Why is it in the news?

• Researchers at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras and Mandi have achieved metabolic engineering of plant cells to enhance the production of the anti-cancer drug, camptothecin (CPT).
• Camptothecin is traditionally obtained from Nathapodytes nimmoniana, a native and endangered plant. This plant has seen a 20% decline in the past decade, leading to its listing on the IUCN red list.

More about the news

• Researchers at IIT Madras’s Plant Cell Technology Lab developed a genome-scale metabolic model for N. Nimmoniana plant cells using computational tools. The model was designed to understand and manipulate the metabolic processes within plant cells.
• Plant cultures were grown in the laboratory, and cells were extracted. These plant cells were then genetically engineered to enhance the production of camptothecin.
• In 2021, IIT Madras researchers identified a microbe as a sustainable and highly productive alternative source for camptothecin.
• The engineered plant cells provide an alternative source for camptothecin, contributing to the production of crucial cancer-treating drugs.
• The technology used for model-based rational metabolic engineering of plant cells can be adapted for enhancing the production of various high-value phytochemicals derived from plants.
• By offering a laboratory-based alternative for drug production, the research helps in conserving natural resources and reduces dependency on endangered plant species.