Light activation of vindoline biosynthesis does not require cytomorphogenesis in Catharanthus roseus seedlings

Upon illumination, the cotyledons of Catharanthus roseus seedlings readily synthesise vindoline from late biosynthetic intermediates, which accumulate in etiolated seedlings. The cellular localisation of tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC) and desacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase (D4H), which catalyse the first and penultimate reactions of vindoline biosynthesis, was identified by immunocytochemistry in developing seedlings. The expression of TDC was restricted to the upper epidermis of cotyledons, whereas that of D4H was confined to laticifer cells. Light exposure of etiolated seedlings significantly induced D4H enzyme activity without changing the steady-state levels of D4H immunoreactive protein or modifying the cellular distribution of D4H expression in dark-grown seedlings. These results suggest that the early and late stages of vindoline biosynthesis occupy different cellular compartments, even in the early phases of etiolated seedling development. The role of light in activating the late stages of vindoline biosynthesis does not, therefore, seem to be related to the formation of the laticifer and idioblast cell types. It is concluded that light is not required for formation of these cell types, whereas regulatory factors, restricted to idioblasts and laticifers, may respond to light to activate localised expression of the late stages of vindoline biosynthesis.     

Sulfate reduction in Catharanthus roseus (L.)

Cell homogenates from Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. grown S-autotrophically on sulfate in the dark are capable of reducing adenylysulfate (APS) to cysteine. This reduction required a particulate protein fraction from the cell extract and reduced ferredoxin as the electron donor. The protein fraction (MW 700,000±50,000) was found to contain Fd:NADP⁺ reductase, glutathione reductase and an unspecific dithiol reductase, and APS-sulfotransferase and thiosulfonate reductase activity. Resolution into these individual enzyme activities led to a non-restorable loss of the APS reducing activity. It was observed that a slow gradual decay of the APS reducing activity was accompanied by a likewise slow generation of a ferredoxin-dependent sulfite reductase.Enzymes and abbreviations APS Adenosine 5-phosphosulfate - APS-kinase E.C.2.7.1.25 - ATP-sulfurylase E.C.2.7.7.4 - Fd ferredoxin - Fd-NADP⁺-reductase E.C.1.6.7.1. - Glutathione reductase E.C.1.6.4.2. - G6P Glucose 6-phosphate - G6PDH glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, E.C.1.1.49 - GSSG oxidized glutathione - GSSO₃H S-sulfoglutathione - MVH reduced methylviologen - OASS O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-E.C. 4.2.99.8 - Sulfite reductase E.C.1.8.1.2     

Recent Advances in Indole Alkaloid Production by Catharanthus roseus (Periwinkle)

Considerable progress has been accomplished in cell culturetechniques for production of indole alkaloids fromCatharanthusroseus. This paper reviews the advances made in this area. Keyeffects of nutrients, environmental effects, stress-inducingcompounds and strain selection techniques on the productionof alkaloids are summarized. Cultivation methods such as suspensioncultures, immobilization, and a novel biofilm configurationare compared. Economic considerations in the large scale productionof secondary metabolites are covered. Indole alkaloids, cellculture techniques, Catharanthus roseus. Key words: Indole alkaloids, cell culture techniques, Catharanthus roseus     

Osmotic Properties of Drought Stressed Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) Genotypes

The pressure-volume technique was employed to compare waterrelations and moisture stress-induced osmotic adjustment ofPeriwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) cv. Pink (PC), Oscillatus (REC)and White (WC). Leaf water potential (_w), osmotic potential(_s), turgor potential (_p), bulk modulus of elasticity (), boundwater (RWC_w) and leaf hydration (H), were estimated by exposingthe plants to a drying cycle during which well watered plantswere dehydrated to zero turgor, and then irrigated. Osmoticadjustment (_w ¹⁰⁰) was calculated by comparing _a at full hydration(_a ¹⁰⁰) in stressed plants after recovery, with _a ¹⁰⁰ in controlplants. Values of ₂¹⁰⁰ were 0.76, 0.33 and 0.11 MPa in cv. PC,REC and WC, respectively. Maintenance of _p at lower ₃ and relativeleaf water content (RWC) in prestressed PC was attributableto a higher alkaloid content and greater leaf cell wall elasticity.RWCW was plotted against _p to determine its contribution tohydration maintenance at lower _p. Genotype PC showed greaterRWC_w at lower _p compared with REC and WC. The present studyhas demonstrated that there are cultivar differences in alkaloidaccumulation and water relations in acclimated plants and thatthe relative ranking for drought resistance within periwinkleappeared to correspond with the changes in osmotic properties. Medicinal plant, drought resistance, alkaloids, periwinkle [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don]     

Large-scale (20 l) culture of surface-immobilized Catharanthus roseus cells.

