BIOT 236 |
| Plant cell cultures are being investigated as a source of alkaloids since alkaloid yields from whole plants are low and subject to weather conditions. The Catharanthus roseus plant produces two anti-cancer compounds, vincristine and vinblastine, in addition to anti-hypertensive and sedative compounds, ajmalicine and serpentine, respectively. In this study, C. roseus hairy root cultures were treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or purified yeast extract (PYE) under optimum elicitation conditions. The transcript levels of three terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) pathway genes (G10h, Tdc, and Str) and alkaloid production were measured using quantitative Real Time-Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and HPLC, respectively. MeJA and PYE treatment enhanced the expression of the three TIA pathway genes by 2 – 4 fold within the first 12 hours, followed by increases in alkaloid levels ranging from 40 – 300% by 3 days after elicitation. |
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Poster Session
5:30 PM-7:30 PM, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster
Division of Biochemical Technology |