Screening of strictocidine synthase and lysine decarboxylase gene involved in alkaloid biosynthesis in plants of Catharanthus rosea, Adathoda vasica and Wedelia trilobata

Abstract

Alkaloids are naturally occurring nitrogenous organic compounds of plant and display vast range of pharmacological properties such as anticancer, antiviral, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Medicinal plants are the main source of secondary metabolites and the enzymatic pathway involved in its production may be enhanced to increase synthesis of metabolites. The strictocidine synthase (STR) and lysine decarboxylase (LDC) gene are involved in biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloid and quinolizidine alkaloid respectively. In the present study, STR and LDC gene were analyzed in Catharanthus roseus, Adathoda vasica and Wedelia trilobata using real time PCR. The PCR results showed S shaped curve with Ct value for amplification of target gene which was found in Catharanthus roseus for STR gene and in Catharanthus roseus and Adathoda vasica for LDC gene. For further confirmation of target, gene samples were separated on agarose gel for size determination and the size of STR gene was found to be 1.1 kb and LDC gene was 1.3 kb respectively. Thus this study should be beneficial for academic as well as industrial point of view from production of alkaloids in plants by enhancing STR and LDC gene synthesis and alkaloids should also be used for isolation and characterization for pharmaceutical applications.