Cucurbitacin

Cucurbitacins are bitter triterpenoid compounds produced by plants in the gourd family, including cucumbers, melons, and squash. They deter herbivores and can cause illness when consumed in high concentrations.

Triterpenoid: A terpenoid built from six isoprene units, typically forming a 30-carbon skeleton. Cucurbitacins belong to this broad class of plant metabolites.
Cucurbitacin poisoning: Illness caused by eating foods containing unusually high concentrations of cucurbitacins. Extreme bitterness in squash or cucumber can signal a harmful concentration.
Cucurbitaceae evolution: The evolutionary history and diversification of the gourd plant family. Comparative work traces how cucurbitacin production diversified among related plants.
Herbivore deterrence: Reduction of plant consumption through traits that discourage or harm herbivores. Cucurbitacins can make gourd tissues unpalatable or toxic to many consumers.
Cucurbitadienol: A tetracyclic triterpene that serves as a key precursor in cucurbitacin biosynthesis. Enzymes modify this scaffold to produce diverse cucurbitacins.
Cucurbitaceae: The flowering-plant family that includes gourds, cucumbers, melons, and squash. Cucurbitacins are characteristic metabolites of plants in this family.
Cucurbitacin gene clusters: Groups of genes whose products cooperate in cucurbitacin biosynthesis. Clustered biosynthetic genes help explain the pathway's evolution in gourds.
Cucurbit beetles: Leaf beetles that feed on cucurbits and can transmit bacterial wilt pathogens. Some cucumber beetles are attracted to cucurbitacins despite their deterrent effects on other insects.
Cucurbitacin biosynthesis: The enzyme-mediated pathway that converts triterpene precursors into cucurbitacins. This pathway explains how plants construct the bitter compounds.
Cucumber: A cultivated gourd grown for its edible, usually mild-flavored fruit. Cucumbers can accumulate cucurbitacins under stress or through inherited traits.

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