Abstract
Quinolizidine alkaloids, referred to as lupine alkaloids, occur primarily in the genus Lupinus. Lupinus angustifolius L. cultivated as a crop has a sweet cultivar cv. Uniharvest and a bitter cultivar cv. Fest. In this study, we profiled the cDNA fragments specifically expressed in cv. Fest by PCR-select cDNA subtraction technique. Among 71 bitter-specific cDNA fragments, several fragments showed homology with ornithine decarboxylase and amine oxidase that might be involved in alkaloid biosynthesis. Using the sequence information of these fragments, the full length cDNAs (LaDC , LaAO) were obtained by 5'- and 3'- RACE techniques. The full length cDNA of LaDC encodes 439 amino acids showing 70% identity with ornithine decarboxylase from Glycine max. The full length cDNA of LaAO encodes 774 amino acid showing 79% identity with peroxisomal-copper-containing amine oxidase from G. max. LaAO possesses peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1) in its carboxy terminal end.
