Abstract
The secoiridoid glucoside secologanin is the terpenoid building
block in the biosynthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids. A method
for its determination in plant tissues and cell suspension
cultures has been developed. This assay is based on the
condensation of secologanin with tryptamine, yielding
strictosidine, a reaction catalysed by the enzyme strictosidine
synthase (STR; E.C. 4.3.3.2). Subsequently, the formation of
strictosidine is quantified by HPLC. STR was isolated from
transgenic Nicotiana tabacum cells expressing a cDNA-derived gene
coding for STR from Catharanthus roseus. The high specificity of
STR for secologanin, in combination with a sensitive and selective
HPLC system, allows a simple extraction of secologanin from plant
tissue. The detection limit of this methos is 15 ng secologanin.
Using this assay, secologanin contents were determined in tissues
of various plant species; Lonicera xylosteum hairy roots were
found to contain 1 % of secologanin on a dry weight basis.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | Phytochemical Analysis |
Volume | 9 |
Pages (from-to) | 162-167 |
Publication status | Published - 1998 |