Relationship between gene expression of lysine decarboxylase and accumulation of matrine and oxymatrine in Sophora alopecuroides / 中国药学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of lysine decarboxylase (LDC) gene on the accumulation of matrine (MA) and oxymatrine (OMA) in cotyledon of Sophora alopecuroides L germinating seeds. METHODS: The S. alopecuroides germinating seeds were stressed by different mass fractions of PEG 6000, and the contents of MA and OMA were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the expression level of LDC was analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) after 72 h treatment. RESULTS: The contents of MA and OMA decreased in the cotyledon under light stress (PEG mass fraction 20%). The analysis of qPCR revealed that the LDC expression level was decreased first, and then increased with the stress rising. The changes of the contents of MA and OMA were parallel with the expression level of LDC especially under light and severe stress. CONCLUSION: There is certain association between the accumulation of MA and OMA and the gene expression quantity of LDC. The results is of significance for illustrating the role of LDC in the biosynthetic pathways of MA and OMA.