Surface-immobilized C. roseus cell cultures were grown in a 20-l modified airlift bioreactor operated at 0.51 vvm (kLa approximately 8 h-1) under various gassing regimes [air, 2% (v/v) and 5% CO2]. Extracellular ammonium, phosphate, and nitrate ions as well as carbohydrate uptake and pH value of the medium were monitored together with on-line dissolved oxygen concentration, conductivity of the medium, and carbon dioxide production rate (CPR) of the cultures. Cultures supplemented with 2% CO2 showed higher nitrate (5.0-7.0 mM d-1) and carbohydrate (3.3 g l-1 d-1) uptake rates and biomass production (mu approximately 0.24 d-1, yield approximately 0.33 g dw g CHO-1 and 7.4 g dw L-1) as compared to air (3.6 mM d-1, 2.1 g l-1 d-1; 0.20 d-1, 0.25 g dw g CHO-1 and 5 g dw l-1) and 5% CO2 (2.0-3.6 mM d-1, 2.0 g l-1 d-1; 0.11 d-1, 0.20 g dw g CHO-1 and 5 g dw l-1) cultures and as reported previously for suspension cultures. In addition, air and 5% CO2 cultures displayed incomplete carbohydrate uptake and, more important, phosphate and ammonium ion release into the medium at the end, which was ascribed to loss of viability. This was not observed for 2% CO2 immobilized bioreactor as well as shake flask control suspension cultures, which suggests that sparged C. roseus surface-immobilized cell cultures require 2% CO2 supplementation of the gas phase for both maximum growth and retained viability. The maximum CPRs of all cultures were in the same range (2.1-2.8 mM CO2 l-1 h-1). However, the estimated maximum specific CO2 production rates of 2% CO2 and 5% CO2 immobilized cultures (0.6 mM g dw-1 h-1) were lower than those found for air-sparged immobilized cultures (1.0-1.3 mM g dw-1 h-1). These rates are significantly higher than those reported in the literature for C. roseus cell suspension cultures performed in bioreactors gassed with air (approximately 0.2-0.55 mM g dw-1 h-1).     

Characterization of a novel N-methyltransferase (NMT) from Catharanthus roseus plants

Young leaves from Catharanthus roseus plants contain a novel N-methyltransferase which transfers the methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine specifically to position 1 of (2R, 3R)-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxytabersonine, producing the N-methylated product. The enzyme shows a high degree of specificity toward substrates containing a reduced double bond at position 2,3 of tabersonine derivatives but the more substituted N-desmethyldeacetylvindoline did not act as a substrate. The enzyme catalyses the third last step in vindorosine and vindoline biosynthesis, and is associated with chlorophyll-containing fractions in partially purified enzyme preparations. The lack of vindoline accumulation in cell suspension cultures is correlated with the lack of expression of this enzyme activity as well as that of an acetyltransferase which catalyses the last step in vindoline biosynthesis. Neither fungal elicitor treatment of cell line #615 nor transfer to alkaloid production medium resulted in expression of these two enzyme activities, nor was either enzyme activity detected in photoautotrophic or hormone autotrophic cultures. Cell lines #200, 615–767 and 916 could not be induced to produce DAT or NMT enzyme activities.     

The specific responses to mechanical wound in leaves and roots of Catharanthus roseus seedlings by metabolomics

The mechanical wound is one of the unavoidable threats to survival of plants. More researchers focus on the effect of mechanical wound to the over-ground tissues. And the effects of wound to roots were frequently ignored, although it is an important organ for plant growth. In our studies, the metabolomics study was performed to reveal the mechanical wound effects in Catharanthus roseus on roots and leaves by combining gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and statistical analyses. The metabolic response of TIAs and PCs in plants to wound was most active at 0.5 h after treatment via Q value analysis. At this time point, then significantly responsive primary metabolites and specific secondary compounds (TIAs and PCs) were screened by PLS-DA score plot. In this case, the treatments of CK, LT (wound to leaves) and RT (wound to roots) were clearly distinguished. The targeted compounds include 8 sugars, 4 TIAs and 12 PCs and they displayed specific responses to CK, LT and RT treatments. Under RT group, plants invest more resources on the local responses using TIAs and the color reactions to regulate wound close using PCs. Whereas, LT group might lay emphasis on systemic responses via TIAs induced by SA (salicylic acid) and gallic acid. Our studies provide some basic data for further investigations of the defensive mechanism on roots treated by mechanical wound.     

Über die Pleomorphie von MLO in Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea)

About the pleomorphism of MLO in Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) MLO of the flower greening (virescence)-type of Primula in the phloem of Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) were fixed in two different ways. After prefixation with OsO4 they showed a diminished pleomorphic morphology, most MLO were spherical. With the fixation of KARNOVSKY (1965) and subsequent treatments with OsO4 and uranyl acetate, however, an extremely high pleomorphism was observed. Such pleomorphic MLO in single thin sections are probably the expression of a threedimensional network-like connection. The concentration of MLO in the sieve elements seems to influence the pleomorphism only insignificantly.     

