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Paclitaxel is produced by various species of yew trees and has been extensively used to treat tumors. In our research, a taxadiene synthase (TS) gene from Taxus brevifolia was used to transform the roots of cultured ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) to produce taxadiene, the unique skeletal precursor to taxol. The TS gene was successfully introduced into the ginseng genome, and the de novo formation of taxadiene was identified by mass spectroscopy profiling. Without any change in phenotypes or growth difference in a TS-transgenic ginseng line, the transgenic TSS3-2 line accumulated 9.1 μg taxadiene per gram of dry weight. In response to the treatment of methyl jasmonate for 3 or 6 days, the accumulation was 14.6 and 15.9 μg per g of dry weight, respectively. This is the first report of the production of taxadiene by engineering ginseng roots with a taxadiene synthase gene. [BMB Reports 2012; 45(10): 589-594]

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BACKGROUND:Effect of various light wavelength and plant defense molecules were evaluated on the hardness and the contents of free amino acid including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in soybean sprouts. METHODS AND RESULTS:Germinating soybean seeds were treated with various single wavelength of light (380, 440, 470, and 660 nm) or without light at 25℃ for six days. Soybean seeds were also treated with stress-signaling molecule ethephon or H 2 O 2 at the same time. Soybean sprouts treated with 470 nm substantially raised the hardness almost two times than the control. The free amino acid contents were higher in 470 nm and H 2 O 2 treated soybean seeds than the control. Nutritionally beneficial GABA contents were increased by the treatments of 470 nm, 440 nm, ethephon, and H 2 O 2 . CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the hardness and the contents of amino acids can be regulated by stimuli,