Summary
Regulation of enzyme amount is the most important means in the control of secondary product biosynthesis. In the native plants expression of most secondary enzymes is integrated into the programs of gene expression and development leading to specialized cells and organs. In cell cultures “natural expression” may be achieved as part of these programs. Biosynthesis of secondary products thus is easily triggered in vitro as part of tissue and organ development.
In addition, expression of secondary metabolism may be possible independent of these programs. Formation of several secondary products may be raised, for instance, in unspecialized cells by elicitors. The expression not controlled by natural programs probably is based on multiple sites of regulation at the genetic material encoding secondary metabolic enzymes and the interaction of effectors not formed within the programs with the “additional” sites.
Regulation of enzyme activity is the second important principle in controlling the formation of secondary products. Precursors and intermediates are compartmentalized and channeled to the sites of metabolism. In vivo most enzymes of secondary metabolism work under substrate limitation and do not reach Vmax. In some cases enzyme activity in vivo may be raised by increase of the supply of endogenous or exogenous precursors.
In most cell cultures, however, even under favorite conditions the rates of secondary product biosynthesis remain low. Due to limited expression of secondary metabolic genes only small amounts of secondary metabolic enzymes are formed. Higher rates may be obtained after fusion of the structural part of the genes with strong promoters. Thus in future the rate of biosynthesis of plant secondary products may be raised by the methods of genetic engineering. For the biotechnological production of secondary compounds the plant cells have the disadvantage of slow growth and of fragility. Therefore the expression of the “improved” genes in microorganisms may be more suitable for secondary product biosynthesis than that in plant cells.
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Luckner, M., Diettrich, B. (1990). Principles Regulating Formation and Activity of Secondary Metabolic Enzymes in Plant Tissue and Cell Cultures. In: Nijkamp, H.J.J., Van Der Plas, L.H.W., Van Aartrijk, J. (eds) Progress in Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology. Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2103-0_112
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