Plant biotechnology has made possible the groundbreaking discoveries of
scientists working in the European Smartcell project to improve the
efficiency of phamaceuticals production. Biotechnological production offers
a cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative to chemical synthesis
of rare and complex pharmaceutical compounds currently isolated from plants.


Expensive anticancer alkaloid blockbusters used in chemotherapy, such as
terpenoid indole alkaloids, are currently extracted from the plant
Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) at high costs, as very low
levels accumulate in plant tissues. The SmartCell Consortium succeeded in
elucidating the complete upstream segment of the terpenoid indole alkaloid
biosynthesis pathway. The complete pathway of twelve enzymes was
reconstructed in tobacco plants, paving the way for cost-effective
production of diverse therapeutic compounds.

"The use of plant cells as real green chemical factories is now becoming
feasible for the first time. The technology developed and the experience
gained on terpenoid indole alkaloids in this project can be utilized and
applied to other compounds and plants as well", says project coordinator Dr.
Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

[www.vtt.fi]