Elicitors from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma atroviride promote Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy root growth and tanshinone biosynthesis

• Published in: Journal of experimental botany Vol. 64; no. 18; pp. 5687 - 5694
• Main Authors: Ming, Qianliang, Su, Chunyan, Zheng, Chengjian, Jia, Min, Zhang, Qiaoyan, Zhang, Hong, Rahman, Khalid, Han, Ting, Qin, Luping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press [etc.] 01-12-2013; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Abietanes - biosynthesis; Benzofurans - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biosynthesis; chemical composition; Cinnamates - metabolism; Depsides - metabolism; elicitors; endophytes; Endophytes - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - drug effects; genes; Host plants; Metabolites; Mycelium; Mycelium - chemistry; phenolic acids; Phenols - metabolism; Plant physiology and development; Plant roots; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plants; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; RESEARCH PAPER; Root growth; roots; Rosmarinic Acid; Salvia miltiorrhiza; Salvia miltiorrhiza - drug effects; Salvia miltiorrhiza - growth & development; Salvia miltiorrhiza - metabolism; Salvia miltiorrhiza - microbiology; secondary metabolites; transcription (genetics); Trichoderma; Trichoderma - chemistry; Trichoderma - metabolism; Trichoderma atroviride; Hairy root; Trichoderma; Trichoderma atroviride; Root; Phenolic acid; Growth; Biosynthesis; Elicitor; Fungi; Fungus; Salvia miltiorrhiza; tanshinones; hairy roots; Labiatae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Botany; phenolic acids; Endophyte; Spermatophyta; Endophytic fungi; Fungi Imperfecti
• ISSN: 0022-0957; 1460-2431
• DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ert342

Biotic elicitors can be used to stimulate the production of secondary metabolites in plants. However, limited information is available on the effects of biotic elicitors from endophytic fungi on their host plant. Trichoderma atroviride D16 is an endophytic fungus isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza and previously reported to produce tanshinone I (T-I) and tanshinone IIA (T-IIA). Here, the effects of extract of mycelium (EM) and the polysaccharide fraction (PSF), produced by T. atroviride D16, on the growth and secondary metabolism of S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots are reported. The results indicated that both EM and PSF promoted hairy root growth and stimulated the biosynthesis of tanshinones in hairy roots. EM slightly suppressed the accumulation of phenolic acids, while PSF had no significant influence on the accumulation of these compounds. When comparing the effects of EM versus PSF, it was concluded that PSF is one of the main active constituents responsible for promoting hairy root growth, as well as stimulating biosynthesis of tanshinones in the hairy root cultures. Moreover, the transcriptional activity of genes involved in the tanshinone biosynthetic pathway increased significantly with PSF treatment. Thus, PSF from endophytic T. atroviride D16 affected the chemical composition of the host plant by influencing the expression of genes related to the secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, treatment with PSF can be effectively utilized for large-scale production of tanshinones in the S. miltiorrhiza hairy root culture system.