Alkaloid production in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don.

Analysis of 76 cell clones derived from one leaf of a periwinkle plant (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don) showed the occurrence of Corynanthe-, Strychnos-, and Aspidosperma-type alkaloids. The majority of clones (62%) displayed compounds of all three types. Variation of the alkaloid spectra of the cell clones was low when compared to that found previously with serially subcultured callus and cell suspensions derived from different plants.NRCC # 19100     

Molecular characterization of the pentacyclic triterpenoid biosynthetic pathway in Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus roseus is an important medicinal plant and the sole commercial source of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIA), anticancer compounds. Recently, triterpenoids like ursolic acid and oleanolic acid have also been found in considerable amounts in C. roseus leaf cuticular wax layer. These simple pentacyclic triterpenoids exhibit various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-microbial properties. Using the EST collection from C. roseus leaf epidermome (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/dbEST), we have successfully isolated a cDNA (CrAS) encoding 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and a cDNA (CrAO) encoding amyrin C-28 oxidase from the leaves of C. roseus. The functions of CrAS and CrAO were analyzed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) systems. CrAS was characterized as a novel multifunctional OSC producing α- and β-amyrin in a ratio of 2.5:1, whereas CrAO was a multifunctional C-28 oxidase converting α-amyrin, β-amyrin and lupeol to ursolic-, oleanolic- and betulinic acids, respectively, via a successive oxidation at the C-28 position of the substrates. In yeast co-expressing CrAO and CrAS, ursolic- and oleanolic acids were detected in the yeast cell extracts, while the yeast cells co-expressing CrAO and AtLUP1 from Arabidopsis thaliana produced betulinic acid. Both CrAS and CrAO genes show a high expression level in the leaf, which was consistent with the accumulation patterns of ursolic- and oleanolic acids in C. roseus. These results suggest that CrAS and CrAO are involved in the pentacyclic triterpene biosynthesis in C. roseus.     

长春花(Catharanthus roseus)中吲哚类生物碱含量的比较

建立了反相高效液相法测定长春花中吲哚类生物碱文多灵、长春质碱和阿玛碱含量的方法,色谱柱为HiQ sil C18色谱柱（250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm）;流动相为1%二乙胺水溶液(磷酸调pH=7.2)—甲醇—乙腈/2:1:1(V/V);流速为1 mL·min^-1;检测波长为215 nm;柱温为40℃。并采用此方法对长春花根、茎、叶、花和种子以及不同产地的长春花中的这3种生物碱进行了检测,结果表明文多灵和长春质碱主要存在于在根、茎、叶、花中,阿玛碱主要存在于种子中;并且随着地理位置的北移,长春花中的文多灵和长春质碱的含量逐渐降低,温室中人为控制长春花中的栽培条件能提高二者的含量。     

Polyamines and the Cell Cycle of Catharanthus roseus Cells in Culture

Investigation was made on the effect of partial depletion of polyamines (PAs), induced by treatment with inhibitors of the biosynthesis of PAs, on the distribution of cells at each phase of the cell cycle in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. cells in suspension cultures, using flow cytometry. More cells treated with inhibitors of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) were accumulated in the G₁ phase than those in the control, while the treatment with an inhibitor of spermidine (SPD) synthase showed no effect on the distribution of cells. The endogenous levels of the PAs, putrescine (PUT), SPD, and spermine (SPM), were determined during the cell cycle in synchronous cultures of C. roseus. Two peaks of endogenous level of PAs, in particular, of PUT and SPD, were observed during the cell cycle. Levels of PAs increased markedly prior to synthesis of DNA in the S phase and prior to cytokinesis. Activities of ADC and ODC were also assayed during the cell cycle. Activities of ADC was much higher than that of ODC throughout the cell cycle, but both activities of ODC and ADC changed in concert with changes in levels of PAs. Therefore, it is suggested that these enzymes may regulate PA levels during the cell cycle. These results indicate that inhibitors of PUT biosynthesis caused the suppression of cell proliferation by prevention of the progression of the cell cycle, probably from the G₁ to the S phase, and PUT may play more important roles in the progression of the cell cycle than other PAs.     

长春花金属硫蛋白基因原核表达载体的构建及表达研究

将从长春花中克隆的金属硫蛋白基因（GenBank登录号：DQ016341）构建到高效原核表达载体pGEX-6P-1,并命名为pGEX-6P-1-CrMT,并对GST-CrMT融合蛋白的表达进行诱导和条件优化。对不同的诱导温度、IPTG诱导浓度和诱导时间等条件的优化结果表明,随诱导时间增长GST-CrMT融合蛋白表达量提高,22℃,24 h和37℃,240 min均能诱导GST-CrMT融合蛋白的最大量表达,在0.8 mmol·L^-1 IPTG浓度下可以有效诱导GST-CrMT融合蛋白的表达。