Biotransformation of Xenobiotics and Endogenous Substrates by Plant Cytochrome P450s

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in plants are membrane-bound enzymes, which are involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites—lignin, flavonoids, terpenoids, hormones, pigments, phytoalexins. Some of these enzymes are also responsible for the metabolism of the xenobiotics, including herbicides. The cytochrome P450s are the key enzymes in both biosynthesis and catabolism of endogenous substrates and in the elimination, detoxification and metabolic activation of exogenous substrates. Progress in understanding the biological mechanisms of biotransformation of xenobiotics and endogenous substrates by plant cyt P450s is being reviewed here, based on a number of original experimental works.