Production of pulchelin E in hairy roots, callus and suspension cultures of Rudbeckia hirta L.

Abstract

Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformed hairy roots, callus and suspension cultures of Rudbeckia hirta produced pulchelin E, a compound of the sesquiterpene lactone group, which is not present in the intact plant. During the research the level of the investigated lactone was optimised yielding 8.3 mg g −1 in the callus, 9.1 mg g −1 in the suspension cultures and 14.7 mg g −1 in the transformed roots (per dry weight basis). The content of pulchelin E in the cultures was calculated by thin-layer chromatography method with densitometric detection. Pulchelin E production in R. hirta tissues occurred only under constant light and was correlated with the growth cycle. In suspension cultures pulchelin E was partly released into the medium; this was not observed in transformed root cultures. The exceptional influence of 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) on pulchelin E production was stated.