The rolC gene increases caffeoylquinic acid production in transformed artichoke cells.

Caffeoylquinic acids are found in artichokes, and they are currently considered important therapeutic or preventive agents for treating Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. We transformed artichoke [the cultivated cardoon or Cynara cardunculus var. altilis DC (Asteraceae)] with the rolC gene, which is a known inducer of secondary metabolism. High-performance liquid chromatography with UV and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV-HRMS) revealed that the predominant metabolites synthesized in the transgenic calli were 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and chlorogenic acid. The rolC-transformed calli contained 1.5% caffeoylquinic acids by dry weight. The overall production of these metabolites was three times higher than that of the corresponding control calli. The enhancing effect of rolC remained stable over long-term cultivation.

High production of flavonols and anthocyanins in Eruca sativa (Mill) Thell plants at high artificial LED light intensities.

Eruca sativa (arugula) is a food crop containing valuable bioactive flavonoids. Plants growing with monochrome light-emitting diodes (LED) and "binary" light sources, including red/blue (RB), were tested using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Most artificial lighting options with a high intensity of 1000 µmol m-2s-1 (except for warm white light) resulted in an almost 20-fold increase in flavonol productivity. Monochromatic sources had no advantage over white light in terms of increasing anthocyanin productivity. However, RB light increased the anthocyanin content and productivity of E. sativa plants by more than ten times compared to white light. Plant growth on monochromatic and binary sources at high intensities was comparable to that on white light. Measurement of the content of chlorophyll and its degradation product, phyllobilins, showed that plants are not under stressful conditions. Overall, our data show that a significant increase in flavonoid content can be achieved without a loss of arugula plant biomass.

Inhibition of the JAZ1 gene causes activation of camalexin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis callus cultures.

Indole alkaloid camalexin has potential medicinal properties such as suppressing the viability of leukemic but not normal cells. Camalexin is not produced in plants and an external factor is required to activate its biosynthesis. In this work, we stimulated camalexin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis calli by blocking one of repressors of the jasmonate pathway, the jasmonate ZIM-domain protein 1 (JAZ1) by using amiRNA targeting JAZ1 gene transcripts. Inhibition of the JAZ1 gene led to an increase in camalexin content from trace amounts in control culture to 9 µg/g DW in the jaz1 line without affecting growth. In addition, JAZ1 silencing enhanced tolerance to cold stress with simultaneous increasing camalexin content up to 30 µg/g DW. Real-time quantitative PCR determination of marker gene expression showed that effects caused by the JAZ1 silencing might be realized through crosslinking JA, ROS, and abscisic acid signaling pathways. Thus, targeting the distal components of signaling pathways can be suggested as a tool for bioengineering of secondary metabolism, along with standard techniques for targeting biosynthetic genes or genes encoding transcription factors.

Isoflavonoid biosynthesis in cultivated and wild soybeans grown in the field under adverse climate conditions.

The cultivation of soybean plants is one of the most important crop production sectors in the world. Isoflavones are an important defence against pathogens in soybeans. The aim of the present study was to analyse isoflavone biosynthesis in wild and cultivated soybeans grown in the field conditions in an unfavourable climate. We analysed by LCMS-IT-TOF the composition and content of isoflavonoids, productivity and fungal disease resistance of wild and cultivated. The Hefeng25 and Sfera varieties have the highest isoflavonoid content and fungal tolerance. We have shown a 3-fold increase of total isoflavonoids in Sfera, comparing with wild type, and 4- and 7-fold increases of total isoflavone aglycones in Hefeng25 and Sfera, respectively. Accordingly, the expression of genes encoding enzymes of the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway was also maximal in these cultivars. Thus, biosynthetic status is an important indicator of soybean productivity and resistance to pathogens in adverse climates.

The effect of ultraviolet-C and precursor feeding on stilbene biosynthesis in spruce Picea jezoensis.

