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Enhanced production of tropane alkaloids in transgenic Scopolia parviflora hairy root cultures over-expressing putrescine N-methyl transferase (PMT) and hyoscyamine-6β-hydroxylase (H6H)

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Abstract

Scopolia parviflora adventitious roots were metabolically engineered by co-expression of the two gene putrescine N-methyl transferase (PMT) and hyoscyamine-6β-hydroxylase (H6H) cDNAs with the aid of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The transformed roots developed into morphologically distinct S. parviflora PMT1 (SpPMT1), S. parviflora PMT1 (SpPMT2), and S. parviflora H6H (SpH6H) transgenic hairy root lines. Consequent to the introduction of these key enzyme genes, the production of the alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine was enhanced. Among the transgenic hairy root lines, SpPMT2 line possessed the highest growth index. The treatment of transgenic hairy roots with growth regulators further enhanced the production of scopolamine. Thus, the results suggest that PMT1, PMT2, and H6H genes may not only be involved in the metabolic regulation of alkaloid production but also that these genes may play a role in the root development.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant (MOEHRD, Basic Research Promotion Fund; KRF-2006-521-F00023) and by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation Grant funded by the Korea government (MOST; KRF-2005-215-F00004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, United States Department of Agriculture, 308 Sturtevant Hall, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA

    Y. M. Kang

  2. Division of Environmental Forest Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea

    D. J. Park, H. J. Song, M. J. Jeong & M. S. Choi

  3. Sancheong Oriental Medicinal Herb Institute, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, 666-931, South Korea

    J. Y. Min

  4. Institute of the Hadong Green Tea, Hadong-gun, Gyeongnam, 667-804, South Korea

    Y. D. Kim

  5. Department of Forest Research, Gyeongsangnam-do Forest Environment Research Institute, Jinju, 660871, South Korea

    S. M. Kang

  6. Department of Biochemistry, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560001, India

    C. S. Karigar

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  1. Y. M. Kang
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  2. D. J. Park
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Correspondence to M. S. Choi.

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Kang, Y.M., Park, D.J., Min, J.Y. et al. Enhanced production of tropane alkaloids in transgenic Scopolia parviflora hairy root cultures over-expressing putrescine N-methyl transferase (PMT) and hyoscyamine-6β-hydroxylase (H6H). In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant 47, 516–524 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-011-9367-2

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