Catharanthus roseus Overview Page


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Common Name

Rosy Periwinkle

Taxonomic Classification

Apocynaceae family

Drug Uses

Catharanthus roseus had been used for many years as a folk medicine, but was recognized by western physicians in the 1950s to produce compounds with anti-cancer activity. Two compounds, vinblastine (Velban) and vincristine (Oncovin) are currently used in the clinic as anti-cancer agents. Vinblastine and vincristine bind to tubulin, causing inhibition of microtubule formation and subsequent arrest of mitosis. Vinblastine and vincristine are used to treat a variety of cancers including Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphoblastic leukemias and nephroblastomas. produces over 100 monoterpene indole alkaloids. Vinblastine and vincristine are classified as monoterpene indole alkaloid natural products.


Enzyme Information

Enzyme NameEC NoGenbank AccessionGI No
Secologanin synthase1.3.3.9Q05047.1461812
Tryptophan decarboxylase4.1.1.27CAA47898.118226
Tryptophan decarboxylase4.1.1.27AAA33109.1167490
Strictosidine synthase4.3.3.2CAA43936.118220
Strictosidine synthase4.3.3.2CAA71255.11752656
Strictosidine synthase4.3.3.2P18417.2267045
Strictosidine synthase4.3.3.2CAA37671.118222
Strictosidine glucosidase3.2.1.105AAF28800.16840855
Tabersonine 16-hydroxylase1.14.13.73ACM92061.1223587559
NADPH--cytochrome P450 reductase1.6.2.4Q05001.1730125
16-Hydroxytabersonine O-methyltransferase2.1.1.94ABR20103.1148970319
Desacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase1.14.11.20O04847.225777663
Deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase2.3.1.107Q9ZTK5.175216638
Loganic acid methyltransferase2.1.1.50ABW38009.1158426688

Genome Assembly

We generated an assembly of 523 Mb of the variety Sunstorm Apricot with an N50 scaffold size of 26.2 kbp and annotated a total of 33,829 genes. A full analysis of the genome can be found in Kellner et al. 2015. See the genome browser, BLAST search site, and Dryad download page for access to the data.

Entries in Genbank

dbEST/(Kb) dbGSS/(Kb) dbPLN/(Kb) dbHTG/(Kb) Total Entriesa/(Kb)
19899
(10340.3kb)
115
(52.5kb)
749
(469.4kb)
0
(0kb)
20763
(10862.2kb)

aThe Total Entries column is the sum of the entries from the dbEST, dbGSS, dbPLN, and dbHTG columns. Data retrieved from NCBI on May 14 2010.

Transcript Assemblies

    DatabaseCurrent VersionBuild DateSeqs AssembledTotal AssembliesOriginal Fasta
    PlantGDB PUTs165a 2008-05-6204600Download

    Transcript assemblies data current as of May 17 2010.

    Cloned Genes

    • Secologanin synthase
    • Tryptophan decarboxylase
    • Strictosidine synthase
    • Strictosidine glucosidase
    • Tabersonine 16-hydroxylase
    • Tabersonine 16-hydroxylase reductase
    • Tabersonine 16-O-methyltransferase
    • Deacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase
    • Deaacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase

    Pubmed Records

    See all Catharanthus roseus papers within last Week, Month or Year.

    Links