Involvement of nitric oxide signaling in mammalian Bax-induced terpenoid indole alkaloid production of Catharanthus roseus cells

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, has been demonstrated to be a potential regulatory factor for plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis recently. To investigate the molecular mechanism of Bax-induced secondary metabolite biosynthesis, we determined the contents of nitric oxide (NO) of the transgenic Catharanthus roseus cells overexpressing a mouse Bax protein and checked the effects of NO specific scavenger 2,4-carboxyphenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1- oxyl-3-oxide (cPITO) on Bax-induced terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) production of the cells. The data showed that overexpression of the mouse Bax in C. roseus cells triggered NO generation of the cells. Treatment of cPITO not only inhibited the Bax-triggered NO burst but also suppressed the Bax-induced TIA production. The results indicated that the mouse Bax might activate the NO signaling in C. roseus cells and induce TIA production through the NO-dependent signal pathway in the cells. Furthermore, the activities of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were significantly increased in the transgenic Bax cells as compared to those in the control cells, showing that the mouse Bax may induce NOS of C. roseus cells. Treatment of the transgenic Bax cells with NOS inhibitor PBITU blocked both Bax-induced NO genera- tion and TIA production, which suggested that the mouse Bax might trigger NO generation and TIA production through NOS. However, the NOS-like activities and NO generation in the transgenic Bax cells did not match kinetically and the Bax-induced NOS-like activity was much later and lower than NO production. Moreover, the Bax-induced NO generation and TIA production were only partially inhibited by PBITU. Thus, our results suggested that the Bax-induced NO production and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in C. roseus cells was not entirely dependent on NOS or NOS-like enzymes.     

Involvement of nitric oxide signaling in mammalian Bax-induced terpenoid indole alkaloid production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catharanthus roseus</Emphasis> cells

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, has been demonstrated to be a potential regulatory factor for plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis recently. To investigate the molecular mechanism of Bax-induced secondary metabolite biosynthesis, we determined the contents of nitric oxide (NO) of the transgenic Catharanthus roseus cells overexpressing a mouse Bax protein and checked the effects of NO specific scavenger 2,4-carboxyphenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPITO) on Bax-induced terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) production of the cells. The data showed that overexpression of the mouse Bax in C. roseus cells triggered NO generation of the cells. Treatment of cPITO not only inhibited the Bax-triggered NO burst but also suppressed the Bax-induced TIA production. The results indicated that the mouse Bax might activate the NO signaling in C. roseus cells and induce TIA production through the NO-dependent signal pathway in the cells. Furthermore, the activities of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were significantly increased in the transgenic Bax cells as compared to those in the control cells, showing that the mouse Bax may induce NOS of C. roseus cells. Treatment of the transgenic Bax cells with NOS inhibitor PBITU blocked both Bax-induced NO generation and TIA production, which suggested that the mouse Bax might trigger NO generation and TIA production through NOS. However, the NOS-like activities and NO generation in the transgenic Bax cells did not match kinetically and the Bax-induced NOS-like activity was much later and lower than NO production. Moreover, the Bax-induced NO generation and TIA production were only partially inhibited by PBITU. Thus, our results suggested that the Bax-induced NO production and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in C. roseus cells was not entirely dependent on NOS or NOS-like enzymes.     

Expression of a feedback-resistant anthranilate synthase in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots provides evidence for tight regulation of terpenoid indole alkaloid levels

Different plant species produce a variety of terpenoid indole alkaloids, which are of interest as plant defensive secondary metabolites and as valuable pharmaceuticals. Although significant progress has been made, the mechanisms regulating the levels of this important class of compounds require continued elucidation. Previous precursor feeding studies have indicated that alkaloid accumulation can be improved during the exponential growth phase of hairy root cultures through enhanced tryptophan availability. To test this relationship, transgenic hairy root cultures of Catharanthus roseus were established with a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter controlling the expression of an Arabidopsis feedback-resistant anthranilate synthase alpha subunit. Enzyme assays demonstrated that the Arabidopsis alpha subunit is compatible with the native beta subunit and that anthranilate synthase activity is more resistant to tryptophan inhibition in induced than in uninduced extracts. The metabolic effects of expressing the feedback-resistant anthranilate synthase alpha subunit were also dramatic. Over a 6-day induction period during the late exponential growth phase, tryptophan and tryptamine specific yields increased from almost undetectable levels to 2.5 mg/g dry weight and from 25 microg/g to 267 microg/g dry weight, respectively. The greater than 300-fold increase in tryptophan levels observed in these studies under certain induction conditions compares favorably with the fold increases obtained in previous constitutive expression studies. Despite the large increases in tryptophan and tryptamine, the levels of most terpenoid indole alkaloids were not significantly altered, with the exception of lochnericine, which increased 81% after a 3-day induction period. These results suggest that terpenoid indole alkaloid levels are tightly controlled.     

