Effects of methyl jasmonate on accumulation of furanocoumarins in Changium smyrnioides and its suspension cells

Abstract

Changium smyrnioides is an endangered and endemic medicinal herb in China which contains rich furanocoumarins. Bergaptol, bergapten and xanthotoxin are natural furanocoumarins in Ch. smyrnioides, among which bergaptol is mainly contained in in vitro cultures while the latter ones distribute in all organs and cultures of the plant. In this study, methyl jasmonate was used to elicit furanocoumarins in both cultivated plant and suspension cells. The accumulations of biomass and 3 furanocoumarins as well as the activity of cell, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and antioxidase were detected. The results showed that methyl jasmonate induced the biosynthesis of furanocoumarins markedly and suspension cells from petiole produced more furanocoumarins than those from leaf. In the case of suspension cells, the concentration at 100 μmol•L⁻¹ triggered the highest yield of furanocoumarins and the 10th day of the culture period was the proper time for treatment. After 4 days the yields of bergaptol, bergapten and xanthotoxin in suspension cells from petiole were enhanced to 2.83,14.04,0.62 mg•L⁻¹ respectively. The biomass and viability of treated suspension cells decreased. At the same time, the activity of antioxidase increased, which indicated that methyl jasmonate induced cell defense. In both in vivo and in vitro conditions, cells from petiole seemed to be more sensitive to methyl jasmonate treatment compared to those from leaf. Bergaptol and xanthotoxin mainly accumulated in medium and cell respectively. Bergapten was detected in both cell and medium. The elicitation treatment only enormously affected the yields but did not significantly involve the distributions of 3 furanocoumarins. This is the first systematic study focusing on the elicitation effects of methyl jasmonate and a series of changes which lead to the increase of furanocoumarins in Ch. smyrnioides cell suspension cultures. Methyl jasmonate appears to be an effective elicitor in the research and further efforts should be made to reveal the mechanism in detail.