Over-expression of Catharanthus roseus tryptophan decarboxylase and strictosidine synthase in rol gene integrated transgenic cell suspensions of Vinca minor

Tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC) and strictosidine synthase (STR) genes from Catharanthus roseus have been successfully over-expressed in the rol gene integrated cell suspensions of V. minor. Thirty seconds SAAT (sonication-assisted Agrobacterium transformation) treatment of plant cell suspension with LBA1119 having construct (< hpt-< Tdc2-< Str-gus >) generated three stable TDC + STR over-expressing cell lines-PVG1, PVG2, and PVG3. The transgenes were confirmed by beta-glucuronidase GUS histochemical assay and PCR amplification of rol genes/GUS gene. All the three cell suspension lines were found to be slow growing. In comparison to the control cell suspensions (GI = 241.0 +/- 5.8), PVG3 cell line registered a growth index (GI) of 208.0 +/- 10.0 followed by PVG1 (GI = 140.0 +/- 14.2) and PVG2 (GI = 85.0 +/- 9.6). The PVG3 cell line was also up-scaled in the 5-l stirred tank bioreactor with GI of 745.6 +/- 35.3 under optimized parameters. Only PVG3 line registered a twofold increase in total alkaloid content (2.1 +/- 0.1 % dry wt.) and showed vincamine presence (0.003 +/- 0.001 % dry wt.) which was further enhanced at the bioreactor level (2.7 +/- 0.3 and 0.005 +/- 0.001 % dry wt., respectively). Real-time (RT) qPCR analysis of PVG3 showed more than sevenfold to eightfold increase in TDC and STR expression [relative quantity value (RQ) = 7.6 +/- 0.8 (TDC); RQ = 8.5 +/- 0.9 (STR)].