An Official Journal of the Phytochemical Society of Europe and the Phytochemical Society of North America.
Phytochemistry is the international journal of pure and applied plant chemistry, plant
biochemistry
and molecular biology, published 18 times per annum by Elsevier. The
majority of these publications will be Regular Issues covering
research on all aspects of pure and applied plant biochemistry, especially that which leads ... click here for full Aims & Scope
Phytochemistry is the international journal of pure and applied plant chemistry, plant
biochemistry
and molecular biology, published 18 times per annum by Elsevier. The
majority of these publications will be Regular Issues covering
research on all aspects of pure and applied plant biochemistry, especially that which leads to a deeper
understanding of the factors
underlying the growth, development and metabolism of
plants and the chemistry of plant constituents. Phytochemistry is a primary
source for papers dealing with plant secondary compounds, especially with regard to their
biosynthesis and diverse properties. Phytochemistry
is the official organ of 'The Phytochemical Society of Europe' and 'The Phytochemical Society of North America'. The Journal is currently
divided into several sections as indicated below,
but papers which cut across these sections or which are on any other aspect of plant
biochemistry will also be considered.
Review articles are published at regular intervals, ranging in scope from primary
metabolism and regulation of plant growth, through plant enzymology to natural product
chemistry and the biological activity of plant
products. They deal with significant new
areas of research and are intended to command the interest of the general reader. Authors
should
consult the Editors before preparing such articles, by submitting an outline of
their proposed review.
Molecules of Interest
are invited short reviews (3-4 printed pages) of individual
compounds or macromolecules of plant, fungal or algal origin, which are currently
attracting significant applied, commercial or biological interest. These can be novel
compounds or newly discovered properties of familiar
compounds.
The Chemotaxonomy section contains papers on the comparative biochemistry of plants.
These may range from distributional
studies on low molecular weight compounds in a
group of fungi, algae or higher plants to the comparative amino acid sequences of related
proteins within groups of species. Papers on infraspecific chemical variation are also
included here.
Editorial Comment
will be an occasional series where Regional Editors, Board Members
or other scientists will be invited to comment on phytochemistry topics
of global interest
and debate.
The Protein Biochemistry section will contain reports on the purification of proteins
directly
from the organism or by heterologous expression. These will preferentially
include information on enzymological properties, macromolecular
structure and
exploration of function, by site-directed mutagenesis and/or subcellular localisation.
Reports of work that employ proteomics
will be particularly welcome and are intended to
complement the next section.
The Molecular Genetics and Genomics section
contains papers on nucleic acid
biochemistry, function and expression. This section will contain reports of genes and
their analysis
and expression, which demonstrate novelty and/or biological significance.
Papers and communications that contain only sequence data or
which duplicate studies of
gene expression in other species will not generally be acceptable. Gene discovery using
mutants and reverse
genetics or exploration of functionality of genes in transgenic
organisms will however be encouraged, if this provides new insight into
unknown or
previously known sequences.
The Metabolism section focuses on work in primary, intermediary and secondary
metabolism.
Contributions are particularly encouraged on the biosynthesis of
macromolecules such as polysaccharides, lipids and other polymers such
as lignin and
their assembly in higher orders of structure such as membranes and cell walls. This
section will also contain papers describing
the further elucidation of known pathways and
of newly discovered alternatives, as well as all aspects of metabolic regulation including
regulatory molecules and proteins such as protein kinases and transcription factors.
Studies directed toward understanding the regulation
and possible cross-talk between
pathways through the use of transgenic organisms are also strongly encouraged, as are
those describing
aspects of biochemistry regulated during growth and development at
any stage of the organism.
The Ecological Biochemistry
section contains papers on biochemical adaptations in
plants to environmental stress; pollination biochemistry; plant toxins and their
effects on
animals, phytoecdysones, antifeedants; herbivory, plant defence and insect feeding
preferences; utilization of plant substances
by animals; and all aspects of biochemical
plant pathology, including the production of phytotoxins and phytoalexin elicitation.
Contributions
on various symbiotic interactions are also welcomed. Also of considerable
interest is the elucidation of the signalling molecules that
govern the nature of the
responses involved in the interaction between two or more organisms.
The Bioactive Products section
contains papers on novel plant chemistry, where the
biological activities of one or more of the new plant compounds are described.
Descriptions
of possible pharmacological, medical or therapeutic use or of dietary
significance are encouraged if known. This section may also contain
analysis of
genetically modified plants that have been analysed for changes in their profiles of
bioactive plant products. Such bioassay
data should include comparable results for a
known agent, so that the reader can judge the relative importance of any new finding.
Full
experimental details of the biological tests should be provided, and studies judged
significant by the Editors may be invited to be discussed
in the Molecules of Interest
section before publication. In such cases, this review will appear in the same issue as the
publication.
The Chemistry section contains papers on: growth substances, macromolecules, primary
metabolites, terpenoids, polyketides,
phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and
compounds of mixed biosynthetic origin. Authors investigating the chemistry of a given
plant
species should aim to publish their results in a single manuscript rather than in a
series of papers which describe each new compound
as it is found. The structural
analysis of new plant substances is now so routine that papers reporting a single novel
compound of expectable
structure (e.g. a new triterpene fatty acid ester) are rarely
acceptable, unless other novel information on the plant is included.
Book reviews are published regularly and the journal welcomes the submission of new
books for review, to the U.K. office. Symposia
and Society announcements will be
published, at the discretion of the Publisher. Preliminary communications will not,
however, be considered.
Authors should consult the latest instructions to authors (see Phytochemistry Volume 66,
Issue 1) before preparing their manuscripts.
All contributions must be in English and
should be submitted online (www.ees.elsevier.com/phytochem)
to the appropriate
Regional Editor for their geographical region. For U.K., Africa, The Commonwealth &
Rest of the World: Professor
G. P. Bolwell, Division of Biochemistry, School of
Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, U.K. For
the Americas and East Asia: Professor N. G. Lewis, Institute of Biological Chemistry,
Washington State University, Pullman, WA, U.S.A.
For Continental Europe and Russia:
Professor D. Strack, Institut fur Pflanzenbiochemie, Weinberg 3, Halle (Saale), Germany.
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