High levels of tryptamine accumulation in transgenic tobacco expressing tryptophan decarboxylase.

A full-length complementary DNA clone encoding tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC; EC 4.1.1.28) from Catharanthus roseus (De Luca V, Marineau C, Brisson N [1989] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 2582-2586) driven by the CaMV 35S promoter was introduced into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) to direct the synthesis of the protoalkaloid tryptamine from endogenous tryptophan. Young, fully expanded leaves of CaMV 35S-TDC transformed plants had from four to 45 times greater TDC activity than did controls. Tryptamine accumulated in transgenic plants to levels that were directly proportional to their TDC specific activity. Despite their increased tryptamine content, the growth and development of the CaMV 35S-TDC plants appeared normal with no significant differences in indole-3-acetic acid levels between high tryptamine and control plants. Plants with the highest TDC activity contained more than 1 milligram of tryptamine per gram fresh weight, a 260-fold increase over controls.

Purification and characterization of acetylcoenzyme A: deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase from Catharanthus roseus.

The enzyme acetylcoenzyme A:deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.-) (DAT), which catalyzes the final step in vindoline biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus, was purified 3300-fold using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by gel filtration, anion exchange, hydroxyapatite, and affinity chromatographies. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the purified DAT showed the presence of two major proteins having Mr values of 33,000 and 21,000, whereas native PAGE showed three protein bands, and isoelectric focusing-PAGE one diffuse protein band (pI = 4.7-5.3) plus two minor protein bands (pI = 5.7 and 6.1). Purified DAT possessed Km values of 6.5 microM and 1.3 microM for acetylcoenzyme A and deacetylvindoline, respectively, and Vmax values of 12.6 pkat/microgram protein (acetylcoenzyme A) and 10.1 pkat/micrograms protein (deacetylvindoline). Inhibition of DAT by tabersonine, coenzyme A, and cations (K+, Mg2+, and Mn2+) was observed, while the pH optimum of this enzyme was determined to be 7.5 to 9.

Production of indole alkaloids by surface immobilized C. roseus cells.

A technique was developed to surface immobilize plant cells and was scaled up in laboratory size bioreactors. This technique was shown not to hinder the biosynthetic potential of Catharanthus roseus immobilized cells and to induce a partial release (300 microg/L) of serpentine into the culture medium contrary to suspension cultured cells. The release pattern seemed to follow the biosynthesis trends of the product. This release mechanism could be stimulated by a factor of 10 within 2 h by increasing the pH of the culture from 5.0 to 5.5.

Development of bioreactors for the culture of surface immobilized plant cells.

The scaleup of the technique of plant cell surface immobilization was performed successfully in specifically designed laboratory size bioreactors. The immobilizing matrix was formed into a vertically wound spiral providing for a high immobilizing area-to-volume ratio (0.8-1.2 cm(-1)). A modified airlift and a mechanically stirred vessel delivered a best bioreactor performance characterized by low biomass frothing and highly efficient plant cell attachment and retention (>or=96%). The growth of Catharanthus roseus cells investigated in these bioreactors was found not to be mass transfer limited. It required mild mixing and aeration levels (k(L)a approximately 10-15 h(-1)). The biomass formation pattern of surface immobilized plant cells generally exhibited a linear growth phase followed by a stationary phase characterized by the presence of residual carbohydrates in the medium, contrary to suspension cultures. This behavior was found to depend on the plant cell type and/or line cultured, as well as on the inoculum age. The space restriction and unidirectional growth of the SIPC biofilm combined with the limited availability of essential intracellular nutrients rapidly accumulated from the medium by the stationary phase inoculated plant cells all likely contributed to the culture behavior.

Immunological Detection and Quantitation of Tryptophan Decarboxylase in Developing Catharanthus roseus Seedlings.

l-Tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC) (EC 4.2.1.27) enzyme activity was induced in cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus after treatment with a Pythium aphanidermatum elicitor preparation. The enzyme was extracted from lyophilized cells containing high levels of TDC and the protein was purified to homogeneity. The pure protein was used to produce highly specific polyclonal antibodies, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to quantitate the level of TDC antigen during seedling development and in leaves of the mature plant. Western immunoblotting of proteins after SDS-PAGE with anti-TDC antibodies detected several immunoreactive proteins (40, 44, 54.8, 55, and 67 kilodaltons) which appeared at different stages during seedling development and in leaves of the mature plant. The major 54.8 and 55 kilodalton antigenic proteins in immunoblots appeared transiently between days 1 to 5 and 5 to 8 of seedling development, respectively. The 54.8 kilodalton protein was devoid of TDC enzyme activity, whereas the appearance of the 55 kilodalton protein coincided with the appearance of this decarboxylase activity. The minor immunoreactive proteins (40, 44, and 67 kilodaltons) appeared after day 5 of seedling development and in older leaves of the mature plant, and their relationship, if any, to TDC is presently unknown. Results suggest that the synthesis and degradation of TDC protein is highly regulated in Catharanthus roseus and that this regulation follows a preset developmental program.

Surface immobilization of plant cells.

