Biosynthesis and production of granatane alkaloids in hairy root cultures of Punica granatum

Abstract

Punica granatum, the common pomegranate plant, contains compounds known as granatane alkaloids. These compounds possess medicinal properties that have positive effects on cardiovascular disease and reducing high blood pressure(1). Granatane alkaloids include compounds such as pelletierine, isopelletierine, pseudopelletierine, and N‐methylpelletierine. Granatane alkaloid biosynthesis is believed to occur in the root bark. In order to study the metabolism of these compounds, hairy root cultures were established by inoculating roots of seedlings with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain MSU440(2). The bacterium harbored a pK2gw7 vector containing an eGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) sequence. Our ultimate goal is to use next generation sequencing on biochemically and transcriptionally active granatane producing tissues for gene discovery purposes. This relies on a confirmation of the hairy root culture as a tenable model system. In one of the hypothetical granatane producing pathways, the first five membered ring would originate from the decarboxylation of the amino acid lysine, which would form the compound cadaverine (1,5‐pentadiamine). The suspected enzyme for this step is PgLDC (Punica granatum lysine decarboxylase). We aim to isolate and characterize this enzyme with an established hairy root culture system. To date, several candidate genes have been identified.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.