Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Characterization of key enzymes involved in wedelolactone biosynthesis from Eclipta prostrata L. to enhance secondary metabolite contents |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Vineeta Tripathi, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Uttar Pradesh |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2025 |
Contact info : | vineeta_tripathi@cdri.res.in |
Equipments : | -20 degree C Freezer
Circulating Water Bath (Below ambient temperature)
Spectrophotometer
Thermo Mixer |
Details
Executive Summary : | Eclipta prostate L. commonly known as bhringaraj is a very important ayurvedic plant. The medicinal properties of this plant is attributed to the unique bioactive molecules synthesized by this plant specially “Wedelolactone” and “ecliptine”. Eclipta herb and their extracts and Wedelolactone (a plant-derived coumestan costing around Rs.73000 to 82000/100mg) is exported from India to Switzerland, Singapore and Germany, France etc (zauba.com). Quality of the herb/extracts depends on the % of wedelolactone present. For biosynthesis and isolation of wedelolacton, plants are the only source and in plants, they are present in very limited amount. Therefore, enhancing the wedelolactones is required to increase the value of raw materials. Also, an alternative strategy of increased in vitro biosynthesis of wedelolacton will be very useful for pharma and related industries. The plant has been well explored for its phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activity but there is no genetic information available for eclipta. Very less or no work is done in this field, in NCBI database there are only 142 entry mainly of ITS and matk sequences. In this present proposal we aim to identify genes involved in wedelolactones biosynthesis and elucidation of putative biosynthetic pathway using integrated metabolomics and transcriptomic approach. Further, selected key enzymes will be characterized in vitro and used for raising transgenic cell culture/ organ culture. The outcome of study will pave the way for the development of new methods/processes of transgenic cell suspension cultures/organ cultures with enhanced yield of economically important wedelolactones and identification of target genes for metabolic engineering. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Shukla, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh-226031 |
Total Budget (INR): | 54,23,328 |
Organizations involved