Moonyoung Kang
@mykang.bsky.social
Plant biologist studying single cells and metabolites 👩🔬
Studied in 🇰🇷 postdoc in 🇩🇪
Studied in 🇰🇷 postdoc in 🇩🇪
Pinned
A research team from the @oconnorlab.bsky.social has made a breakthrough in elucidating the biosynthesis of plant natural products by combining scRNA-seq and scMS in the same plant cell. The study was published in @pnas.org. www.ice.mpg.de/516369/PR_Ka...
A glimpse into the cell factory: matching gene expression to metabolite production in single plant cells
A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology has successfully combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell mass spectrometry (scMS) analysis on the same plant ce...
www.ice.mpg.de
Excited to see our paper online! We combined scMS and scRNA-seq from the same plant cells 🌱 — a step toward true single-cell multi-omics in plants.
Overview 👇
Overview 👇
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
plantiSMASH 2.0: improvements to detection, annotation, and prioritization of plant biosynthetic gene clusters https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.28.683968v1
October 29, 2025 at 5:47 AM
plantiSMASH 2.0: improvements to detection, annotation, and prioritization of plant biosynthetic gene clusters https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.28.683968v1
Excited to see our paper online! We combined scMS and scRNA-seq from the same plant cells 🌱 — a step toward true single-cell multi-omics in plants.
Overview 👇
Overview 👇
A research team from the @oconnorlab.bsky.social has made a breakthrough in elucidating the biosynthesis of plant natural products by combining scRNA-seq and scMS in the same plant cell. The study was published in @pnas.org. www.ice.mpg.de/516369/PR_Ka...
A glimpse into the cell factory: matching gene expression to metabolite production in single plant cells
A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology has successfully combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell mass spectrometry (scMS) analysis on the same plant ce...
www.ice.mpg.de
October 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Excited to see our paper online! We combined scMS and scRNA-seq from the same plant cells 🌱 — a step toward true single-cell multi-omics in plants.
Overview 👇
Overview 👇
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Very exciting to finally see our iridoid cyclase ICYC online @natplants.nature.com!
A joined effort with Robin Buell’s lab with Josh Wood generating snRNA-seq, and my student Chloée Tymen performing the initial experiment.
#natprod
#PlantScience
@mpi-ce.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A joined effort with Robin Buell’s lab with Josh Wood generating snRNA-seq, and my student Chloée Tymen performing the initial experiment.
#natprod
#PlantScience
@mpi-ce.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Discovery of iridoid cyclase completes the iridoid pathway in asterids - Nature Plants
Iridoids are terpenoid metabolites found in thousands of plants. Using single-cell transcriptomics, the authors discovered an unexpected enzyme that has been neofunctionalized to catalyse the cyclization required to form the iridoid scaffold.
www.nature.com
October 3, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Very exciting to finally see our iridoid cyclase ICYC online @natplants.nature.com!
A joined effort with Robin Buell’s lab with Josh Wood generating snRNA-seq, and my student Chloée Tymen performing the initial experiment.
#natprod
#PlantScience
@mpi-ce.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A joined effort with Robin Buell’s lab with Josh Wood generating snRNA-seq, and my student Chloée Tymen performing the initial experiment.
#natprod
#PlantScience
@mpi-ce.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Super excited to introduce our recent work published in @natprot.nature.com today. Here we introduce a step-by-step protocol for applying multiple data analysis workflows in GNPS2 for drug metabolism studies.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A versatile toolkit for drug metabolism studies with GNPS2: from drug development to clinical monitoring - Nature Protocols
This protocol extension guides users in identifying candidate drug metabolites without prior knowledge by analyzing tandem mass spectrometry data in the web-based molecular networking tool GNPS2.
www.nature.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Super excited to introduce our recent work published in @natprot.nature.com today. Here we introduce a step-by-step protocol for applying multiple data analysis workflows in GNPS2 for drug metabolism studies.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
HT SpaceM: A high-throughput and reproducible method for small-molecule single-cell metabolomics #Cell #MassSpec www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
HT SpaceM: A high-throughput and reproducible method for small-molecule single-cell metabolomics
Single-cell metabolomics (SCM) can probe metabolic heterogeneity but is hindered by
low sensitivity for small molecules, limited scalability, and the lack of standardized
frameworks for data analysis....