Terpenoid indole alkaloid production by Catharanthus roseus hairy roots induced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring rol ABC genes

We have established Catharanthus roseus hairy root cultures transgenic for the rol ABC genes from T(L)-DNA of the agropine-type Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain A4. The rol ABC hairy root lines exhibit a wild-type hairy root syndrome in terms of growth and morphology on solid medium. However, they differ from wild-type hairy root lines in that they more frequently have excellent adaptability to liquid medium and do not appear to form calli during cultivation. Moreover, they do not produce detectable levels of mannopine and agropine which, in contrast, are often synthesized abundantly in wild-type hairy root lines. The absence of these opines does not appear to cause the rol ABC lines to have higher levels of terpenoid indole alkaloids than wild-type hairy root lines. Unlike wild-type lines, rol ABC lines produce very similar levels of total alkaloids despite wide variations in individual alkaloid contents. This work demonstrates that the three genes rol ABC are sufficient to induce high-quality hairy roots in Catharanthus roseus.     

Studies on the optimization of growth and indole alkaloid production by hairy root cultures of Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus roseus hairy root cultures, genetically transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes, produce a wide variety of indole alkaloids. The effect of sucrose, phosphate, nitrate, and ammonia concentrations on growth and indole alkaloid production of C. roseus hairy root cultures were studied by using statistical experimental designs and linear regression analysis. Contradictory effects of these nutrients on growth and indole alkaloid production were found. The maximal growth was obtained by having 77. 8 mg NaH(2)PO(4) . H(2)O/L and 1. 311 g KNO(3)/L in the medium, whereas the specific production of alkaloids was highest at the lowest levels of all the nutrients studied. The maximal dry weight was obtained with high values of sucrose and ammonia, but clear optimum concentrations could not be found. When having enough nutrients to support reasonable growth, it appeared difficult to affect the specific alkaloid production rates considerably. The growth (dry wt.) with the optimized nutrient concentrations in the medium was more than 50% better than in the control medium with about the same alkaloid production.     

Five year maintenance of the inducible expression of anthranilate synthase in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots

Transgenic hairy root cultures have the potential to be an industrial production platform for a variety of chemicals. This report demonstrates the long‐term stability of a transgenic Catharanthus roseus hairy root line containing the inducible expression of a feedback‐insensitive anthranilate synthase (AS). After 5 years in liquid culture, the presence of the inserted AS gene was confirmed by genomic PCR. The inducible expression of AS was confirmed by enzyme assay and by changes in terpenoid indole alkaloid concentrations. This report also demonstrates that it may take as long as 2 years for the metabolite profile to stabilize. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1521–1525. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Still stable after 11 years: A Catharanthus roseus Hairy root line maintains inducible expression of anthranilate synthase

Hairy root cultures generated using Agrobacterium rhizogenes are an extensively investigated system for the overproduction of various secondary metabolite based pharmaceuticals and chemicals. This study demonstrated a transgenic Catharanthus roseus hairy root line carrying a feedback‐insensitive anthranilate synthase (AS) maintained chemical and genetic stability for 11 years. The AS gene was originally inserted in the hairy root genome under the control of a glucocorticoid inducible promoter. After 11 years continuous maintenance of this hairy root line, genomic PCR of the ASA gene showed the presence of ASA gene in the genome. The mRNA level of AS was induced to 52‐fold after feeding the inducer as compared to the uninduced control. The AS enzyme activity was 18.4 nmol/(min*mg) in the induced roots as compared to 2.1 nmol/(min*mg) in the control. In addition, the changes in terpenoid indole alkaloid concentrations after overexpressing AS were tracked over 11 years. The major alkaloid levels in induced and control roots at 11 years are comparable with the metabolite levels at 5 years. This study demonstrates the long term genetic and biochemical stability of hairy root lines, which has important implications for industrial scale applications. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:66–69, 2017     

药用植物长春花WRKY转录因子的鉴定及表达谱分析

WRKY是调控植物生长发育和逆境胁迫反应等生命活动的一个转录因子大家族.然而,有关药用植物长春花CrWRKY转录因子的种类和功能却知之甚少.从26 009个长春花蛋白中鉴定出47个CrWRKY转录因子.依据WRKY结构域和系统进化,将CrWRKY分为G1、G2和G3三大类群.表达谱数据分析表明,长春花CrWRKY基因的表达具有器官特异性.47个CrWRKY基因的表达谱可分为3种表达模式:第1类型主要在花、甲基茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)或酵母提取物(YE)处理的原生质体中高表达;第2类型主要在茎和毛状根中高表达;第3类型在根、茎、叶、幼苗和MeJA处理的毛状根中高表达.进一步用实时定量PCR检测了16个代表性CrWRKY基因在不同器官、MeJA处理原生质体和毛状根中的表达模式,检测结果与上述数字基因表达谱数据基本一致.约1/3以上CrWRKY基因的表达受MeJA和YE的调控,暗示它们可能参与萜类吲哚生物碱的合成和逆境胁迫反应.为进一步解析长春花WRKY转录因子的功能和萜类吲哚生物碱合成调控的网络奠定了基础.     

