Characterization of the biosynthetic pathway for medicinal monoterpenoid indole alkaloid
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Date
2023-06
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University of New Brunswick
Abstract
Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIA) are a complex and diverse class of alkaloids found in nature, boasting over 3000 reported structures. Many MIAs exhibit human medicinal properties, such as the anti-cancer drugs vinblastine and camptothecin. In this thesis, two enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a plant derived MIA was elucidated and functionally characterized. To achieve this, a bioinformatics approach was used to shortlist candidate genes from the source plant, which were then cloned into a heterologous system to characterize the enzymes they encode. Experiment results show that one of the candidate genes codes for the required enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of this MIA. The discovery from this work will allow assembly of the complete biosynthetic pathway in baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), facilitating de novo MIA synthesis.