GALANTHAMINE PRODUCTION IN SHOOT-CLUMP CULTURES OF NARCISSUS-CONFUSUSIN LIQUID-SHAKE MEDIUM

Citation
S. Bergonon et al., GALANTHAMINE PRODUCTION IN SHOOT-CLUMP CULTURES OF NARCISSUS-CONFUSUSIN LIQUID-SHAKE MEDIUM, Plant cell, tissue and organ culture, 45(3), 1996, pp. 191-199
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
ISSN journal
01676857
Volume
45
Issue
3
Year of publication
1996
Pages
191 - 199
Database
ISI
SICI code
0167-6857(1996)45:3<191:GPISCO>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
Galanthamine (GAL) is increasingly used in the treatment of Alzheimer' s disease. We have attempted to develop a method of producing this alk aloid using in vitro cultures of Narcissus confusus plants. The ''shoo t-clump'' culture in liquid medium was shown to be an appropriate meth od for the micropropagation of this bulbous plant. The complete proces s included three steps: 1. culture of ''twin-scales'' starting from th e bulbs; 2. culture of the newly formed shoots in a medium for bud pro liferation (Murashige Skoog + lmg l(-1) of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic a cid + 5 mg l(-1) of benzyladenine), and 3. culture of ''shoot-clumps'' in a liquid-shake medium. Here we describe the effect of the addition of trans-cinnamic acid, a precursor in the biosynthesis of the Amaryl lidaceae alkaloids, on the production of galanthamine and related alka loids, and also on the growth of the ''shoot-clump'' culture. The prod uction of galanthamine was found to be inhibited by the addition of th e precursor, which promoted the production of the other alkaloid in th e same biosynthetic pathway, N-formyl-norgalanthamine. The total produ ction of galanthamine in the control cultures in day-long photoperiod was 2.50 mg per culture, of which 1.97 mg per culture were released in to the medium.