Plant Physiol. email content delivery
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Plant Physiology Preview
Published on December 7, 2007; 10.1104/pp.107.107060

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Plant Physiology Preview (PDF))
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
146/2/403    most recent
pp.107.107060v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Costa, M. M. R.
Right arrow Articles by Sottomayor, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Costa, M. M. R.
Right arrow Articles by Sottomayor, M.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Costa, M. M. R.
Right arrow Articles by Sottomayor, M.

Received August 9, 2007
Accepted November 23, 2007

Molecular cloning and characterization of a vacuolar class III peroxidase involved in the metabolism of anticancer alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Maria Manuela R. Costa , Frederique Hilliou , Patricia Duarte , Luis Gustavo Pereira , Iolanda Almeida , Mark Leech , Johan Memelink , Alfonso Ros Barcelo , and Mariana Sottomayor *

John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal; Department of Botany of Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 1191, 4150-181 Porto, Portugal; Institute of Biology, University of Leiden, Clusius Laboratory, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands; Department of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), University of Murcia, E-30100 Murcia, Spain

* Corresponding author; email: msottoma{at}ibmc.up.pt.

Catharanthus roseus produces low levels of two dimeric terpenoid indole alkaloids, vinblastine and vincristine, which are widely used in cancer chemotherapy. The dimerization reaction leading to {alpha}-3',4'-anhydrovinblastine is a key regulatory step for the production of the anticancer alkaloids in planta and has potential application in the industrial production of two semi-synthetic derivatives also used as anticancer drugs. In this work, we report the cloning, characterization and subcellular localization of an enzyme with anhydrovinblastine synthase activity identified as the major class III peroxidase present in C. roseus leaves and named CrPrx1. The deduced amino acid sequence corresponds to a polypeptide of 363 amino acids including an N-terminal signal peptide showing the secretory nature of CrPrx1. CrPrx1 has a two intron structure and is present as a single gene copy. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that CrPrx1 belongs to an evolutionary branch of vacuolar class III peroxidases whose members seem to have been recruited for different functions during evolution. Expression of a GFP-CrPrx1 fusion confirmed the vacuolar localization of this peroxidase, the exact subcellular localization of the alkaloid monomeric precursors and dimeric products. Expression data further supports the role of CrPrx1 in AVLB biosynthesis, indicating the potential of CrPrx1 as a target to increase alkaloid levels in the plant.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
ASPB Publications PLANT PHYSIOLOGY THE PLANT CELL
Copyright © 2007 by the American Society of Plant Biologists