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Impact of green synthesized WcAgNPs on in-vitro plant regeneration and withanolides production by inducing key biosynthetic genes in Withania coagulans

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Abstract

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Withania coagulans (L.) Dunal bio-synthesized silver nanoparticles (WcAgNPs) worked as an abiotic elicitor or auto-catalyst that enhanced root regeneration and withanolides production in in-vitro regenerated W. coagulans.

Abstract

Rapid development in the production / consumption of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) raised serious concern over its effects on the growth of natural plant community. The knowledge related to impact of AgNPs on plant growth and biocompatibility is increasing day by day, but comprehensive mechanism and gaps regarding their impacts on plant health have yet to be addressed. In the present study, we investigated the impact of Withania coagulans biosynthesized AgNPs (WcAgNPs) on in-vitro plant growth and withanolides production. Obtained results showed that the low concentrations of WcAgNPs significantly induced the plant growth by regulating oxidative stress via anti-oxidative defense system. Physiological, morphology and anatomical features also reflected healthy plant growth under low WcAgNPs exposure. While higher concentrations of WcAgNPs have a negative impact on W. coagulans plant growth due to induced lipid peroxidation, ROS accumulation, and root cell death. At lower concentrations, WcAgNPs have shown a positive effect on in-planta withanolides biosynthesis stimulating withanolide A and withaferin A up to 11.15–22.8-fold, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of withanolides biosynthetic genes were also quantified upon WcAgNPs exposure and terpenes biosynthetic genes showed over-expression. Thus, the present study concludes that the lower concentrations of WcAgNPs positively induced plant growth via improved root organogenesis and also have potential to act as an elicitor for withanolides production.

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Acknowledgements

All the authors are highly obliged towards Padma Shri awarded Prof. O. N. Srivastava, Department of Physics, BHU-Varanasi for providing SEM facility. We are grateful to CAS- Botany (BHU), DST-PURSE and DST-FIST for providing funds to the Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University- Varanasi, India. We are also very thankful to Interdisciplinary School of Life Sciences (ISLS) for providing ICP-MS, confocal and fluorescence microscope facilities. We are highly thankful to AIRF- JNU (New Delhi) for LC-MS analysis. Deepika Tripathi is thankful to CSIR/UGC- New Delhi, India for providing financial support throughout the presented work.

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  1. Laboratory of Morphogenesis, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Deepika Tripathi, Krishna Kumar Rai & Shashi Pandey-Rai

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  1. Deepika Tripathi
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  2. Krishna Kumar Rai
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DT and SPR designed the experimental work. All experiments were performed by DT. KKR helped during gene expression analysis and Heat-map preparation. DT analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. SPR approved the final manuscript after editorial help.

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Correspondence to Shashi Pandey-Rai.

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Tripathi, D., Rai, K.K. & Pandey-Rai, S. Impact of green synthesized WcAgNPs on in-vitro plant regeneration and withanolides production by inducing key biosynthetic genes in Withania coagulans. Plant Cell Rep 40, 283–299 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-020-02630-z

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