European scientists have made ground-breaking discoveries for improving the efficiency of the production of pharmaceuticals2 through plant biotechnology. Biotechnological production offers a cosplayt-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to the chemical synthesis of rare and complex pharmaceutical1 compounds currently isolated3 from plants. The results have been achieved in the European SmartCell project coordinated4 by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Several expensive anticancer alkaloid blockbusters used in chemotherapy, such as terpenoid indole alkaloids -- vinblastine and vincristine, are currently extracted from the plant Catharanthus roseus at high price. These compounds are used to treat Hodgkins lymphoma（淋巴瘤）, breast cancer, small-cell lung cancer and leukemia（白血病）. Typically, very low levels accumulate in plant tissues, but chemical synthesis is not an economical alternative either due to their highly complex structures and specific stereochemical features. Internationally, much effort has been invested to develop more accessible and cosplayt-effective sources of these drugs.The biotechnological production of high-value plant-derived compounds using plant cell cultures is an attractive and sustainable alternative to extraction from whole plant material. However, the biosynthetic pathway leading to these compounds in plants is long and complex, with multiple enzymatic5 steps that are still largely uncharacterized at the genetic6 level. One of the main goals of the European Consortium SmartCell was to unravel7 the metabolic8 pathway leading to the periwinkle（小长春花） terpenoid indole alkaloids.The SmartCell Consortium succeeded in elucidating9 the complete upstream segment of the terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis pathway, as described in a ground-breaking article published in the journal Nature Communications.The complete pathway of twelve enzymes10 was reconstructed in tobacco plants, paving the way for cosplayt-effective production of diverse therapeutic11 compounds. Moreover, cell culture technologies were developed, and the cultivation12 of the plant cells was scaled-up using bioreactors at VTTs pilot laboratory in Finland.The use of plant cells as real green chemical factories is now becoming feasible for the first time. The technology developed and the experience gained on terpenoid indole alkaloids in this project can be utilized13 and applied14 to other compounds and plants as well, says the project coordinator15 Dr Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey from VTT.
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1 pharmaceutical adj.药学的，药物的；医用的，药剂师的 参考例句： She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。 We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.大家正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。