Development of hairy root culture in Taxus baccata sub sp wallichiana as an alternative for increased Taxol production

Abstract

The Himalayan Yew or Taxus baccata sub sp. wallichiana is the native of the Temperate belt of Himalayas known widely for its ethnomedical properties and especially for the production of an anti-cancerous compound Taxol but since the plant is an understory and in low population size, the production of Taxol in nature is very poor so it cannot meet the high demand of Taxol for medical use. Hairy root culture is known for its genetic and physiochemical stability and increased production of secondary metabolites as compared to cell suspension culture and with the use of low frequency sonication for 1–2 min, the rate of transformation can be increased thereby induing more hairy roots. In our study, when the combination of low frequency sonication for production of hairy roots was used it helped in development of the hairy root culture of Taxus baccata sub sp. wallichiana as an alternative for increased Taxol production. It was seen that the hairy root induction from the explants emerged when an effective co– infection method in presence of acetosyringone with sonication for 60 s was done. The increase in hairy root biomass was further done for 16 weeks in root induction media that was without acetosyringone. The methanolic extract of the biomass when quantified for total Taxol content produced around 12 mg of Taxol per gram of hairy root biomass of Taxus baccata sub sp. wallichiana which is 79% more than the natural production of 0.15 mg per gram of bark stating a possible alternative for Taxol production commercially in a large amount.