Mehran Dastmalchi
@mehran-plantsci.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Scarborough
Pinned
In 1996, almost thirty years ago, Stephan Clemens & Wolfgang Barz described a methylenedioxy bridge formation reaction, converting calycosin to pseudobaptigenin. Today, we have identified the enzyme catalyst from red clover! 🍀 @UTSC @UtscBiology
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Our lab is attending Plant Bio 2026 in Ottawa! See you all July 18-22! @aspbofficial.bsky.social @cspbscbv.bsky.social
January 12, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Our lab is attending Plant Bio 2026 in Ottawa! See you all July 18-22! @aspbofficial.bsky.social @cspbscbv.bsky.social
Protein–Protein Interactions Modulate a Key Branch Point in Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis | ACS Chemical Biology pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Protein–Protein Interactions Modulate a Key Branch Point in Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis
Biosynthetic pathways of specialized metabolites utilize protein–protein interactions (PPIs) to facilitate metabolic flux and sequester reactive intermediates. The monoterpene indole alkaloid pathway ...
pubs.acs.org
January 9, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Protein–Protein Interactions Modulate a Key Branch Point in Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis | ACS Chemical Biology pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
#books I read in 2025: Not as many strong recommendations to give this year. Vineland was a slog. Latronico's Perfection was a tasty palate cleanser.
December 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
#books I read in 2025: Not as many strong recommendations to give this year. Vineland was a slog. Latronico's Perfection was a tasty palate cleanser.
Dastmalchi Lab 2025 / Holiday Party🎄
December 11, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Dastmalchi Lab 2025 / Holiday Party🎄
In 1996, almost thirty years ago, Stephan Clemens & Wolfgang Barz described a methylenedioxy bridge formation reaction, converting calycosin to pseudobaptigenin. Today, we have identified the enzyme catalyst from red clover! 🍀 @UTSC @UtscBiology
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
November 19, 2025 at 1:46 PM
In 1996, almost thirty years ago, Stephan Clemens & Wolfgang Barz described a methylenedioxy bridge formation reaction, converting calycosin to pseudobaptigenin. Today, we have identified the enzyme catalyst from red clover! 🍀 @UTSC @UtscBiology
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Such a neat idea for a special collection! New insights / side projects, consider submitting here.
New @genomejournal.bsky.social special collection “Early Leads: Plant Biology Side Projects with Big Potential”. We’re looking for short, self-contained studies with big impact. Deadline July 31st, 2026. OA, no pub. fees, ECRs!
Questions? Reach out to us (Olivia and @zoejolylopez.bsky.social)
Questions? Reach out to us (Olivia and @zoejolylopez.bsky.social)
October 30, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Such a neat idea for a special collection! New insights / side projects, consider submitting here.
Went for a run last week along the scenic Ma Moosh Ka Win Valley Trail @utsc.utoronto.ca -- that starts behind our lab and can be followed to the lake! -- and made a friend.
October 28, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Went for a run last week along the scenic Ma Moosh Ka Win Valley Trail @utsc.utoronto.ca -- that starts behind our lab and can be followed to the lake! -- and made a friend.
Reposted by Mehran Dastmalchi
The Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Arthur Neish Young Investigator Award and applications for the TPJ-PSNA Early Career Award!
The deadline is January 30, 2026.
Find the guideline at: www.psna-online.org/awards
#PSNA #PlantMetabolism
The deadline is January 30, 2026.
Find the guideline at: www.psna-online.org/awards
#PSNA #PlantMetabolism
October 23, 2025 at 10:58 PM
The Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Arthur Neish Young Investigator Award and applications for the TPJ-PSNA Early Career Award!
The deadline is January 30, 2026.
Find the guideline at: www.psna-online.org/awards
#PSNA #PlantMetabolism
The deadline is January 30, 2026.
Find the guideline at: www.psna-online.org/awards
#PSNA #PlantMetabolism
Reposted by Mehran Dastmalchi
Salicylic acid biosynthesis via the PAL pathway requires benzaldehyde synthase and a benzyl salicylate-specific esterase (Dawei Ma, Harley Gordon, Rashid Nazir, Jeremy E Wulff, C Peter Constabel) doi.org/10.1093/plce... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
Salicylic acid biosynthesis via the PAL pathway requires benzaldehyde synthase and a benzyl salicylate-specific esterase
Salicylic acid biosynthesis in seed plants requires the production of benzyl benzoate and benzyl salicylate, which is subsequently cleaved by an esterase.
doi.org
October 23, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Salicylic acid biosynthesis via the PAL pathway requires benzaldehyde synthase and a benzyl salicylate-specific esterase (Dawei Ma, Harley Gordon, Rashid Nazir, Jeremy E Wulff, C Peter Constabel) doi.org/10.1093/plce... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
Iconic smokestacks / Andrews Building @utsc.utoronto.ca.
