Hock Chuan YEO

Dr. Hock Chuan YEO


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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HYHock Chuan YEO
Hock Chuan YEO
VRVaishnavi Reddy
Vaishnavi Reddy
BMBong Gyu Mun
Bong Gyu Mun
SLSing Hui Leong
Sing Hui Leong
SDSavitha Dhandapani
Savitha Dhandapani
IJIn-Cheol Jang
In-Cheol Jang
Cannabis is one of the few plant genera capable of producing cannabinoids, the effects of which are synergized by terpene interactions. As the biosynthesis of both metabolite classes requires the same intracellular feedstocks, this work describes the coordinated regulation of global metabolic pathways that allows for their joint copious production in vivo. To this end, a transcriptomics-based approach to characterize the glandular trichomes of five Cannabis cultivars was pursued. Besides revealing metabolic traits that enhanced and proportionated the supply of critical carbon precursors, in-depth analysis showed significantly increased gene expression of two particular enzymes to meet the huge nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) demand of secondary metabolite production. Furthermore, it led to a hypothesis that the methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway might be utilized more than the mevalonic acid pathway in Cannabis trichomes. While both pathways were found to be activated in a modular and calibrated way that reflected their broad participation in physiological processes, the genes for hexanoate, cannabinoid, and terpene biosynthesis were, in contrast, up-regulated in an en bloc and multi-loci manner due to their specific roles in secondary metabolite production. In addition, three new terpene synthases were characterized based on both in silico and experimental assays. Altogether, the study enhances the current understanding of secondary metabolite production in Cannabis cultivars, which may assist in their characterization and development.