Isolation of CFS (Cheilanthifoline synthase) gene from chelidonium majus and investigation of its expression pattern under CeO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles

The enzyme Cheilanthifoline synthase (CFS), a member of the CYP719 protein family, is involved in the enzymatic conversion of reticulin to sanguinarine in plants. Sanguinarine is a Benzophenanthridine alkaloid that is widely found in plants of the family Papaveraceae, Famariaceae and Rotaceae. In the present study, the cDNA coding CFS was isolated from the roots of chelidonium majus. In the sequence analysis, the identification of the aromatic region, the binding region to hem group, and the EXXR conserved motif in the K helix confirmed the CFS enzyme belonging to the cytochrome P450 protein family. The expression pattern of CFS gene was evaluated in roots, stems and leaves of chelidonium majus treated with cerium dioxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles at different times and concentrations. In plants treated with cerium dioxide, the highest expression of CFS gene was observed 72 hours after foliar spray of 100 mg/l in root and the lowest expression was observed in stem. In foliar spray of plants with titanium dioxide nanoparticles, 48 ​​hours after spray of 1000 mg/l, the highest expression increase of CFS gene showed in the root and the lowest expression was observed in the stem. The results of this study indicate an increase in transcripts of CFS gene in response to titanium dioxide and sodium dioxide nanoparticles in chelidonium majus; therefore, the obtained information from gene structure and the effectiveness of used elicitors can be useful in increasing the amount of sanguinarine alkaloid through metabolic engineering.