October 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Iconic smokestacks / Andrews Building @utsc.utoronto.ca.
Interesting, rather than juglone, 2Z-decaprenol isolated as a strong allelochemical from Juglans mandshurica via bioassay-guided fractionation. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Allelochemical from Leaves of Juglans mandshurica Maxim. And Its Transcriptomic Effects in Plants
Weeds have a significant effect on agricultural productivity; thus, sustainable herbicide alternatives are necessary. Inspired by natural processes where bioactive compounds from fallen leaves inhibit...
pubs.acs.org
October 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Interesting, rather than juglone, 2Z-decaprenol isolated as a strong allelochemical from Juglans mandshurica via bioassay-guided fractionation. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by Mehran Dastmalchi
The 2025 #CSPB_ERM conference website is now ONLINE!
LINK: event.fourwaves.com/erm2025
Early registration: Oct. 24
Regular registration: Oct. 25-Nov. 12
Abstract deadline for oral/poster presentations: Oct. 24
Student/postdoc registration fees are heavily discounted. See you soon!
LINK: event.fourwaves.com/erm2025
Early registration: Oct. 24
Regular registration: Oct. 25-Nov. 12
Abstract deadline for oral/poster presentations: Oct. 24
Student/postdoc registration fees are heavily discounted. See you soon!
October 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The 2025 #CSPB_ERM conference website is now ONLINE!
LINK: event.fourwaves.com/erm2025
Early registration: Oct. 24
Regular registration: Oct. 25-Nov. 12
Abstract deadline for oral/poster presentations: Oct. 24
Student/postdoc registration fees are heavily discounted. See you soon!
LINK: event.fourwaves.com/erm2025
Early registration: Oct. 24
Regular registration: Oct. 25-Nov. 12
Abstract deadline for oral/poster presentations: Oct. 24
Student/postdoc registration fees are heavily discounted. See you soon!
Reposted by Mehran Dastmalchi
📢Announcement!
The call for 𝐓𝐏𝐉 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 is now open! 🌟
It is designed to offer support and mentorship to researchers transitioning from post-doctoral scientists to principal investigators
Info: 👉http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1365313x/homepage/TPJ-fellowships
& in 🧵
The call for 𝐓𝐏𝐉 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 is now open! 🌟
It is designed to offer support and mentorship to researchers transitioning from post-doctoral scientists to principal investigators
Info: 👉http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1365313x/homepage/TPJ-fellowships
& in 🧵
September 29, 2025 at 4:14 PM
📢Announcement!
The call for 𝐓𝐏𝐉 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 is now open! 🌟
It is designed to offer support and mentorship to researchers transitioning from post-doctoral scientists to principal investigators
Info: 👉http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1365313x/homepage/TPJ-fellowships
& in 🧵
The call for 𝐓𝐏𝐉 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 is now open! 🌟
It is designed to offer support and mentorship to researchers transitioning from post-doctoral scientists to principal investigators
Info: 👉http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1365313x/homepage/TPJ-fellowships
& in 🧵
Reposted by Mehran Dastmalchi
Our new study in Nature Plants maps how "multi-tasking" enzymes in plants transfer nitrogen, a key step toward improving crop N use efficiency. 🌱
Big thanks to our collaborators from Max Planck, Hokkaido Univ, & MSU, and for support from @NSF and @DOE.
Learn more: rdcu.be/eFOFN
#PlantMetabolism
Big thanks to our collaborators from Max Planck, Hokkaido Univ, & MSU, and for support from @NSF and @DOE.
Learn more: rdcu.be/eFOFN
#PlantMetabolism
Mapping multi-substrate specificity of Arabidopsis aminotransferases
Nature Plants - Systematic characterization of Arabidopsis aminotransferase family enzymes uncovered many previously unrecognized activities and revealed their multi-substrate specificity, aspects...
rdcu.be
September 12, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Our new study in Nature Plants maps how "multi-tasking" enzymes in plants transfer nitrogen, a key step toward improving crop N use efficiency. 🌱
Big thanks to our collaborators from Max Planck, Hokkaido Univ, & MSU, and for support from @NSF and @DOE.
Learn more: rdcu.be/eFOFN
#PlantMetabolism
Big thanks to our collaborators from Max Planck, Hokkaido Univ, & MSU, and for support from @NSF and @DOE.
Learn more: rdcu.be/eFOFN
#PlantMetabolism
I'm here. New lab, new office. Back at @utoronto.ca where it all started (Class of 2029). Re-starting my research program on the gorgeous @utsc.utoronto.ca campus.
September 11, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I'm here. New lab, new office. Back at @utoronto.ca where it all started (Class of 2029). Re-starting my research program on the gorgeous @utsc.utoronto.ca campus.