In 2018, using growth conditions known to induce domoic acid production in Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries, transcriptome sequencing successfully identified candidate domoic acid biosynthesis genes responsible for the pyrrolidine core. These domoic acid biosynthesis genes, or ‘Dab’ enzymes were heterologously expressed, characterized, and annotated as dabA (terpene cyclase), dabB (hypothetical protein), dabC (α-ketoglutarate–dependent dioxygenase), and dabD (CYP450).alt=|thumb|upright=4|Simplified domoic acid biosynthetic pathway, with all pertinent structures, enzymes, and cofactors listed as described by Brunson et al., in their article "Biosynthesis of the neurotoxin domoic acid in a bloom-forming diatom".|centerDomoic acid biosynthesis begins with the DabA-catalyzed geranylation of L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) with geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) to form N-geranyl-L-glutamic acid (L-NGG). DabD then performs three successive oxidation reactions at the 7′-methyl of L-NGG to produce 7′-carboxy-L-NGG, which is then cyclized by DabC to generate the naturally occurring isodomoic acid A. Finally, an uncharacterized isomerase could convert isodomoic acid A to domoic acid. Further investigation is needed to resolve the final isomerization reaction to complete the pathway to Domoic acid.
In 2018 using growth conditions known to induce domoic acid production in Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries transcriptome sequencing successfully identified candidate domoic acid biosynthesis genes responsible for the pyrrolidine core These domoic acid biosynthesis genes or ‘Dab’ enzymes were heterologously expressed characterized and annotated as dabA (terpene cyclase) dabB (hypothetical protein) dabC (α-ketoglutarate–dependent dioxygenase) and dabD (CYP450)alt=|thumb|upright=4|Simplified domoic acid biosynthetic pathway with all pertinent structures enzymes and cofactors listed as described by Brunson et al in their article "Biosynthesis of the neurotoxin domoic acid in a bloom-forming diatom"|centerDomoic acid biosynthesis begins with the DabA-catalyzed geranylation of L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) with geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) to form N-geranyl-L-glutamic acid (L-NGG) DabD then performs three successive oxidation reactions at the 7′-methyl of L-NGG to produce 7′-carboxy-L-NGG which is then cyclized by DabC to generate the naturally occurring isodomoic acid A Finally an uncharacterized isomerase could convert isodomoic acid A to domoic acid Further investigation is needed to resolve the final isomerization reaction to complete the pathway to Domoic acid