www.cell.com
September 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM
HT SpaceM: A high-throughput and reproducible method for small-molecule single-cell metabolomics #Cell #MassSpec www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Here, the authors @oconnorlab.bsky.social @mpi-ce.bsky.social uncover the mechanism of epimerization behind uncommon 3R-containing alkaloids in Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) and study their inclusion in downstream biosynthesis #PlantScience #natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Enzymatic epimerization of monoterpene indole alkaloids in kratom - Nature Chemical Biology
Monoterpene indole alkaloids are formed via a 3S stereoselective condensation between secologanin and tryptamine. Here the authors uncover the mechanism of epimerization behind uncommon 3R-containing ...
www.nature.com
July 16, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Here, the authors @oconnorlab.bsky.social @mpi-ce.bsky.social uncover the mechanism of epimerization behind uncommon 3R-containing alkaloids in Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) and study their inclusion in downstream biosynthesis #PlantScience #natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Withanolide #biosynthesis from nightshade plants decoded. Withanolide steroids are used as a basis for medications for centuries.
Now published by a team around @frankelab.bsky.social + @puckerlab.bsky.social in @natcomms.nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61686-1).
Now published by a team around @frankelab.bsky.social + @puckerlab.bsky.social in @natcomms.nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61686-1).
July 14, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Withanolide #biosynthesis from nightshade plants decoded. Withanolide steroids are used as a basis for medications for centuries.
Now published by a team around @frankelab.bsky.social + @puckerlab.bsky.social in @natcomms.nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61686-1).
Now published by a team around @frankelab.bsky.social + @puckerlab.bsky.social in @natcomms.nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61686-1).
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
New Article: "High-temperature-induced FKF1 accumulation promotes flowering through the dispersion of GI and degradation of SVP" rdcu.be/evfAY
GI forms an inactive nuclear condensate that is dispersed at high temperatures by FKF1 binding to GI’s disordered region.
GI forms an inactive nuclear condensate that is dispersed at high temperatures by FKF1 binding to GI’s disordered region.
July 8, 2025 at 3:23 AM
New Article: "High-temperature-induced FKF1 accumulation promotes flowering through the dispersion of GI and degradation of SVP" rdcu.be/evfAY
GI forms an inactive nuclear condensate that is dispersed at high temperatures by FKF1 binding to GI’s disordered region.
GI forms an inactive nuclear condensate that is dispersed at high temperatures by FKF1 binding to GI’s disordered region.
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Artificial condensates can boost metabolic engineering (Plant Biotechnol. J.) @leesweetlove.bsky.social @anyalb.bsky.social (Summary by Ciara O’Brien @ciara_obrien.bsky.social) buff.ly/Y5wFnGv
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Artificial condensates can boost metabolic engineering | Plantae
Nicotiana benthamiana is widely used to reconstruct complex, multi-step metabolic pathways for research or industrial purposes. This is enabled by rapid and high-level protein expression after…
buff.ly
July 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Artificial condensates can boost metabolic engineering (Plant Biotechnol. J.) @leesweetlove.bsky.social @anyalb.bsky.social (Summary by Ciara O’Brien @ciara_obrien.bsky.social) buff.ly/Y5wFnGv
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Lead author @matildeflorean.bsky.social et al. from the @oconnorlab.bsky.social discover a "fake" enzyme in plants that enables the formation of free indole, a key molecule for defense & attracting pollinators.
www.ice.mpg.de/496511/PR_Fl...
www.ice.mpg.de/496511/PR_Fl...
June 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Lead author @matildeflorean.bsky.social et al. from the @oconnorlab.bsky.social discover a "fake" enzyme in plants that enables the formation of free indole, a key molecule for defense & attracting pollinators.
www.ice.mpg.de/496511/PR_Fl...
www.ice.mpg.de/496511/PR_Fl...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
This is a must-read for everyone involved in metabolomics.
