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SUMMARY:Developing platforms for the production of diterpenoids - Dr Edith
  Forestier\, Synthetic Biology for Engineering Plant Growth\, Department o
 f Plant Sciences
DTSTART:20221110T121500Z
DTEND:20221110T134500Z
UID:TALK184070@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Kumari Billakurthi
DESCRIPTION:Plant diterpenes are of much interest across various industria
 l sectors including pharmaceuticals\, due to their bioactivity and structu
 ral complexity. However\, the low abundance in the natural host and diffic
 ulties in chemical synthesis often limit the development of industrial app
 lications for these compounds.\nDeveloping new sustainable production plat
 forms for high-value diterpenoids would improve the supply chains of exist
 ing diterpene-derived drugs and provide the confidence needed to exploit t
 he huge potential that this class of compounds has to offer. Multiple "cha
 ssis organisms" can be engineered to produce diterpenes\, on condition tha
 t high levels of the common diterpenoid precursor GGPP are supplied. \nIn 
 this talk\, I will present two promising platforms for the production of d
 iterpenes of interest. \nThe first is the notorious Nicotiana benthamiana\
 , in which it is possible to reconstitute a foreign biosynthetic pathway b
 y simple expression of heterologous genes. Over-expression of key genes to
  increase the endogenous pool of the GGPP precursor proved to be particula
 rly effective\, but can yield artefacts if not properly balanced. \nThe se
 cond platform involves the use of plant cell cultures\, in particular camb
 ial meristematic cells (CMCs) from Taxus spp. The aim here is instead to i
 ncrease the amount of an endogenous diterpene\, paclitaxel\, potent anti-c
 ancer drug approved for the treatment of several cancers. \nI will present
  the strategies used in each platform to achieve significant amounts of co
 mpounds.
LOCATION:Large Lecture Theatre\, Department of Plant Sciences
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