The Japanese Society of
Plant PhysiologistsThe Publisher of Plant & Cell Physiology
2026 vol67 (9)
Plant & Cell Physiology
2026 vol67 (9)
Plant & Cell Physiology
Lithospermum erythrorhizon (red gromwell, Boraginaceae) is currently considered an endangered species in Japan despite its rich historical and cultural importance in Asian countries, where it has been utilized for its medicinal purposes and fabric dye compound for over a thousand years. Its value lies in the fact that its roots produce red, naphthoquinone-based, lipid-soluble pigments known as shikonin derivatives. The molecular mechanism underlying shikonin biosynthesis has not been fully elucidated, however, it has been long inferred that this process relies on the availability of copper ions. In this issue, Nakanishi et al. genetically and biochemically demonstrate that polyphenol oxidase, a copper-containing enzyme, is directly involved in the biosynthesis of shikonin in red gromwell.
First author this month
Dual signalling role for a rice phosphate transporter
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