Strictosidine Synthase Coding Gene Expression towards Quinine Biosynthesis and Accumulation: Inconsistency in Cultured Cells and Fresh Tissues of Cinchona ledgeriana

Abstract

Strictosidine synthase, encoded by the gene STR, facilitates the regeneration of strictosidine, a critical intermediate for the synthesis of many plant alkaloids. The gene has, however, never been studied in Cinchona spp. The plants produce quinine alkaloid used for malaria medication, SARS-CoV-2 treatment and other industrial purposes. Cultured cells can produce the alkaloid but only at a much lower yield than the natural tree. This study describes STR expression and quinine content in various plant materials. Bioinformatic analyses were conducted on nine species of Rubiaceae to obtain reference sequences to design conservative primers for Cinchona ledgeriana STR (ClSTR). ClSTR expression was analyzed using qRT-PCR and quinine content was determined using HPLC. A complete coding sequence (CDS) of ClSTR was deposited in NCBI GenBank under the accession number MK422544.1. ClSTR was expressed in cultured cells, young and mature leaves, and stem bark. The elicited cells have higher expression than the control and they performed since the fourth week. However, the quinine content was greater in older cells. The gene expression in young leaves was superior, but quinine was most abundant in the stem bark. Every cell of C. ledgeriana, in culture or in the plant, expressed ClSTR and was capable of synthesizing the alkaloid quinine. The alkaloid from the leaves of the plant might be translocated and accumulated in the bark. No efflux of alkaloids from the confined cultured cells might contribute in triggering feedback inhibition in the biosynthetic pathway. This study revealed a critical obstacle in cell culture as a means of secondary metabolites production that needs further development of metabolic engineering.