CHAPTER 22 - Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids (Catharanthus Alkaloids)

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview on the production of indole alkaloids by Catharanthus plant cell cultures, and gives special attention to the enzymatic regulation of synthesis. The preservation of genetic information on callus formation is an important prerequisite for the possible production of the alkaloids in tissue culture. Biosynthesis of the alkaloids takes place in the leaf and biosynthetic regulation of alkaloid formation is performed on organized, rather than callus, tissue. There are three novel culture systems that eliminate the need to cultivate cells in two successive media for the production of indole alkaloids. An important factor for the commercial production of secondary metabolites by tissue culture methods is the retention of high levels of product formation capability in selected cell lines. Various strategies have been proposed for the maintenance of high yields, such as repeated selection for high-yielding clones, preservation of high-yielding clones by cultivation as slower-growing callus, or cryopreservation of productive cells.