Glucosinolate engineering identifies γ-glutamyl peptidase

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with reduced risk of developing cancer, a phenomenon attributed to glucosinolates, which are characteristic of these vegetables. We report production of the bioactive benzylglucosinolate in the noncruciferous plant Nicotiana benthamiana through metabolic engineering. The study includes identification of gamma-glutamyl peptidase 1 (GGP1), which substantially increased glucosinolate production by metabolizing an accumulating glutathione conjugate, an activity not previously described for glucosinolate biosynthesis or for proteins containing glutamine amidotransferase domains.