Regulatory mechanism in metabolic allocation of nitrogen-containing compounds from central metabolisms to specialized metabolisms in plants

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24570041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAZAKI Mami 千葉大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (70222370)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: アルカロイド / アミノ酸 / リジン / オルニチン / トリプトファン / 特異代謝 / 二次代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Most of plant alkaloids are produced from amino acids. In this study, the molecular basis of metabolite allocation from amino acid metabolism (central metabolism) to alkaloid biosynthesis (specialized metabolism) was investigated. Quinolizidine alkaloids (QA) and lycopodium alkaloids (LA) are derived from lysine. is lysine decarboxylation. The cDNAs encoding lysine/ornithine decarboxylase (L/ODC) catalyzing the first step QA and LA biosynthesis were isolated from several species and characterized using recombinant protein expressed in E. coli. The enzymes from QA/LA-producing plants exhibited relatively higher lysine-decarboxylase activities comparing to those of other species. It is suggested that this difference leads the change in metabolic allocation from lysine metabolism to alkaloid biosynthesis.

Free Research Field

植物分子生物学