Personally I love this article because I no longer have to write a long paragraph when I say 'please don't use pathway analysis' during peer review 🤣
Personally I love this article because I no longer have to write a long paragraph when I say 'please don't use pathway analysis' during peer review 🤣
April 15, 2025 at 3:10 AM
This is a must-read for everyone involved in metabolomics.
Personally I love this article because I no longer have to write a long paragraph when I say 'please don't use pathway analysis' during peer review 🤣
Personally I love this article because I no longer have to write a long paragraph when I say 'please don't use pathway analysis' during peer review 🤣
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Finally online and open access!
This revised version has a slightly different title and contains a number of additional supplementary figures, mainly in vitro enzyme assays. Kept me quite busy in the lab at the end of last year!
#PlantScience
#natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This revised version has a slightly different title and contains a number of additional supplementary figures, mainly in vitro enzyme assays. Kept me quite busy in the lab at the end of last year!
#PlantScience
#natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ipecac alkaloid biosynthesis in two evolutionarily distant plants - Nature Chemical Biology
Ipecac alkaloids are plant-derived compounds historically used to induce vomiting. Here the authors elucidate how two evolutionary distant plant species have evolved to produce the same ipecac alkaloi...
www.nature.com
June 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Finally online and open access!
This revised version has a slightly different title and contains a number of additional supplementary figures, mainly in vitro enzyme assays. Kept me quite busy in the lab at the end of last year!
#PlantScience
#natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This revised version has a slightly different title and contains a number of additional supplementary figures, mainly in vitro enzyme assays. Kept me quite busy in the lab at the end of last year!
#PlantScience
#natprod
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
A new paper reports a plant chassis for high-yield isoflavonoid production, leading to the identification of six P450s that complete the 15-step biosynthesis of diverse glyceollins, which are critical compounds for plant defense
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Glyceollin biosynthesis in a plant chassis engineered for isoflavone production - Nature Chemical Biology
Biosynthesis of antimicrobial phytoalexin glyceollins in soybean is complicated and elusive. Here Xie et al. report a plant chassis for high-yield isoflavonoid production, leading to the identificatio...
www.nature.com
June 2, 2025 at 4:31 PM
A new paper reports a plant chassis for high-yield isoflavonoid production, leading to the identification of six P450s that complete the 15-step biosynthesis of diverse glyceollins, which are critical compounds for plant defense
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Excited to share my new Tansley Review @newphyt.bsky.social on emerging single-cell and spatial omics technologies, many of which are just beginning to be applied in plant biology! Big opportunities lie ahead for the field. [1/n]
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Exploring the untapped potential of single‐cell and spatial omics in plant biology
Advances in single-cell and spatial omics technologies have revolutionised biology by revealing the diverse molecular states of individual cells and their spatial organization within tissues. The fie...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 22, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Excited to share my new Tansley Review @newphyt.bsky.social on emerging single-cell and spatial omics technologies, many of which are just beginning to be applied in plant biology! Big opportunities lie ahead for the field. [1/n]
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Convergent evolution of "smelling like rotting meat" is mediated by a 3 amino-acid chance in a conserved enzymes, just out @science.org 🔽
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Convergent acquisition of disulfide-forming enzymes in malodorous flowers
Identifying the metabolic and genetic changes that confer evolutionary novelty is essential for understanding the factors facilitating or constraining the occurrence of traits. We show that dimethyl d...
www.science.org
May 8, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Convergent evolution of "smelling like rotting meat" is mediated by a 3 amino-acid chance in a conserved enzymes, just out @science.org 🔽
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Moonyoung Kang
Our work on Taxol biosynthesis is now out at @natsynth.nature.com. You can read it here: www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Elucidation of the final steps in Taxol biosynthesis and its biotechnological production - Nature Synthesis
In Taxol biosynthesis, the steps leading up to the intermediate baccatin III are understood, however, the final steps remain elusive. Here elucidation of the final steps of Taxol biosynthesis enables ...
www.nature.com
May 1, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Our work on Taxol biosynthesis is now out at @natsynth.nature.com. You can read it here: www.nature.com/articles/s44...