Induction of Tropane Alkaloid Formation in Transformed Root Cultures of Brugmansia suaveolens (Solanaceae)

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. A journal of biosciences Vol. 59; no. 11; pp. 863 - 867
• Main Authors: Zayed, Rawia, Wink, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 01.11.2004
• Subjects: Alkaloids - biosynthesis; Base Sequence; Brugmansia suaveolens; DNA Primers; Elicitation; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Plant Diseases - microbiology; Plant Roots - metabolism; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rhizobium - pathogenicity; Solanaceae - metabolism; Solanaceae - microbiology; Tropane Alkaloids; Tropanes - chemistry; Tropanes - metabolism; Viral Proteins - genetics
• ISSN: 0939-5075; 1865-7125
• DOI: 10.1515/znc-2004-11-1216

Hairy root cultures of Brugmansia suaveolens were set up by infection of root tips with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The successful transformation was confirmed by analysing rolC and virC genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Hairy root cultures were employed to study the formation of tropane alkaloids, such as hyoscyamine. The transformed cultures were incubated with potential elicitors, such as methyljasmonate, quercetin and salicylic acid in order to stimulate the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids. Profile and amounts of tropane alkaloids were analysed using capillary GLC-MS. At least 18 different tropane alkaloids could be identified. Treatment of the cultures with 200 μᴍ methyljasmonate increased the alkaloid accumulation 25-fold up to a level of 1 mg/g fresh weight as compared to untreated controls. Quercetin enhanced the alkaloid production 10 fold (0.4 mg/g fresh weight) within 24 h. In contrast 100 μᴍ salicylic acid decreased alkaloids to a level of 1 μg/g fresh weight.