CPT accumulation in the fruit and during early phases of plant development in Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne (Nyssaceae)

We describe the dynamics of camplothecin (CPT) accumulation during the early phases of plant development in Camptotheca acuminata. TLC and HPLC analyses were performed on the entire mature fruit and all of its parts and on the organs of seedlings in different developmental stages. In the mature fruit, the CPT content was relatively high (2.83 mg g(-1) DW); it was accumulated especially in the endosperm (1.82 mg g(-1) DW) and embryo (1.10 mg g(-1) DW). Regarding seedlings. CPT was present in all of the organs, at all developmental stages. In the cotyledons, content was greatest in the early developmental stages (4.23 mg g(-1) DW) and drastically decreased once the organ reached maturity (0.34 mg g(-1) DW). A similar trend was observed for the true leaves. The results suggest that CPT is translocated from the organs at,in advanced developmental stage to those at an early stage

Effects of Elicitors on the Production of Resveratrol and Viniferins in Cell Cultures of Vitis vinifera L. cv Italia

Methyl jasmonate, jasmonic acid and chitosan were tested as elicitors on cell suspension cultures obtained from Vitis vinifera cv Italia to investigate their effect on stilbene production. Stilbene accumulation in the callus, grown under nonelicited conditions, was also investigated. Calli and cell suspensions were obtained in a B5 culture medium supplemented with 0.2 mg L(-1) NAA and 1 mg L(-1) KIN. Stilbene determination was achieved by HPLC/DAD/MS. Whereas callus biosynthesized only piceid, cell suspensions elicited with jasmonates produced several stilbenes, mainly viniferins. In suspended cells, methyl jasmonate and jasmonic acid were the most effective in stimulating stilbene biosynthesis, whereas chitosan was less effective; in fact, the amount of stilbenes obtained with this elicitor was not significantly different from that obtained for the control cells. The maximum production of total stilbenes was at day 20 of culture with 0.970 and 1.023 mg g(-1) DW for MeJA and JA, respectively

Synthesis and/or accumulation of bioactive molecules in the in vivo and in vitro root

Roots of many species are studied because of the presence of high-value biclactive molecules, yet few studies have attempted to determine the biosynthetic pathways of these compounds or the way in which synthesis is regulated. The presence of secondary metabolites in the root does not necessarily mean that this organ is also the site of synthesis. Thus the identification of organ-specific intermediate precursors and key enzymes is important for understanding the biosynthetic pathway and the regulation of biclactive molecules. This knowledge could allow researchers to predict the suitability of in vitro systems, such as regenerated roots and hairy roots, for producing the molecules of interest. In the present review, the production of biclactive molecules in in vivo roots is compared to that in in vitro untransformed and transformed roots, concentrating on recent developments in the study of the biosynthesis of the anti-cancer alkaloid camptothecin in Camptotheca acuminata Decne. The results of a recent study performed in our laboratory on the production of camptothecin and other secondary metabolites in in vivo and in vitro C. acuminata roots are also presented

Chitosan enhances xanthone production in Hypericum perforatum subsp. angustifolium cell cultures

Hypericum perforatum is an important medicinal plant containing numerous biologically active compounds. The effect of chitosan elicitation on xanthone biosynthesis in calli and in cell suspension cultures of H. perforatum subsp. angustifolium was evaluated. Elicited cell cultures showed an increase in xanthone production and a simultaneous decrease in flavonoid production. Chitosan also induced the production of 1,7-dihydroxyxanthone (euxanthone) and cadensin G, which were not detected in either the calli nor the non-elicited cell cultures. 1,7-Dihydroxyxanthone was in part (21%) released in the culture medium

Enhancement of Viniferin Production in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Alphonse Lavallee Cell Suspensions by Low-Energy Ultrasound Alone and in Combination with Methyl Jasmonate

This study examined for the first time the effect of low-energy ultrasound (US), used alone or in combination with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), on viniferin production in cell cultures of Vitis vinifera L. cv Alphonse Lavallee. Cell suspensions were exposed for 2 min to US (power 30, 60, and 90 mW cm(-3)). The highest viniferin production was obtained at 30 mW cm(-3). When sonication was performed twice, the effect on viniferin production was negligible, whereas triple sonication slightly increased production. US treatment at 30 mW cm(-3) for 5 min decreased viniferin production and induced cellular death. The combined use of MeJA and US (2 min) increased the production of delta-viniferin, the dominant stilbene, more than each elicitor used alone. These results suggest that low-energy US, alone and in combination with MeJA, can act as a physical elicitor to stimulate viniferin production in V. vinifera cell cultures

Stilbene production in cell cultures of Vitis vinifera L. cvs Red Globe and Michele Palieri elicited by methyl jasmonate

Cell cultures obtained from Vitis vinifera cvs Michele Palieri and Red Globe were cultured in order to stimulate stilbene production. In the calli, stilbene production peaked at day 22 of culture for both cultivars; the main compound was trans-piceid, followed by cis-piceid. Methyl jasmonate, which was added to cell suspensions in the first half of the exponential growth phase, enhanced stilbene accumulation, producing mainly trans-piceid and -viniferin. Other stilbenoids, though in lower quantities, were identified by liquid chromatography/positive electrospray mass spectrometry. ω-Viniferin and trans-resveratrol were the main compounds released into the culture medium. The total quantity of stilbenes was genotype dependent, with a better response found for the cv Red Globe

Anthocyanins and xanthones in the calli and regenerated shoots of Hypericum perforatum var. angustifolium (sin. Fröhlich) Borkh

The present paper reports on the production of anthocyanins and xanthones in different in vitro systems of Hypericum perforatum var. angustifolium (sin. Fröhlich) Borkh. Undifferentiated calli and regenerated shoots at different developmental stages were analyzed by applying an extractive and an analytical procedure capable of detecting and quantifying anthocyanins. The findings revealed, for the first time, the co-presence of hypericins and anthocyanins in shoots at initial and more developed stages of H. perforatum var. angustifolium L. Moreover, a high production of xanthones was found in the undifferentiated calli