TRYPTOPHAN DECARBOXYLASE ACTIVITY IN TRANSFORMED ROOTS FROM CATHARANTHUS-ROSEUS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO TRYPTAMINE, AJMALICINE, AND CATHARANTHINE ACCUMULATION DURING THE CULTURE CYCLE

Tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC), the enzyme that catalyzes the decarbox ylation of tryptophan to tryptamine, was studied in a Catharanthus ros eus transformed root culture. Its activity was evaluated through the c ulture cycle (36 days), along with the variations in the tryptamine po ol as well as the accumulation of alkaloids. Ajmalicine and catharanth ine contents in the tissues increased coordinately with an increase in TDC-specific activity after 18 days of growth. No dramatic shifts wer e observed for the total alkaloid and tryptamine profiles.