Abstract
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) plants produce and accumulate a terpene-rich resin in glandular trichomes, which are abundant on the surface of the female inflorescence. Bouquets of different monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are important components of cannabis resin as they define some of the unique organoleptic properties and may also influence medicinal qualities of different cannabis strains and varieties. Transcriptome analysis of trichomes of the cannabis hemp variety ‘Finola’ revealed sequences of all stages of terpene biosynthesis. Nine cannabis terpene synthases (CsTPS) were identified in subfamilies TPS-a and TPS-b. Functional characterization identified mono- and sesqui-TPS, whose products collectively comprise most of the terpenes of ‘Finola’ resin, including major compounds such as β-myrcene, (E)-β-ocimene, (-)-limonene, (+)-α-pinene, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. Transcripts associated with terpene biosynthesis are highly expressed in trichomes compared to non-resin producing tissues. Knowledge of the CsTPS gene family may offer opportunities for selection and improvement of terpene profiles of interest in different cannabis strains and varieties.
Highlights
Cannabis sativa, referred to here as cannabis, has been used for millennia as a medicine and recreational intoxicant [1, 2]
Pistillate flowers, which have the highest density of glandular trichomes relative to other parts of the plant (Fig 1), were sampled to cover early to mid-stage inflorescences between three and eight weeks post onset of flowering, where onset of flowering is defined as the first appearance of pistils
We found transcripts of a heterodimeric GPPS system similar to that characterized in hop [17], with a GPPS large subunit (GPPS.lsu) and a GPPS small subunit (GPPS.ssu)
Summary
Cannabis sativa, referred to here as cannabis, has been used for millennia as a medicine and recreational intoxicant [1, 2]. Medicinal cannabis is highly valued for its pharmacologically active cannabinoids, a class of terpenophenolic metabolites unique to cannabis. These compounds are primarily found in the resin produced in the glandular trichomes of pistillate (female) inflorescences. Cannabis resin contains a variety of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (Fig 1), which are responsible for much of the scent of cannabis flowers and contribute characteristically to the unique flavor qualities of cannabis products. Terpenes in hop (Humulus lupulus), a close relative of cannabis, are an important flavoring component in the brewing industry. Differences between the pharmaceutical properties of different cannabis strains have been attributed to interactions (or an ‘entourage effect’) between cannabinoids and terpenes [6, 7]. Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects [6]
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