Enzymes involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis

(+)-7-epi-Jasmonic acid has attracted much attention as an inducible plant signal that stimulates the expression of an array of wound-inducible and defence-related genes as well as playing a role in various developmental responses. This review focuses on the enzymology of jasmonate biosynthesis and addresses open questions with respect to the regulation and subcellular localisation of the jasmonic acid pathway. The apparent analogy of jasmonate biosynthesis from a -linolenic acid in plants with that of the arachidonate-derived signalling molecules of the leukotriene- and prostaglandin-type in animals make the jasmonic acid cascade one of general biological interest.