Premium
Terpenoid Indole Alkaloids Biosynthesis and Metabolic Engineering in Catharanthus roseus
Author(s) -
Liu DongHui,
Jin HongBin,
Chen YuHui,
Cui LiJie,
Ren WeiWei,
Gong YiFu,
Tang KeXuan
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of integrative plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.734
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1744-7909
pISSN - 1672-9072
DOI - 10.1111/j.1672-9072.2007.00457.x
Subject(s) - catharanthus roseus , biosynthesis , metabolic engineering , biochemistry , gene , biology , metabolic pathway , secondary metabolism , cloning (programming) , terpenoid , computer science , programming language
Catharanthus roseus L. (Madagascar periwinkle) biosynthesizes a diverse array of secondary metabolites including anticancer dimeric alkaloids (vinblastine and vincristine) and antihypertensive alkaloids (ajmalicine and serpentine). The multi‐step terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) biosynthetic pathway in C. roseus is complex and is under strict molecular regulation. Many enzymes and genes involved in the TIAs biosynthesis have been studied in recent decades. Moreover, some regulatory proteins were found recently to control the production of TIAs in C. roseus . Based on mastering the rough scheme of the pathway and cloning the related genes, metabolic engineering of TIAs biosynthesis has been studied in C. roseus aiming at increasing the desired secondary metabolites in the past few years. The present article summarizes recent advances in isolation and characterization of TIAs biosynthesis genes and transcriptional regulators involved in the second metabolic control in C. roseus . Metabolic engineering applications in TIAs pathway via overexpression of these genes and regulators in C. roseus are also discussed.