Piriformospora indica enhances the production of pentacyclic triterpenoids in Lantana camara L. suspension cultures

Abstract

The stimulation of secondary metabolite synthesis by the endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica, was investigated for the production of triterpenoids—ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA) and betulinic acid (BA)—in the suspension cultures of Lantana camara. Growth and product formation profiles of the cell suspension cultures of L. camara were established for optimum elicitation strategy. The elicitation potential of P. indica was compared with typical elicitors like methyl jasmonate (MJ), chitin and chitosan. MJ at 62.5 µM and 2.5 % (v/v) filter-sterilized culture filtrate of P. indica enhanced the triterpenoids production to similar level. Filter-sterilized culture filtrate of P. indica at 2.5 % (v/v) increased the concentration of UA by 3.5-fold (3869.3 µg/g DW), OA by 5.6-fold (1425.7 µg/g DW) and BA by 7.8-fold (117.02 µg/g DW) in the cell cultures of L. camara.