Cloning of oxidosqualene cyclase genes from Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex Reissek

Abstract

An important class of secondary metabolites in plants is the pentacyclic triterpenes. These compounds have various functions such as insecticidal, antimicrobial and are widely used in pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics. The pentacyclic triterpenes are formed by the oxidosqualene cyclization reaction by oxidosqualene cyclase enzymes (OSC) giving molecules of primary metabolism present in the membrane of prokaryotes or eukaryotes or molecules with hormonal functions. At this moment there is a lack of databases concerning the number of gene sequences that allows the knowledge of the variety of gene and enzymes (OSC). So, the aim of the present project is to contribute to the knowledge of biological diversity through the cloning of genes that encode oxisqualene cyclases in the leaves of M. ilicifolia. After mRNA extraction from the leaves of M. ilicifolia the cDNA will be synthesized, which will be used for the amplification of the interested gene fragments using primers with conserved regions of OSCs. Subsequent to the cloning of the fragments and sequencing, the information obtained will be used to design specific oligonucleotide primers for the extension of the 5' and 3' ends in order to efficiently clone the complete fragment of the genes of oxidosqualene cyclases.(AU)