A novel technique has been developed to immobilize plant cells. The cells are deposited on a surface of man-made fibrous material that provides for strong binding of the plant tissue biomass growing in the submerged culture. The immobilized plant cells remain fully viable. Relatively uniform biomass loadings of up to 20 mg d.w. plant cells/cm(2) support material have been attained. All plant cells from the inoculum suspension became attached within the first 24-48 h depending on the support matrix configuration and hydraulic culture conditions. The advantages and scale-up potential of this technique are discussed and compared to other culturing modes.

Developmental Regulation of Enzymes of Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus.

Developing seedlings of Catharanthus roseus were analyzed for appearance of tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC), strictosidine synthase (SS), N-methyltransferase (NMT) and O-acetyltransferase (DAT) enzyme activities. SS enzyme activity appeared early after germination and was present throughout most of the developmental study. TDC activity was highly regulated and peaked over a 48 hour period achieving a maximum by day of 5 of seedling development. Both TDC and SS were present in all tissues of the seedling. NMT and DAT enzyme activities were induced after TDC and SS had peaked and these activities could only be found in hypocotyls and cotyledons. TDC, SS, and NMT did not require light for induction whereas DAT enzyme activity was increased approximately 10-fold after light treatment of dark grown seedlings.

Semi-continuous production of sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine by Papaver somniferum L. cell suspension cultures treated with fungal homogenate.

Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) cells were elicited with a Botrytis sp. homogenate and cultured by a semi-continuous process. Elicitation induced synthesis of sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine. Significant release of both alkaloids into the culture medium occurred. Medium exchange at 2-day intervals enabled product recovery from spent medium and maintained culture viability. Culture growth was not inhibited by elicitor treatment necessitating sub-culture prior to re-elicitation. Re-elicited cultures displayed an increasing sensitivity (reduced growth rate, higher alkaloid yield) to the elicitor with each successive treatment and did not survive a fourth elicitation.

Stimulation of Indole Alkaloid Production in Cell Suspension Cultures of Catharanthus roseus by Abscisic Acid.

When added to suspension cultures of CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS, abscisic acid (ABA) stimulated intracellular accumulation of the indole alkaloids catharanthine and ajmalicine in both flask and 30 litre fermenter-scale systems. The response varied, and depended upon the cell line, the concentration and source of the ABA, and the growth phase at which the cells were treated. Precise timing of ABA addition to cells in a 301 fermenter resulted in a catharanthine yield of 85.25 mg/l after 10 days of cultivation. We propose that ABA may be useful for increasing the yield and reducing the production time for commercially useful secondary plant metabolites.

Elicitor-mediated induction of tryptophan decarboxylase and strictosidine synthase activities in cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

Treatment of one cell line (No. 615) of Catharanthus roseus c.v. Little Delicata with an elicitor preparation of autoclaved and homogenized Pythium aphanidermatum culture resulted in rapid accumulation of indole alkaloids. Alkaloid formation was preceded by rapid transient increases in the extractable activities of the enzymes tryptophan decarboxylase and strictosidine synthase. The induction of these two enzyme activities occurred when cells were transferred to alkaloid production medium or treatment with fungal elicitors. Treatment of this cell line with translational or transcriptional inhibitors prevented the Pythium-induced increases of enzyme activity as well as alkaloid accumulation. When cells were transferred to alkaloid production medium the induction of strictosidine synthase activity preceded that of tryptophan decarboxylase by many hours even when cells were also treated with Pythium elicitor. Results suggested that tryptophan decarboxylase induction proceeds only when endogenous tryptamine levels were decreased by two-third. The internal cellular level of tryptamine, therefore, could regulate expression of tryptophan decarboxylase, whereas induction of strictosidine synthase or of another enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway could control channeling of tryptamine into alkaloids. The results demonstrate that fungal elicitors can be used to facilitate studies of the factors which regulate expression of indole alkaloid pathway enzymes and their ultimate pathway products.

Increased accumulation of indole alkaloids by some cell lines of Catharanthus roseus in response to addition of vanadyl sulphate.

Vanadyl sulphate (10-500 mg/l), when added to cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus stimulated increased intracellular accumulation of catharanthine and ajmalicine. This response was demonstrated in both flask and fermenter (30 litre) systems. The response varied, and depended upon cell line, concentration of vanadyl sulphate and the stage of the growth phase at which the cells were treated. This process has the potential to increase the yield and reduce the production time for commercially useful secondary plant metabolites.

Alkaloid formation by habituated and tumorous cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

Habituated and tumorous Catharanthus roseus cells grown in the absence of hormones accumulated indole alkaloids. Total alkaloids and alkaloid pattern were the same when cells were cultured in medium without hormones or in alkaloid production medium with and without indole acetic acid. Treatment of cells with Pythium homogenate as elicitor did not increase total alkaloids or change the pattern of alkaloids produced. When either habituated or tumorous cells were grown in 1B5 medium after Gamborg et al (1968) containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), their capacity to accumulate alkaloids decreased with time. The levels of tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC) and strictosidine synthase (SS) specific activities were constant throughout growth except when cells were exposed to 2,4-D in 1B5 medium, where enzyme activities declined in step with the decrease in alkaloid accumulation. Neither habituated nor tumorous cell suspension cultures accumulated vindoline, nor could they be induced to produce this alkaloid by any of the given treatments.

