[Effect of Scutellaria baicalensis root extract on cytogenetic damage induced by paclitaxel and cisplatin in mice].

The effect of root extract of Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) cultivated in vitro, on the gene structure of CBA/CaLac mice bone marrow cells damaged by anticancer drugs paclitaxel and cisplatin has been studied. It is established that the root extract exhibits gene protective property upon both single and chronic administration.

[Genetically transformed plant roots as a model for studying specific metabolism and symbiotic contacts of the root system]. / Geneticheski transformirovannye korni rastenii kak model' izucheniia spetsifiki metabolisma i simbioticheskikh kontaktov kornevoi sistemy

Genetic transformation of plants mediated by Ri plasmid of Agrobacterium rhizogenes occupies a special place in plant cell engineering, since this technique based on a natural phenomenon allows cultivation of separately growing roots on hormone-free media. Application of wild-type unmodified agrobacterial strains allows us to obtain root cultures capable of long-term growth in vitro due to an increased sensitivity of the cells to auxins while other biochemical properties remain unaltered. A collection of pRi T-DNA transformed roots of certain dicotyledons was constructed; some strains of it are used to study synthesis of secondary metabolites in root cells. The in vitro cultivated roots could synthesize root-specific metabolites, which allows their large-scale application for biotechnological production of ecologically pure crude drugs. Cocultivation of pRi T-DNA transformed roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi makes possible vital study of all stages of obligate symbiont development and interaction with plant roots. Mixed axenic culture of AM fungi and pRi T-DNA transformed plants can be used to construct a collection of the most valuable endomycorrhizal fungal species and to produce considerable quantities of homogeneous fungal inoculums.

Biosynthesis of rutacridone: the N-methylation step.

The N-methylation of rutacridone was investigated. This dihydrofuroacridone derivative ist the main alkaloid in cell suspension cultures of RUTA GRAVEOLENS, strain R-20. The N-methyl group is provided by L-methionine. N-methylanthranilic acid serves as excellent precursor of rutacridone. Furthermore this particular precursor could be trapped after feeding anthranilic acid in short term experiments.

Biosynthesis of rutacridone in tissue cultures of Ruta graveolens L.

The dihydrofuroacridone, rutacridone, is the main alkaloid in tissue cultures of Ruta graveolens L. strain R-19. The biosynthesis of this particular acridone alkaloid was investigated by using calluses and suspension cultures of strain R-19. Anthranilic acid is specifically incorporated into ring A of rutacridone. Some further evidence was provided that acetate via a polyketide is involved in acridone biosynthesis. Mevalonic acid gave a poor incorporation into rutacridone. Thus the origin of the isopropyldihydrofuran moiety of the investigated alkaloid is still obscure.