Cloning, Expression Analysis and Functional Characterization of Squalene Synthase (SQS) from Tripterygium wilfordii.

Celastrol is an active triterpenoid compound derived from which is well-known as a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Squalene synthase has a vital role in condensing two molecules of farnesyl diphosphate to form squalene, a key precursor of triterpenoid biosynthesis. In the present study, squalene synthase (TwSQS) was cloned followed by prokaryotic expression and functional verification.

Establishment of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. Hairy root culture and optimization of its culture conditions for the production of triptolide and wilforine.

In order to solve the shortage of natural Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. plant resource for the production of the important secondary metabolites triptolide and wilforine, hairy roots were induced from its root calli by Agrobacterium rhizogenes.