Stable Over expression of codeinone reductase gene in transgenic Papaver somniferum L

Papaver somniferum L. today is considered as the commercial source of the narcotic analgesics morphine and codeine. Codeinone reductase is a key gene in metabolic engineering of isoquinoline alkaloids pathway with the ability of conversion of codeinone to codein and morphine. In this project, at first optimization of the gene transfer of P. somniferum was performed via A. tumefascience containing pBI121 plasmid. This gene then was cloned in expression vectors under control of CaMV35 promoter and transferred to plants by agro transformation. After preparing the structure, hypocotyl explants of P. somniferum was inoculated by agrobacterium carrying recombinant structures. HPLC analysis indicated the variation of the amount, type and percentage of alkaloid compounds in transgenic samples compared to the control plants. The result of the evaluation showed qualitative and quantitative changes in metabolite production of transgenic and control plants.