Chromosome‐scale genome of Dioscorea nipponica and functional diversification of the DnUGT73 subfamily in steroidal saponin glycosylation

The UGT73 subfamily in Dioscorea nipponica exhibits remarkable catalytic diversity in glycosylation of steroidal saponins. Notably, DnU26 from the UGT73 subfamily and members of the phylogenetically distant UGT91 family independently evolved identical catalytic functions, revealing convergent evolution and the remarkable flexibility of plant glycosyltransferases in generating metabolic diversity.