Overexpression of ORCA3 and G10H in Catharanthus roseus plants regulated alkaloid biosynthesis and metabolism revealed by NMR-metabolomics

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43038. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043038. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

Abstract

In order to improve the production of the anticancer dimeric indole alkaloids in Catharanthuse roseus, much research has been dedicated to culturing cell lines, hairy roots, and efforts to elucidate the regulation of the monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) biosynthesis. In this study, the ORCA3 (Octadecanoid-derivative Responsive Catharanthus AP2-domain) gene alone or integrated with the G10H (geraniol 10-hydroxylase) gene were first introduced into C. roseus plants. Transgenic C. roseus plants overexpressing ORCA3 alone (OR lines), or co-overexpressing G10H and ORCA3 (GO lines) were obtained by genetic modification. ORCA3 overexpression induced an increase of AS, TDC, STR and D4H transcripts but did not affect CRMYC2 and G10H transcription. G10H transcripts showed a significant increase under G10H and ORCA3 co-overexpression. ORCA3 and G10H overexpression significantly increased the accumulation of strictosidine, vindoline, catharanthine and ajmalicine but had limited effects on anhydrovinblastine and vinblastine levels. NMR-based metabolomics confirmed the higher accumulation of monomeric indole alkaloids in OR and GO lines. Multivariate data analysis of (1)H NMR spectra showed change of amino acid, organic acid, sugar and phenylpropanoid levels in both OR and GO lines compared to the controls. The result indicated that enhancement of MIA biosynthesis by ORCA3 and G10H overexpression might affect other metabolic pathways in the plant metabolism of C. roseus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / biosynthesis*
  • Alkaloids / genetics
  • Catharanthus / genetics
  • Catharanthus / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / physiology
  • Indoles / metabolism
  • Iridoids / metabolism
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Indoles
  • Iridoids
  • ORCA3 protein, plant
  • Plant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors

Grants and funding

This work was funded by China National High-Tech “863” Program (grant number 2011AA100605), Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (grant number 08391911800), and Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (project number B209). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.