Somatic Embryogenesis in Centaurium erythraea Rafn-Current Status and Perspectives: A Review

• Published in: Plants (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 70
• Main Authors: Simonović, Ana D, M Trifunović-Momčilov, Milana, Filipović, Biljana K, Marković, Marija P, Bogdanović, Milica D, Subotić, Angelina R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 31-12-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: antioxidative enzymes; Arabinogalactan; arabinogalactan proteins; Cell culture; Cell cycle; Centaurium; Centaurium erythraea; centaury; Developmental biology; Developmental plasticity; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Explants; Flowers & plants; Gene expression; Genetic engineering; Gentianaceae; Growth regulators; Herbal medicine; in vitro culture; Kinases; Leaves; Medicinal plants; Metabolites; morphogenesis; Morphology; Physiology; Plant growth; Proteins; Review; Secondary metabolites; Signal transduction; Somatic cells; Somatic embryogenesis; Transcriptomes; arabinogalactan proteins; morphogenesis; plant growth regulators; tissue culture; Gentianaceae; in vitro culture; somatic embryo; centaury; antioxidative enzymes
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants10010070

(centaury) is a traditionally used medicinal plant, with a spectrum of secondary metabolites with confirmed healing properties. Centaury is an emerging model in plant developmental biology due to its vigorous regenerative potential and great developmental plasticity when cultured in vitro. Hereby, we review nearly two decades of research on somatic embryogenesis (SE) in centaury. During SE, somatic cells are induced by suitable culture conditions to express their totipotency, acquire embryogenic characteristics, and eventually give rise to somatic embryos. When SE is initiated from centaury root explants, the process occurs spontaneously (on hormone-free medium), directly (without the callusing phase), and the somatic embryos are of unicellular origin. SE from leaf explants has to be induced by plant growth regulators and is indirect (preceded by callusing). Histological observations and culture conditions are compared in these two systems. The changes in antioxidative enzymes were followed during SE from the leaf explants. Special focus is given to the role of arabinogalactan proteins during SE, which were analyzed using a variety of approaches. The newest and preliminary results, including centaury transcriptome, novel potential SE markers, and novel types of arabinogalactan proteins, are discussed as perspectives of centaury research.