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Analysis of transcripts in methyl jasmonate-treated ginseng hairy roots to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of ginsenosides and other secondary metabolites

  • Genetics and Genomics
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Abstract

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment increases the levels of plant secondary metabolites, including ginsenosides, which are considered to be the main active compounds in ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). To create a ginseng gene resource that contains the genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, including ginsenosides, we generated 3,134 expression sequence tags (ESTs) from MeJA-treated ginseng hairy roots. These ESTs assembled into 370 clusters and 1,680 singletons. Genes yielding highly abundant transcripts were those encoding proteins involved in fatty acid desaturation, the defense response, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Analysis of the latter group revealed a number of genes that may be involved in the biosynthesis of ginsenosides, namely, oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), cytochrome P450, and glycosyltransferase. A novel OSC gene was also identified by this analysis. RNA gel blot analysis confirmed that transcription of this OSC gene, along with squalene synthase (SS) and squalene epoxidase (SE) gene transcription, is increased by MeJA treatment. This ginseng EST data set will also provide important information on the genes that are involved in the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites and the genes that are responsive to MeJA treatment.

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Abbreviations

β-AS:

β-Amyrin synthase

DS:

Dammarendiol synthase

ESTs:

Expression sequence tags

LS:

Lupeol synthase

MeJA:

Methyl jasmonic acid

OSC:

Oxidosqualene cyclase

SE:

Squalene epoxidase

SS:

Squalene synthase

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant (code nr. PF0330101-00 for DWC) from the Plant Diversity Research Center of the 21st Century Frontier Research Program funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Korean government.

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  1. Dong-Woog Choi

    Present address: Department of Biology Education, College of Education, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eugentech, 52 Oun-Dong, Yusong, Taejon, 305-333, South Korea

    Dong-Woog Choi, JongDuk Jung, Young Im Ha, Hyun-Woo Park, Dong Su In, Hwa-Jee Chung & Jang Ryol Liu

  2. Korea Research Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnology, 52 Oun-Dong, Yusong, Taejon, 305-333, South Korea

    Hwa-Jee Chung & Jang Ryol Liu

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  1. Dong-Woog Choi
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Correspondence to Dong-Woog Choi.

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Communicated by I.S. Chung

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Choi, DW., Jung, J., Ha, Y.I. et al. Analysis of transcripts in methyl jasmonate-treated ginseng hairy roots to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of ginsenosides and other secondary metabolites. Plant Cell Rep 23, 557–566 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-004-0845-4

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