Abstract
Triterpenoid saponins are sugar-modified triterpene derivatives that have various functions, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial. Cereals and grasses are generally deficient in this secondary metabolite except for oats. Our final goal is that the anti-microbial saponin is available for the rice. We reported already that 1) we found twelve Oxidosqualene cyclase homologues in rice genome using knowledge in oats, but it was likely that no one was involved in the triterpenoid biosynthesis pathway, 2) we also found twelve CYP51 sterol demethylase homologues in rice genome. It was likely that one is for rice steroids biosynthesis pathway, and another is for rice triterpeneoids biosynthesis pathway. Here, we report that 1) we made several transgenic rice lines introduced Avena strigosa beta-Amyrin Synthase 1 gene, 2) analyzed the triterpenoids and their intermediates extracted from the transgenic lines by GC/MS, 3) and demonstrated the accumulation of only beta-Amyrin in the transgenic rice without the other intermediates and/or the triterpenoids.