Characterization of a novel N-methyltransferase (NMT) from Catharanthus roseus plants : Detection of NMT and other enzymes of the indole alkaloid biosynthetic pathway in different cell suspension culture systems.

Young leaves from Catharanthus roseus plants contain a novel N-methyltransferase which transfers the methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine specifically to position 1 of (2R, 3R)-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxytabersonine, producing the N-methylated product. The enzyme shows a high degree of specificity toward substrates containing a reduced double bond at position 2,3 of tabersonine derivatives but the more substituted N-desmethyldeacetylvindoline did not act as a substrate. The enzyme catalyses the third last step in vindorosine and vindoline biosynthesis, and is associated with chlorophyll-containing fractions in partially purified enzyme preparations. The lack of vindoline accumulation in cell suspension cultures is correlated with the lack of expression of this enzyme activity as well as that of an acetyltransferase which catalyses the last step in vindoline biosynthesis. Neither fungal elicitor treatment of cell line #615 nor transfer to alkaloid production medium resulted in expression of these two enzyme activities, nor was either enzyme activity detected in photoautotrophic or hormone autotrophic cultures. Cell lines #200, 615-767 and 916 could not be induced to produce DAT or NMT enzyme activities.

Photoautotrophic cell suspension cultures of periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don): Transition from heterotrophic to photoautotrophic growth.

Chlorophyllous, heterotrophic periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don) cells were capable of sustained photoautotrophic growth in sugar-free B5 medium containing naphthaleneacetic acid and kinetin when provided with a CO2-enriched atmosphere. An increase in cell fresh weight, first observed approximately 2 weeks after transfer from heterotrophic to photoautotrophic conditions, coincided with the development of maximum chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity. Electron micrographs revealed that chloroplasts of cells cultured photoautotrophically in continuous light contained large starch granules and exhibited a less extensive thylakoid system than did periwinkle mesophyll chloroplasts. Photoautotrophic cells did not accumulate vindoline or dimeric alkaloids.

Alkaloid production in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don cell cultures. XIII. Effects of bioregulators on indole alkaloid biosynthesis.

A study on the effect of various bioregulators on the biosynthesis of ajmalicine (8) and catharanthine (9) in plant tissue cultures of Catharanthus roseus is described. It is shown that 1,1-dimethylpiperidine bromide (3) and 2-diethylaminoethyl-3,4-dimethylphenylether (7) are effective in increasing these alkaloid levels in the cell line PRL #200. Such studies may prove beneficial in larger scale experiments designed for the production of these alkaloids.

Cryopreservation of Alkaloid-Producing Cell Cultures of Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).

A procedure for cryogenic storage of alkaloid producing cell lines of periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don., has been developed. The procedure differs from established cryopreservation protocols in several aspects. Specifically, 4-day-old suspension subcultures of three cell lines were precultured in nutrient media supplemented with 1 molar sorbitol for 6 to 20 hours. The cells were then incubated in nutrient media with 1 molar sorbitol plus 5% DMSO in an ice bath for 1 hour and, thereafter, were frozen in this solution at a cooling rate of 0.5 degrees C per minute to -40 degrees C prior to immersion in liquid nitrogen (LN). After rapid thawing in a 40 degrees C water bath, the regrowth of LN stored cells was achieved by transferring them without washing onto filter paper discs over nutrient media solidified with agar for a period of 4 to 5 hours. The filter paper discs with the cells were then transferred to fresh media of the same composition for regrowth. The viability immediately after thawing as evaluated by the 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride method was about 60% of controls. Suspension cultures established from LN stored cells retained the capability for alkaloid synthesis and accumulation.

Quantitation of the delivery of liposome contents into plant protoplasts.

A procedure for the quantitation of the delivery of liposome contents into Catharanthus roseus protoplasts has been developed. The method is based on the uptake of liposome encapsulated methylumbelliferyl beta-D-glucoside and its enzymatic hydrolysis to yield fluorescent methylumbelliferone. Since the free glucoside is not taken up by the protoplasts to a significant extent, the delivery of material in the nanomole range can be measured with ease.

Liposomes as vehicles for transferring low molecular weight compounds into periwinkle protoplasts.

The uptake of liposomal contents into Catharanthus roseus protoplasts has been quantitated. Hi.phest uptake was obtained from positively charged vesicles (1.09% of vesicle contents per 10(7) protoplasts) in the presence of 10% w/v polyethylene glycol 4000. Significant uptake was also observed from negatively charged vesicles (0.1% of vesicle contents per 10(7) protoplasts) in the presence of 25% polyethylene glycol 1540. The uptake of vesicle contents from negatively charged liposomes was confirmed by light microscopy after treatment of the protoplasts with liposomes loaded with the fluorescent dye 6-carboxyfluorescein. About 10% of the treated protoplasts exhibited intracellular fluorescence. No uptake from neutral liposomes was detected.