茉莉素介导的长春花生物碱次生代谢转录调控机制

萜类吲哚生物碱（terpeniod indole alkaloids, TIAs）是植物中产生的一类具有药理活性的次生代谢产物.药用植物长春花（Catharanthus roseus）因含有长春碱和长春新碱等重要的抗肿瘤萜类吲哚生物碱而成为研究TIAs次生代谢的主要模式植物.应用正、反向遗传学和各种代谢组学技术对长春花TIAs次生代谢途径及其调控进行了较深入的研究,相继鉴定了参与TIAs代谢途径调控的CrORCAs、CrMYCs、CrZCTs和CrWRKYs等转录因子,特别是发现茉莉素（jasmonates, JAs）介导TIAs生物合成的转录调控网络. 本文以长春花TIAs生物合成途径为模式,重点论述其代谢途径中的关键酶、参与调节的转录因子,尤其是茉莉素介导的调控网络及机制,解析植物中这些天然抗癌生物碱合成积累水平低的制约因素和组织细胞特异性,讨论基于这些新知识的长春花抗肿瘤TIAs代谢工程策略和工厂化绿色生产前景.     

Production of indole alkaloids by selected hairy root lines of Catharanthus roseus

Hairy root cultures of Catharanthus roseus were established by infection of seedlings with Agrobacterium rhizogenes 15834. Approximately 150 transformants from four different. C. roseus cultivars were screened for desirable traits in growth and indole alkaloid production. Five hairy root clones grew well in liquid culture with doubling times similar to those reported for cell suspensions. Fast growing clones had similar morphologies, characterized by thin, straight, and regular branches with thin tips. The levels of key alkaloids, ajmalicine, serpentine, and catharanthine, in these five clones, also compared well with literature data from cell suspensions, yet HPLC and GC-MS data indicate the presence of vindoline in two clones at levels over three orders of magnitude greater than the minute amounts reported in cell culture. These results suggest that further optimization may result in hairy roots as a potential source of vindoline and catharanthine, the two monomers necessary to synthesize that antineoplastic drug, vinblastine. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effects of terpenoid precursor feeding on Catharanthus roseus hairy roots over-expressing the alpha or the alpha and beta subunits of anthranilate synthase

Among the pharmacologically important terpenoid indole alkaloids produced by Catharanthus roseus are the anti-cancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. These two drugs are produced in small yields within the plant, which makes them expensive to produce commercially. Metabolic engineering has focused on increasing flux through this pathway by various means such as elicitation, precursor feeding, and introduction of genes encoding specific metabolic enzymes into the plant. Recently in our lab, a feedback-resistant anthranilate synthase alpha subunit was over-expressed in C. roseus hairy roots under the control of a glucocorticoid inducible promoter system. Upon induction we observed a large increase in the indole precursors, tryptophan, and tryptamine. The current work explores the effects of over-expressing the anthranilate synthase alpha or alpha and beta subunits in combination with feeding with the terpenoid precursors 1-deoxy-D-xylulose, loganin, and secologanin. In feeding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose to the hairy root line expressing the anthranilate synthase alpha subunit, we observed an increase of 125% in h?rhammericine levels in the induced samples, while loganin feeding increased catharanthine by 45% in the induced samples. Loganin feeding to the hairy root line expressing anthranilate synthase alpha and beta subunits increases catharanthine by 26%, ajmalicine by 84%, lochnericine by 119%, and tabersonine by 225% in the induced samples. These results suggest that the terpenoid precursors to the terpenoid indole alkaloids are important factors in terpenoid indole alkaloid production.     

Two-stage batch process for the production of ajmalicine by Catharanthus roseus: The link between growth and production stage

The link between the growth stage and the production stage in a two-stage batch process was investigated using (filtered) inocula from different periods of the stationary phase of the growth cycle. In the production stage, ajmalicine production by Catharanthus roseus in a 3-L stirred tank reactor was induced with a high glucose concentration (80 g/L). Ajmalicine production in cultures started with cells from the late stationary phase was five times higher than in cultures started with cells from the early stationary phase. After transfer to the production stage, cells from the early stationary phase showed a transient increase in respiration and enzyme induction, followed by culture browning. In contrast, cells in the late stationary phase showed a typical induction pattern: constant respiration, and permanent enzyme induction. A striking similarity between the geraniol-10-hydroxylase (G10H) activity and the ajmalicine accumulation profile could be observed in all cultures, suggesting that G 10H regulated ajmalicine production in this investigation. The intracellular nitrate concentration was significantly higher in the inoculum showing a high ajmalicine production than in the inoculum with a low production. Consequently, nitrate may act as a marker for the start of the production stage: as soon as the nitrate is depleted in the growth medium secondary metabolism can be induced. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.