title: Unlocking the diversity of alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus: nuclear localization suggests metabolic channeling in secondary metabolism.
abstract: The extraordinary chemical diversity of the plant-derived monoterpene indole alkaloids, which include vinblastine, quinine, and strychnine, originates from a single biosynthetic intermediate, strictosidine aglycone. Here we report for the first time the cloning of a biosynthetic gene and characterization of the corresponding enzyme that acts at this crucial branchpoint. This enzyme, an alcohol dehydrogenase homolog, converts strictosidine aglycone to the heteroyohimbine-type alkaloid tetrahydroalstonine. We also demonstrate how this enzyme, which uses a highly reactive substrate, may interact with the upstream enzyme of the pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, The John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stavrinides
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, The John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Evangelos C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Tatsis
authors.affiliation: Université François Rabelais de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Emilien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foureau
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, The John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caputi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, The John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kellner
authors.affiliation: Université François Rabelais de Tours, EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", 37200 Tours, France. Electronic address: vincent.courdavault@univ-tours.fr.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Courdavault
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, The John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK. Electronic address: sarah.oconnor@jic.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D030008:Catharanthus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D008025:Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D010453:Peptide Synthases; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D064210:Secondary Metabolism; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; C021093:strictosidine; C005709:raubasine; D008025:Ligases; D010453:Peptide Synthases