Project description:Nothapodytes nimmoniana is a natural source of camptothecin, a known anticancer drug. Stem and leaf extracts of Nothapodytes nimmoniana were studied to assess its in-vitro action on cancer progression events in a cervical cancer cell line, the HeLa. As a well-studied ideal model system, the HeLa has been chosen and the effects of extracts on cancer progression events have been traced out. HeLa cells and media samples were analyzed for differentially expressed proteins and metabolites respectively on RRLC-ESI-QTOFMS. The CBFA2T1, cysteine-rich protein 2-binding protein, Zinc finger protein 788, transcription factor RFX3 and angiomotin-like protein 1 were significantly expressed proteins while 3-Hydroxysuberic acid, Indole-3-carboxylic acid, N8-Acetylspermidine, L-Octanoylcarnitine were significantly expressed metabolites. Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, purine metabolism, and valine, leucine, arginine, proline metabolism were the most prominent pathways. The multi-omics approach has the greatest metabolites and proteins profiling potential hence was applied here to find signatures of N. nimmoniana extracts treatment of cervical cancer.
Project description:Transcriptome-based approach for gene discovery and metabolic engineering of camptothecin biosynthesis in Nothopodytes nimmoniana Graham.
Project description:Endophytic fungi with the ability to produce plant based secondary metabolites are a potential alternative for producing the host plant metabolite and to prevent natural plants from extinction. To isolate a high metabolite yielding endophytic strain from plants, hundreds of endophytic strains are screened and tested for product yield separately under axenic state, before shortlisting the potential endophyte, which involves huge time consumption. In this study, strategies for screening and selection of high camptothecin yielding endophytes from their natural habitat were proposed. A correlation was built between the camptothecin yield in the explants and the endophytes isolated from them. In addition, camptothecin yield was compared between the endophytes isolated from young and matured plants. Further, camptothecin producers and non-producers strains were compared for their tolerance toward camptothecin. The study indicates that high camptothecin yielding endophytes were isolated from high yielding explants and younger plants and they were more tolerant to camptothecin in comparison to non-camptothecin yielding endophytes. Thus, choosing a young and high yielding explant for endophyte isolation, and use of camptothecin as a selective agent in the growth medium, can be instrumental in screening and selection of high camptothecin yielding endophytes from nature in relatively less time.
