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In vitro biosynthesis of strictosidine usinglonicera japonica leaf extracts and recombinant yeast

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Abstract

Strictosidine is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of the terpenoid indole alkaloid (T1A) pathway. It results from a condensation reaction, catalyzed by strictosidine synthase (STR), between tryptamine and secologanin. We have now developed a useful method, based on enzyme-assisted synthesis, to produce strictosidine. Our procedure utilizes leaf extracts from Japanese honeysuckleLonicera japonica Thunb. as a secologanin source. In these experiments, an enzyme extract was prepared from transgenic yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae that expresses theCatharanthus roseus STR (CrSTR) coding region. Strictosidine was then isolated with a 38% yield based on the initial amount of tryptamine in the enzymatic reaction.

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Correspondence to Jang Ryol Liu or Jeong Ho Park.

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Nam, K.H., Chung, H.J., Jeon, E.J. et al. In vitro biosynthesis of strictosidine usinglonicera japonica leaf extracts and recombinant yeast. J. Plant Biol. 50, 315–320 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030660

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030660

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