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Effect of strigolactones and auxins on growth and metabolite content of Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R. Br. microplants in vitro

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Abstract

The influence of strigolactones as hormones in plants is not fully characterised even though they are known to affect plant architecture, both above ground and in the roots. Using an in vitro system, the effects of the synthetic auxins 1-naphthalene acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid (NAA and IBA) and synthetic strigolactones (GR24 and Nijmegen-1) were tested on microplant development of Sutherlandia frutescens, a leguminous medicinal plant native to South Africa. Considerable phytochemical variation in wild populations has led to the proposal of using micropropagation for this species. This will assist with domestication and provide plants with a more predictable chemistry for the phytopharmaceuticals industry. Nodal explants with an axillary bud were grown on Murashige and Skoog (Plant Physiol 15:473–497, 1962) medium [0.8 % (m/v) agar (pH 5.8), 3 % (m/v) sucrose and 0.1 g/L myo-inositol] supplemented with NAA, IBA, GR24 and Nijmegen-1, either singly or in combination. The amino acid profile and secondary metabolite pool was monitored using LC–MS-profiling. Treatment with NAA promoted mass shoot production, whilst a combination of NAA and Nijmegen-1 also positively influenced the accumulation of amino acids, flavonoids (sutherlandins) and terpenoids (sutherlandiosides) that S. frutescens produces. Since these compounds represent the presumed active compounds in this species and the biomarkers used in quality control assessment of S. frutescens tissues harvested for the pharmaceutical industry, this treatment holds promise for the commercial production of Sutherlandia extracts and herbal medications.

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Abbreviations

GABA:

γ-Aminobutyric acid

IBA:

Indole-3-butyric acid

LC–MS:

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

MS:

Murashige and Skoog (1962)

NAA:

1-Naphthalene acetic acid

SU1:

Sutherlandioside B

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600, South Africa

    Maria C. Grobbelaar, Nokwanda P. Makunga, Jens Kossmann & Paul N. Hills

  2. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600, South Africa

    Nokwanda P. Makunga

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7600, South Africa

    Marietjie A. Stander

Authors
  1. Maria C. Grobbelaar
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  2. Nokwanda P. Makunga
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  3. Marietjie A. Stander
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  4. Jens Kossmann
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  5. Paul N. Hills
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nokwanda P. Makunga or Paul N. Hills.

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11240_2014_449_MOESM1_ESM.ppt

Suppl. Fig. 1 a Amino acid content per gram dry weight of leaf and stem explant material; b total per treatment. Log scaling is used to view amino acids that are found at low levels. Strigolactones GR24 and Nijmegen-1 (NM-1) were added at 0.1 μM each, whilst NAA was added at 1 mg/L (5.4 μM). Asterisks indicate significant differences in amino acid content compared to control of specific amino acid. Data are mean ± SE; N = 5. GABA - γ-aminobutyric acid (PPT 234 kb)

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Grobbelaar, M.C., Makunga, N.P., Stander, M.A. et al. Effect of strigolactones and auxins on growth and metabolite content of Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R. Br. microplants in vitro. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 117, 401–409 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-014-0449-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-014-0449-9

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