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Molecular characterization and expression analysis of a new cDNA encoding strictosidine synthase from Ophiorrhiza japonica

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Abstract

A new full-length cDNA encoding strictosidine synthase (designated as OjSTR, GenBank Accession No. 1087598), which catalyzes a committed step in camptothecin biosynthetic pathway, was isolated from young leaves of Ophiorrhiza japonica for the first time. OjSTR was 1,258 bp and contained a 1,062 bp open reading frame encoding a deduced protein of 353 amino acid residues. Sequence analyses showed that OjSTR had high homology with other STRs from some TIA-producing plants. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that OjSTR had closest relationship with STR from O. pumila. Tissue expression pattern analysis revealed that OjSTR constitutively expressed in all the tested tissues at different levels, which was high in flower, moderate in leaf and root, low in stem. Expression profiles under plant defense signals such as methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid were investigated, and the results revealed that expression of OjSTR was all induced, implying that OjSTR was high elicitor responsive.

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Abbreviations

CPT:

Camptothecin

MeJA:

Methyl jasmonate

ORF:

Open reading frame

RACE:

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends

SA:

Salicylic acid

STR:

Strictosidine synthase

TIAs:

Terpenoid indole alkaloids

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Project (06QA14038, 08391911800, 065458022, 073158202, 075405117, 05ZR14093), Shanghai Education Committee Foundation (09ZZ138, 06DZ015), Leading Academic Discipline Project of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (J50401) and Project from Shanghai Normal University (SK200830).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, College of Life and Environment Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Lu, Wei Wang, Zhongying Qian, Li Li, Jing Wang, Genyu Zhou & Guoyin Kai

  2. Institute of Biology Science and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People’s Republic of China

    Hongshen Wang

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  1. Yang Lu
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  2. Hongshen Wang
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  3. Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Guoyin Kai.

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Lu, Y., Wang, H., Wang, W. et al. Molecular characterization and expression analysis of a new cDNA encoding strictosidine synthase from Ophiorrhiza japonica . Mol Biol Rep 36, 1845–1852 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-008-9389-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-008-9389-y

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