Abstract
We have developed a technology platform called SOLUCEL to identify the majority of genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and regulation thereof. Furthermore, the genes that enhance the production of secondary metabolites can be functionally screened in a high-throughput mode. We designed this novel approach using tobacco BY-2 cell culture as a model system, in which a cDNA-AFLP based transcript profiling technique is linked with targeted metabolite profiling of these cells to simultaneously identify genes involved in nicotine alkaloid metabolism on a genome-wide scale. We have been able to build an ample inventory of genes, either known or novel, involved in tobacco secondary metabolism, and most probably in plant secondary metabolism in general. The great advantage of SOLUCEL technology is its universal application to any plant or cell culture of interest (e.g. rare medicinal plants) without pre-existing gene sequence databases.