This study examines the effects of p-coumaric (CoA) and caffeic (CaA) acids on stilbene biosynthesis in one-year-old needles of Picea jezoensis (Lindl. et Gord.) Fisch ex Carr. under control conditions and after ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation. HPLC analysis revealed that while UV-C irradiation slightly affected the total stilbene content, CoA and CaA feeding increased the total content of stilbenes by 1.2-1.3-fold. UV-C treatment combined with CoA-feeding of the P. jezoensis cuttings exerted the most pronounced stimulatory effect on stilbene accumulation leading to the total stilbene content of 9.18 mg/g of dry weight or DW. This increase correlated with the elevated transcription of the stilbene synthase PjSTS1a and PjSTS1b genes. UV-C treatment in combination with CaA feeding of P. jezoensis did not considerably influence stilbene content. These results revealed a positive effect of UV-C radiation and phenolic precursors on the content of stilbenes in spruce needles.

Increase in isoflavonoid content in Glycine max cells transformed by the constitutively active Ca2+ independent form of the AtCPK1 gene.

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) represent a class within a multigene family that plays an important role in biotic and abiotic plant stress responses and is involved in the regulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Our previous study showed that overexpression of the mutant constitutively active Ca2+ independent form of the AtCPK1 gene (AtCPK1-Ca) significantly increased the biosynthesis of anthraquinones and stilbenes in Rubia cordifolia L. and Vitis amurensis Rupr. transgenic cell cultures, respectively. Here, we have established transgenic calli of soybean plants Glycine max (L.) Merr. that express the AtCPK1-Ca gene. Heterologous expression of the AtCPK1-Ca gene provoked a 5.2-fold increase in total isoflavone production up to 208.09 mg/L, along with an increase in isoflavone aglycones production up to 6.60 mg/L, which is 3-fold greater than that of the control culture. The production of prenylated isoflavones significantly increased, reaching 3.78 mg/L, 13-fold higher than in the control culture. The expression levels of 4-coumarate:CoA ligases, isoflavone synthases, 2-hydroxyisoflavanone dehydratase, isoflavone dimethylallyltransferase, and coumestrol 4-dimethylallyltransferase genes in transgenic cell cultures significantly increased. Thus, heterologous expression of the AtCPK1-Ca gene can be used to bioengineer plant cell cultures that produce isoflavonoids.

Stilbene biosynthesis in the needles of spruce Picea jezoensis.

Stilbenes are valuable phenolic compounds that are synthesized in plants via the phenylpropanoid pathway where stilbene synthase (STS) directly catalyzes resveratrol or pinosylvin formation. Currently, there is a lack of information about the stilbene biosynthetic pathway in spruce (Picea). Resveratrol and piceatannol derivatives have been detected in the spruce bark, needles, and roots. We analyzed seasonal variation in stilbene spectrum and content in the needles of different ages of one tree of spruce Picea jezoensis. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of nine stilbenes: t- and cis-astringin, t- and cis-piceid, t- and cis-isorhapontin, and t-piceatannol were present in amounts of 0.01-6.07 mg/g of dry weight (DW), while t-isorhapontigenin and t-resveratrol were present in traces (0.001-0.312 µg/g DW). T-astringin prevailed over other stilbenoid compounds (66-86% of all stilbenes). The highest total stilbene content was detected in one-year-old needles collected in the autumn and spring (5.4-7.77 mg/g DW). We previously cloned and sequenced full-length cDNAs of the four STS transcripts (PjSTS1a, PjSTS1b, PjSTS2, and PjSTS3) of P. jezoensis. This study presents a detailed analysis of seasonal variations in PjSTS1a, 1b, 2, and 3 transcript levels in the needles of P. jezoensis of different ages using qRT-PCR. PjSTS1a and PjSTS1b transcription was higher in the needles collected in the autumn, spring, or summer than in the winter. PjSTS2 was actively transcribed in the needles of all ages collected in the winter, spring, and summer. PjSTS3 expression did not significantly change during the year and did not depend on the age of the needles. Therefore, the data show that high levels of the stilbene glucosides and PjSTS expression are present in the needles of P. jezoensis.