Regulation of Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus

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The plant world has been intensively exploited by humanity as a source of food, clothing, energy and medicine. Our studies have conclusively shown that biosynthesis and accumulation of medicinally important secondary metabolites such as anticancer Catharanthus alkaloids take place within a specialized leaf epidermome that also accommodates the biosynthesis of several other defensive and structural metabolites. As a result of fundamental discoveries in Catharanthus, future research will continue to document this cell type in view of harnessing the biosynthetic potential and the secretory nature of the leaf epidermis for production of a large range of secondary metabolites to serve a range of human activities. Modern genetic tools (High throughput sequencing and Bioinformatics) are being combined with existing technologies to understand how particular plant cells are programmed for manufacturing natural products and this knowledge will be broadly harnessed by Science to produce pharmaceuticals, colorants, flavours, aromas and other chemical feed stocks that are required by modern societies. Harnessing the biosynthetic potential of plants is an environmentally friendly and renewable approach to solving many of the concerns about planetary degradation and global warming.