Methyl jasmonate-induced biosynthesis of taxol and expression of certain related genes by Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cells

Taxol (Paclitaxel), a diterpene alkaloid against cancer, was originally isolated from Taxus sp. and recently was shown to be produced by hazelnut as well. To develop an optimal bioprocess for paclitaxel supply, taxane biosynthetic pathway regulation must be better understood. In the present study, the effects of methyl jasmonate (MJ) on taxol production and phenyl alanine ammonia- lyase (PAL), deoxyxylulose phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR) genes expression were investigated in suspension-cultured hazelnut cells. The cultures were treated with MJ (0, 25, 50 and 100µM) 8 days after subculture. According to the results, cell growth and viability decreased but lipid peroxidation rate, phenolics and taxol production increased by these treatments. In those cells treated with 100µM of MJ, extracellular and intracellular taxol were respectively 168µg/L and 20.5µg/g DW (dry weight) for, 3 and 2.3 times higher than those of the control cells. The expression of the PAL and DXR genes were respectively maximum after 48h and 72h of the MJ treatment, but the expression of HMGR gene was suppressed by MJ suggesting that the terpenoid part of taxol is more derived from non-mevalonate route and is originated from plastidic terpenoid pathway rather than cytosolic route of terpenoids production.

References: Bestoso F et al. (2006) BMC Biotechnol 6: 45.

Hoffman A et al. (1998) Spectroscopy 13: 22–32.

Ottaggio L et al. (2008)J Nat Prod 71: 58–60.

Rezaei A, Ghanati F, Behmanesh M (2010) 6th International Workshop on Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields pp 70–71.

Wu J, Lin L (2003) Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 62: 151–55.