Efficient Incorporation of 10-Hydroxygeraniol and 10-Hydroxynerol into Indole Alkaloids by a Cell Suspension Culture ofCatharanthus roseus*

A cell suspension culture of Catharanthus roseus was evaluated with regard to its potential usage in studies of early stage indole alkaloid biosynthesis. Employing this material, 1,1,7-trideutero-10-hydroxygeraniol and 1,1,7-trideutero-10-hydroxynerol were incorporated into the alkaloids ajmalicine and strictosidine lactam in approximate proportions of 50% and 80% respectively.[ 2 ] Key Word Index Catharanthus roseus - Apocynaceae - Cell culture - 1,1,7,-trideutero-10-hydroxygeraniol - 1,1,7,-trideutero-10-hydroxynerol - Indole alkaloid biosynthesis - Precursor incorporation 2 A portion of this work was presented at the 28 th congress, IUPAC, Vancouver, B. C., Canada, Aug. 16-21, 1981, J. BALSEVICH, Oxygenated derivatives of geraniol and nerol.