The biosynthesis of strychnine is solved. And that can help researchers to map evolution.

"Poison nut tree Strychnos nux-vomica. Credit: Danny Kessler, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology" (ScitechDaily.com/Case Solved: The Biosynthesis of Strychnine)

There is a link to the article that tells how researchers of Max Planck institute made that thing. They used three different species of nuts, including the poison nut (Strychnos nux-vomica ), which creates strychnine, and two other also poisonous species that are close to the poison nut. But those two species are forming other also very poisonous chemical compounds. It is suspicious that all those plants have the same ancestors. 

All of those species were members of the Loganiaceae family of plants. Many of those plants that are members of this family are extremely poisonous. 

And then genetic transformation made a difference in the poison of those three poison nuts. Only the Strychnos nux-vomica is making strychnine. And the thing is that the strychnine molecule is very complicated. Solving the genome that creates strychnine which is a very complicated chemical compound. That genome can be the key to a new type of biotechnology. 

That genome makes it possible to create genetically engineered bacteria for making complicated molecules. That can use for nanomachines and medicines. 

Those three poisonous nuts can also give information about the evolution networks. Throughout history happened something that made three species of nuts makes three different types of poisons. Two of them are creating other simpler molecules that are very poisonous. 

But only Strychnos nux-vomica forms complicated strychnine molecules. That is also a very interesting detail. 

Why does only that species of those poisonous nuts create a complicated molecule called strychnine? Where does that poisonous nut need that molecule which production requires time and energy? The basics of evolution theory are that the genetic election favors the simplest and the most effective solution for survivability. 

So there must be some reason that stabilizes the genetic mutation. And of course, the mutation must bring favor or benefit to the species. Or otherwise, the mutation vanishes when those individuals are dying. So what is the thing that stabilized genetic mutation that caused Strychnos nux-vomica to form strychnine? Maybe researchers solve that thing someday. 

https://scitechdaily.com/case-solved-the-biosynthesis-of-strychnine/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loganiaceae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strychnos_nux-vomica

Image: https://scitechdaily.com/case-solved-the-biosynthesis-of-strychnine/