ATP-binding cassette transporter controls leaf surface secretion of anticancer drug components in Catharanthus roseus.

ABSTRACT: The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is highly specialized for the biosynthesis of many different monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), many of which have powerful biological activities. Such MIAs include the commercially important chemotherapy drugs vinblastine, vincristine, and other synthetic derivatives that are derived from the coupling of catharanthine and vindoline. However, previous studies have shown that biosynthesis of these MIAs involves extensive movement of metabolites between specialized internal leaf cells and the leaf epidermis that require the involvement of unknown secretory processes for mobilizing catharanthine to the leaf surface and vindoline to internal leaf cells. Spatial separation of vindoline and catharanthine provides a clear explanation for the low

SUBMITTER: Yu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3785729 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature