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State of antioxidant systems and phenolic compounds’ production in Hypericum perforatum L. hairy roots

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Abstract

Hypericum perforatum hairy root clones (HR A–HR O) transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4 were evaluated for growth characteristics, phenolic compounds production, antioxidant/radical scavenging activity, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress markers. The screening of growth characteristics revealed that HR clones were characterized with higher biomass accumulation, root elongation, and lateral branching in comparison to non-transformed roots. Significant increase of phenolics production in HR clones was related to phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity indicating an up-regulation of phenylpropanoid/flavonoid metabolism. Positive correlation of phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins with antioxidant assays indicated that these secondary metabolites significantly contributed to the antioxidant/radical scavenging properties of HR cultures. Regarding the enzymatic antioxidant state, an enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity in HR lines coincided with decrease in O •−2 production rate, while ascorbate peroxidase and catalase greatly contributed to the reduction of H2O2 levels. The substantial accumulation of malondialdehyde in HR clones indicated an efficiency of antioxidant enzymes to reduce O •−2 and H2O2 at levels that are not deleterious for membrane lipids. These results confirmed the involvement of an efficient antioxidant defense system in the response adjustment of H. perforatum HR cultures to transformation process. Two superior clones denoted as HR B and HR F were selected as fast-growing and high biomass yielding lines with up-regulated phenolic compounds’ production, antioxidant, and radical scavenging activity. Altogether, the best performing H. perforatum HR clones could be proposed as a prospective biotechnological system for scale-up production of antioxidant phenolic compounds.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

CUPRAC:

Cupric ion-reducing antioxidant capacity

DPPH:

2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity

DW:

Dry weight

FCA:

Ferrous chelating activity

FW:

Fresh weight

GI:

Growth index

HR:

Hairy roots

H2O2 SA:

Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity

LPI:

Lipid peroxidation inhibition

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NO SA:

Nitric oxide scavenging activity

NSR:

Number of secondary roots

NTR:

Non-transformed roots

O •−2 SA:

Superoxide anion scavenging activity

PAL:

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase

PPO:

Polyphenol oxidase

PX:

Guaiacol peroxidase

RL:

Root length

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TCT:

Total condensed tannins

TF:

Total flavonoids

TFA:

Total flavan-3-ols

TP:

Total phenolics

TPA:

Total phenolic acids

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University „Ss. Cyril and Methodius“, Archimedova str. 3, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Oliver Tusevski, Mirko Spasenoski & Sonja Gadzovska Simic

  2. Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University „Ss. Cyril and Methodius“, Archimedova str. 3, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Jasmina Petreska Stanoeva & Marina Stefova

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  1. Oliver Tusevski
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  2. Jasmina Petreska Stanoeva
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Correspondence to Sonja Gadzovska Simic.

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Tusevski, O., Petreska Stanoeva, J., Stefova, M. et al. State of antioxidant systems and phenolic compounds’ production in Hypericum perforatum L. hairy roots. Acta Physiol Plant 41, 132 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-019-2919-5

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