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Terpene profiling, transcriptome analysis and characterization of cis-β-terpineol synthase from Ocimum

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Abstract

Ocimum species produces a varied mix of different metabolites that imparts immense medicinal properties. To explore this chemo-diversity, we initially carried out metabolite profiling of different tissues of five Ocimum species and identified the major terpenes. This analysis broadly classified these five Ocimum species into two distinct chemotypes namely, phenylpropanoid-rich and terpene-rich. In particular, β-caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, camphor, borneol and selinene were major terpenes present in these Ocimum species. Subsequently, transcriptomic analysis of pooled RNA samples from different tissues of Ocimum gratissimum, O. tenuiflorum and O. kilimandscharicum identified 38 unique transcripts of terpene synthase (TPS) gene family. Full-length gene cloning, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of three TPS transcripts were carried out along with their expression in various tissues. Terpenoid metabolite and expression profiling of candidate TPS genes in various tissues of Ocimum species revealed spatial variances. Further, putative TPS contig 19414 (TPS1) was selected to corroborate its role in terpene biosynthesis. Agrobacterium-mediated transient over-expression assay of TPS1 in the leaves of O. kilimandscharicum and subsequent metabolic and gene expression analyses indicated it as a cis-β-terpineol synthase. Overall, present study provided deeper understanding of terpene diversity in Ocimum species and might help in the enhancement of their terpene content through advanced biotechnological approaches.

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Acknowledgements

AA and SGL acknowledge Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi for SRF while SB acknowledges University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India for Kothari fellowship. The work was funded by CSIR-NCL-IGIB Joint Research program under XII Five Year Plan (BSC0124).

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Author notes

  1. Atul Anand and Ramesha H. Jayaramaiah have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, 411008, Maharashtra, India

    Atul Anand, Ramesha H. Jayaramaiah, Bhushan B. Dholakia, Santosh G. Lavhale & Ashok P. Giri

  2. Chemical Biology Unit, Division of Organic Chemistry, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, 411008, Maharashtra, India

    Atul Anand, Supriya D. Beedkar & Hirekodathakallu V. Thulasiram

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University (Formerly University of Pune), Pune, 411007, Maharashtra, India

    Supriya D. Beedkar & Wasudeo N. Gade

  4. Biospheres, Eshwari, 52/403, Laxminagar, Parvati, Pune, 411 009, Maharashtra, India

    Sachin A. Punekar

  5. CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi, 110007, India

    Hirekodathakallu V. Thulasiram

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  1. Atul Anand
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  2. Ramesha H. Jayaramaiah
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  3. Supriya D. Beedkar
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  4. Bhushan B. Dholakia
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  7. Wasudeo N. Gade
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  8. Hirekodathakallu V. Thulasiram
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  9. Ashok P. Giri
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Correspondence to Ashok P. Giri.

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Anand, A., Jayaramaiah, R.H., Beedkar, S.D. et al. Terpene profiling, transcriptome analysis and characterization of cis-β-terpineol synthase from Ocimum. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 25, 47–57 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0612-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0612-6

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