Transient effects of overexpressing anthranilate synthase alpha and beta subunits in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots.
Catharanthus roseus produces two economically valuable anticancer drugs, vinblastine and vincristine. These drugs are members of the terpenoid indole alkaloids and accumulate in small quantities within the plant; thus these two drugs are expensive to produce. Metabolic engineering efforts have focused on increasing the alkaloids in this pathway through various means such as elicitation, precursor feeding, and gene overexpression. Recently we successfully expressed Arabidopsis genes encoding a feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase alpha subunit under the control of the glucocorticoid-inducible promoter system and the anthranilate synthase beta subunit under the control of a constitutive promoter in C. roseus hairy roots. In this work we look at the transient behaviors of terpenoid indole alkaloids over a 72 h induction period in late exponential growth phase cultures. Upon induction, the tryptophan, tryptamine, and ajmalicine pools accumulated over 72 h. In contrast, the lochnericine, hörhammericine, and tabersonine pools decreased and leveled out over the 72 h induction period. Visible changes within the individual compounds usually took from 4 to 12 h.
Peebles
Christie A M
CA
Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Hong
Seung-Beom
SB
Gibson
Susan I
SI
Shanks
Jacqueline V
JV
San
Ka-Yiu
KY
D000878:Anthranilate Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D030008:Catharanthus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007700:Kinetics; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D021122:Protein Subunits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids; D000878:Anthranilate Synthase