Ethephon-induced phenylpropanoid accumulation and related gene expression in tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) hairy root

Xiaohua Li,Aye Aye Thwe,Chang Ha Park,Sun Ju Kim,Mariadhas Valan Arasu,Naif Abdullah Al-Dhabi,Sook Young Lee,Sang Un Park

doi:10.1080/13102818.2017.1282835

Xiaohua Li, Aye Aye Thwe + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2017.1282835

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Abstract

ABSTRACTThe main flavonoid compound rutin is highly expressed in the crop plant buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) and plays important roles in the human diet. In this study, phenylpropanoid production in buckwheat hairy roots was evaluated following ethephon treatment. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and high-performance liquid chromatography, we analysed the relationship between flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway gene regulation and the relative accumulation of the secondary compounds in ethephon-treated buckwheat hairy roots. Generally, the transcription of the biosynthetic pathway genes varied between the treated samples and controls. Most of the flavonoid biosynthetic genes were upregulated by ethephon, typically after four days of treatment. The application of 0.5 mg/L ethephon markedly induced anthocyanin production in hairy roots compared to that induced by the other concentrations tested (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). These data indicate that anthocyanin biosynthesis may play an important role in the response of buckwheat to ethephon-induced stress.

Highlights

Phenylpropanoids comprise the largest group of secondary metabolites produced by higher plants; they have powerful antioxidant properties and protect plants against biotic and abiotic stresses [1]
Buckwheat hairy roots were exposed to exogenous ethephon treatment, and we subsequently examined the effect of ethephon on the regulation of flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes and the relative accumulation of secondary metabolites in buckwheat hairy roots
Transcript level of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes in tartary buckwheat hairy roots quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using specific primers showed that the expression patterns of the main biosynthetic pathway genes varied in a time-dependent manner (Figure 2)

Summary

Introduction

Phenylpropanoids comprise the largest group of secondary metabolites produced by higher plants; they have powerful antioxidant properties and protect plants against biotic and abiotic stresses [1]. It has been reported that precursor feeding with shikimic acid and phenylalanine increases anthocyanin synthesis in grape cell cultures [4]. Jasmonate, ethylene or salicylic acid has been shown to induce higher production of secondary metabolites in plants [7,8,9,10]. These elicitor molecules exert their effects by taking part, either directly or indirectly, in multiple signalling pathways or by activating plant transcription factors [11,12,13]

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