Abstract
Bioactive metabolites in Codonopsis pilosula are of particular interest as an immunostimulant. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) plays an important role in the elicitation of metabolite biosynthesis. Here, we explored the response of metabolites to MeJA elicitation in C. pilosula adventitious roots and multiple shoots. The results showed that the biomass, polysaccharide, and lobetyolin content of adventitious roots exhibited the highest increases with 100 µmol·L−1 MeJA at the 16th day of subculture, whereas the atractylenolide III (a terpenoid) content increased extremely with 50 µmol·L−1 MeJA treatment at the 7th day of subculture. In addition, the biomass and lobetyolin content significantly increased at the 4th day after treatment. Similarly, the polysaccharide and lobetyolin content increased in multiple shoots. Further identification of different metabolites responding to MeJA by 1H-NMR showed an extremely significant increase of the lobetyolinin level, which coincided with lobetyolin. Accordingly, the precursor, fatty acids, showed a highly significant decrease in their levels. Furthermore, a significant increase in β-d-fructose-butanol glycoside was detected, which was accompanied by a decrease in the sucrose level. Accordingly, the enzyme genes responsible for terpenoid and carbohydrate biosynthesis, CpUGPase, and CpPMK, were up regulated. In conclusion, MeJA promoted culture growth and accelerated bioactive metabolite accumulation by regulating the expression of the metabolite biosynthesis related genes, CpUGPase and CpPMK in C. pilosula.
Highlights
Over the last two decades, the use of herbal medicines has expanded globally, and the medicines have gained considerable attention because of their good therapeutic performance [1]
We focused on investigating the effect and mechanism of Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) elicitation on the biosynthesis and accumulation of the bioactive metabolites described above in the multiple shoot and adventitious root of C. pilosula
Our work provided evidence that the MeJA treatment could enhance the accumulation of bioactive metabolites in C. pilosula, especially polysaccharide, β-D-fructose-butanol glycoside, lobetyolin, and atractylenolide III
Summary
Over the last two decades, the use of herbal medicines has expanded globally, and the medicines have gained considerable attention because of their good therapeutic performance [1]. It has been reported by WHO (world health organization) that 80% of the world’s population rely on medicinal plants for their primary healthcare [2]. Natural products from medical plants include primary and secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites that are used as pharmaceuticals are composed of alkaloids, glycosides, flavones, alkynes, and so on, which are desired for their therapeutic values [3,4]. The production of secondary metabolites in plants is usually low Dry weight) and it greatly depends on the physiological and development stage of the plant [5,6].
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