Phytochemical genomics of the Madagascar periwinkle: Unravelling the last twists of the alkaloid engine. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dugé de Bernonville, Thomas; Clastre, Marc; Besseau, Sébastien; Oudin, Audrey; Burlat, Vincent; Glévarec, Gaëlle; Lanoue, Arnaud; Papon, Nicolas; Giglioli-Guivarc'h, Nathalie; St-Pierre, Benoit; Courdavault, Vincent
• Is Part Of: Phytochemistry. Volume 113(2015:May)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 23
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Madagascar periwinkle -- Catharanthus roseus -- Apocynaceae -- Alkaloids -- High throughput sequencing -- Transcriptomics -- Phytochemical genomics; Botanical chemistry -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; Chimie végétale -- Périodiques; 572.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.07.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9422

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Catharanthus roseus synthesizes monoterpene indole alkaloids via a long set of chemical reactions catalyzed by a complex enzymatic machinery. Recent studies have combined high throughput "omics" analyses with functional validation approaches to unravel unknown biosynthetic steps. This contribution expands the toolbox for alkaloid metabolic engineering into various metabolic platforms. Highlights: Catharanthus roseus produces valuable monoterpene indole alkaloids. Several alkaloid biosynthetic genes have not been cloned by conventional approaches. Phytochemical genomics and transcriptomic resources are now available for C. roseus . High throughput datasets allow rapid identification of unknown biosynthetic steps. Expansion of the alkaloid gene catalog opens prospect for metabolic engineering. Abstract: The Madagascar periwinkle produces a large palette of Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloids (MIAs), a class of complex alkaloids including some of the most valuable plant natural products with precious therapeutical values. Evolutionary pressure on one of the hotspots of biodiversity has obviously turned this endemic Malagasy plant into an innovative alkaloid engine. Catharanthus is a unique taxon producing vinblastine and vincristine, heterodimeric MIAs with complex stereochemistry, and also manufactures more than 100 different MIAs, some shared with the Apocynaceae, Loganiaceae and Rubiaceae members. For over 60 years, the quest for these powerful anticancer drugs has inspired biologists, chemists, and pharmacists to unravel the chemistry, biochemistry, therapeutic activity, cell and molecular biology of Catharanthus roseus . Recently, the "omics" technologies have fuelled rapid progress in deciphering the last secret of strictosidine biosynthesis, the central precursor opening biosynthetic routes to several thousand MIA compounds. Dedicated C. roseus transcriptome, proteome and metabolome databases, comprising organ-, tissue- and cell-specific libraries, and other phytogenomic resources, were developed for instance by PhytoMetaSyn, Medicinal Plant Genomic Resources and SmartCell consortium. Tissue specific library screening, orthology comparison in species with or without MIA-biochemical engines, clustering of gene expression profiles together with various functional validation strategies, largely contributed to enrich the toolbox for plant synthetic biology and metabolic engineering of MIA biosynthesis.