title: [Determination of huperzine A and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of lysine decarboxylase gene in different parts of Huperzia serrata from western Hunan].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the content of huperzine A in the root, stem and leaf of Huperzia serrata from western Hunan, and analyze the relationship between the distribution of huperzine A and the expression of lysine decarboxylase gene in different parts of huperzia serrata.
  
  
  METHODS
  The content of huperzine A in the root, stem and leaf of Huperzia serrata was determinated by HPLC, of which the chromatographic column was Diamonsil C18 (250 mm x 4.6 mm,5 microm), mobile phase was methanol-0.08 mol/L CH3COONH4 with flow rate at 1.0 mL/min, column temperature at 25 degrees C and detection wavelength at 308 nm. The expression of lysine decarboxylase gene in different parts of Huperzia serrata was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, the beta-actin gene was used as internal reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Huperzine A had good linear relationships within the range of 0.5 - 10.0 microg/mL, with the recovery rate of 102% and RSD 0.32%. The content of huperzine A in the root,stem and leaf of huperzia serrata was (118.35 +/- 0.77) microg/g and (411.09 +/- 2. 47) microg/g, (562.15 +/- 2.86) microg/g, respectively. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR results showed that lysine decarboxylase gene had nearly identical expression in the root, stem and leaf of Huperzia serrate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The content of huperzine A changes with different parts of Huperzia serrata, lysine decarboxylase might be not the key enzyme to regulate the biosynthesis of huperzine A.
authors.affiliation: College of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University/Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Utilization, College of Hunan Province, Jishou 416000, China. dc2006sg@163.com
authors.forename: Ci
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qing-Zhong
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China; D015870:Gene Expression; D032501:Huperzia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; C021520:lysine decarboxylase