Biosynthesis and potential functions of the ecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone — a review

Abstract

The ecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is a steroid hormone found in arthropods and plants. It is suspected to have agrochemical, biotechnological, medicinal, and pharmaceutical applicability. In insects, 20E controls or elicits molting and other developmental processes, and several characterized P450 enzymes are involved in its biosynthesis. In plants, it may act as a defensive substance against insects and nematodes. It is suspected that 20E, being a physiologically active compound, may affect morphological and physiological processes in plants and that C27phytosterols may be its precursors. However, neither its precise function nor its mechanism of biosynthesis in plants is fully understood. Here, the importance of 20E and current understanding of its structure, potential functions, and biosynthesis in both plants and insects are reviewed.