Papaverine 7-O-demethylase, a novel 2-oxoglutarate/Fe2+-dependent dioxygenase from opium poppy

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) produces several pharmacologically important benzylisoquinoline alkaloids including the vasodilator papaverine. Pacodine and palaudine are tri-O-methylated analogs of papaverine, which contains four O-linked methyl groups. However, the biosynthetic origin of pacodine and palaudine has not been established. Three members of the 2-oxoglutarate/Fe2+-dependent dioxygenases (2ODDs) family in opium poppy display widespread O-dealkylation activity on several benzylisoquinoline alkaloids with diverse structural scaffolds, and two are responsible for the antepenultimate and ultimate steps in morphine biosynthesis. We report a novel 2ODD from opium poppy catalyzing the efficient substrate- and regio-specific 7-O-demethylation of papaverine yielding pacodine. The occurrence of papaverine 7-O-demethylase (P7ODM) expands the enzymatic scope of the 2ODD family in opium poppy and suggests an unexpected biosynthetic route to pacodine.