow from with glutamate would increase potency?

-GC

Good question.

I don't understand the implications of this study, only I do find it interesting that fungus produces and works with biochemicals such as glutamate.

Fungus exists outside of normal animal chemistry.. or so we thought.

 

[Skorpio]

So does this mean spiking the substrate they grow from with glutamate would increase potency?

-GC

Maybe a little if glutamate is limited. Likely it is the flux through the enzymes that determines the rate, and increasing precursors doesn't increase products a ton.

 

[Fertile]

You would have to cross breed the fungus and keep testing to find how to make more potent variants. I think they have done that with the 'normal' magic mushrooms.

That said - I know people who grow mushrooms and it's quite an art.