title: Enhanced catharanthine and vindoline production in suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus by ultraviolet-B light.
abstract: Suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus were used to evaluate ultraviolet-B (UV-B) treatment as an abiotic elicitor of secondary metabolites. A dispersed cell suspension culture from C. roseus leaves in late exponential phase and stationary phase were irradiated with UV-B for 5 min. The stationary phase cultures were more responsive to UV-B irradiation than late exponential phase cultures. Catharanthine and vindoline increased 3-fold and 12-fold, respectively, on treatment with a 5-min UV-B irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560012, India. cjb@biochem.iisc.ernet.in.
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramani
authors.forename: Chelliah
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jayabaskaran