- Genomic, proteomic and metabolic
approaches to study the biosynthesis of plant natural products
and their regulation.
- Metabolic pathway engineering of
specialized cell factories for commercial production of
valuable natural products in plant cell cultures or in transgenic
plants.
The major focus of my research has
been in the elucidation of natural product biosynthesis in
plants. This interest has oriented studies to the specialized
organization, required to accommodate particular biosynthetic
pathways. Model systems in my laboratory (Madagascar periwinkle
(Catharanthus roseus) (Fig
1)and in others have been used to study the cell and developmental
biology required to create these specialized cells (Fig.
2 & 3).
Studies have clearly established that natural products are
produced within a small proportion of cells that compose the
total organism. Cellular specialization appears to activate
a) the supply of precursors derived from primary metabolic
processes; b) specific biosynthetic pathways for converting
primary metabolites into particular small molecules; c) particular
sequestering mechanisms, including transport processes that
trigger and permit the high level accumulation of end-products.
In a few limited examples, large-scale sequencing of cDNA
libraries prepared from individual cell-types has confirmed
that plant cells become natural product biosynthesis factories
through targeted biochemical differentiation.
Current studies are focusing on a)
targeted sequencing of genes expressed in particular cells
in order to identify the complement of genes required to create
a particular cell factory; b) targeted expression of
novel genes to harness such factories for the manufacture
of a variety of useful natural products; c) isolation
of regulatory control mechanisms responsible for cellular
specialization. The novel chemistries generated may be used
to a) defend plants against different plant pathogens, b)
produce valuable medecines; c) produce new functional foods;
d) produce valuable new aromas, flavours and colorants. Model
systems used in this research include the Madagascar periwinkle,
grape (Fig 4) tobacco
(Fig 5) and Arabidopsis
(Fig 6) .
Recent publications
- V. De Luca and P. Laflamme (2001) The expanding universe
of alkaloid biosynthesis. Curr. Opinion in Plant Biology
4: 225-233.
- V. De Luca and B. St. Pierre (2000) The cell and developmental
biology of alkaloid biosynthesis. Trends in Plant Sci. 5:
349-364.
- B. St. Pierre and V. De Luca (2000) Evolution of acyltransferase
genes: origin and diversification of the BAHD superfamily
of acyltransferases involved in secondary metabolism. Rec.
Adv. Phytochem. 34: 285-315.
- P. Laflamme, B. St. Pierre and V. De Luca (2000) Molecular
and biochemical analysis of a Catharanthus roseus
G. Don root-specific minovincinine 19-hydroxy-O-acetyltransferase.
Plant Physiology 125: 189-198.
- F. Vazquez Flota, B. St. Pierre and V. De Luca (2000)
Light activation of vindoline biosynthesis does not require
cytomorphogenesis in Catharanthus roseus seedlings.
Phytochemistry 55: 531-536.
- G. Guillet, J. Poupart, J. Basurco,
and V. De Luca (2000) Expression of Tryptophan Decarboxylase
and Tyrosine Decarboxylase Genes in Tobacco Results in Altered
Biochemical and Physiological Phenotypes Plant
Physiol. 122: 933-944.
- G. Schroeder, E. Unterbusch, A. Kaltenbach, J. Schmidt,
D. Strack, V. De Luca and J. Schroeder (1999) Light induced
cytochrome p450-dependent enzyme in indole alkaloid biosynthesis :
tabersonine-16-hydroxylase. FEBS Lett. 458 :
97-102
- B. St-Pierre, F. Vazquez-Flota, and V. De Luca (1999)
Multicellular compartmentation of Catharanthus
roseus Alkaloid Biosynthesis Predicts Intercellular
Translocation of a Pathway Intermediate.
Plant Cell 11: 887-900.
Courses currently taught
- BCHM 4P08/BTEC 4P06
Topics in plant and microbial biotechnology
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