Resumo

HAGEL, Jillian M. et al. Expressed sequence tag analysis of khat (Catha edulis) provides a putative molecular biochemical basis for the biosynthesis of phenylpropylamino alkaloids. Genet. Mol. Biol. [online]. 2011, vol.34, n.4, pp. 640-646. ISSN 1415-4757.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572011000400017.

Khat (Catha edulis Forsk.) is a flowering perennial shrub cultivated for its neurostimulant properties resulting mainly from the occurrence of (S)-cathinone in young leaves. The biosynthesis of (S)-cathinone and the related phenylpropylamino alkaloids (1S,2S)-cathine and (1R,2S)-norephedrine is not well characterized in plants. We prepared a cDNA library from young khat leaves and sequenced 4,896 random clones, generating an expressed sequence tag (EST) library of 3,293 unigenes. Putative functions were assigned to > 98% of the ESTs, providing a key resource for gene discovery. Candidates potentially involved at various stages of phenylpropylamino alkaloid biosynthesis from L-phenylalanine to (1S,2S)-cathine were identified.

Palavras-chave : khat; (S)-cathinone; phenylpropylamino alkaloids biosynthesis; EST library; gene discovery.