Table 3 Number of transcripts found in in vitro roots and leaves putatively encoding enzymes involved in withanolide biosynthesis

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase

DXPS

2.2.1.7

8

8

0

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase

DXPR

1.1.1.267

3

3

0

2-C-Methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidylyltransferase

MEP-CT

2.7.7.60

2

2

0

4-(Cytidine 5′-diphospho)-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol kinase

CDP-MEK

2.7.1.148

3

2

1

2-C-Methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase

MECDPS

4.6.1.12

1

1

0

(E)-4-Hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl-diphosphate synthase

HMBPPS

1.17.7.1

1

1

0

4-Hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase

HMBPPR

1.17.1.2

1

1

0

Isopentenyl-diphosphate delta-isomerase

IDI

5.3.3.2

4

4

0

Acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase

ACAT

2.3.1.9

19

12

7

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase

HMGCS

2.3.3.10

5

5

0

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase

HMGR

1.1.1.88

11

11

0

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase

HMGR

1.1.1.34

9

9

0

Mevalonate kinase

MK

2.7.1.36

3

3

0

Phosphomevalonatekinase

PVMK

2.7.4.2

8

8

0

Diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase

MVD

4.1.1.33

1

1

0

Geranyl-diphosphate synthase

GPPS

2.5.1.1

38

35

3

Farnesyl-diphosphate synthase

FPPS

2.5.1.10

19

19

0

Squalene synthase

SS

2.5.1.21

5

5

0

Squalene monooxygenase

SE

1.14.13.132

10

10

0

Cycloartenol synthase

CAS

5.4.99.8

28

15

13

Sterol 24-C-methyltransferase

SMT1

2.1.1.41

7

7

0

Methylsterol monooxygenase/Sterol-4a-methyl oxidase 2

SMO1/SMO2

1.14.13.72

7

6

1

Cycloeucalenol cycloisomerase

CEC1

5.5.1.9

1

1

0

Obtusifoliol 14-demethylase

CPY51G1

1.14.13.70

3

3

0

Delta 14-sterol reductase

FK

1.3.1.70

3

3

0

C-7,8 Sterol isomerase

HYD1

5.3.3.5

2

1

1

C-5 Sterol desaturase

STE1

1.14.21.6

12

10

2

7-Dehydro cholesterol reductase

DWF5

1.3.1.21

2

2

0

Sterol glycosyltransferases

SGT

2.4.1.173

53

42

11

Methyltransferases

MT

509

466

43