[Synergistic effects of biotic and abiotic elicitors on the production of tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy root culture].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the synergistic effects of a biotic elicitor yeast extract and different abiotic elicitors (Ag+, Co2+ and alpha-amino isobutyric acid) on the production of tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy root.


METHODS
Different elicitors and their combinations were added to S. miltiorrhiza hairy root culture and the contents of three major tanshinones (crypotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone II A) were analyzed by HPLC.


RESULTS
The combinations of yeast extract with different abiotic elicitors had notable synergistic effects on the tanshinone I and tanshinone II A production but not on crypotanshinone. The combination of yeast extract and Ag+ (300 micromol x L(-1)) yielded the highest tanshinone I content, which was nearly 14-fold of the control, and the synergistic elicitation coefficient was 3.0. The combination of yeast extract and Co2+ (100 micromol L(-1)) led to the highest tanshinone IIA content, which was about 14.5-fold of the control, and the synergistic elicitation coefficient was 2.1. Only yeast extract combined with alpha-amino isobutyric acid (200 micromol x L(-1)) increased the crypotanshinone content more effectively than single elicitors. The highest crypotanshinone content was 1.28 mg x g(-1), about 30-fold of the control with a synergistic elicitation coefficient of 1.3.


CONCLUSIONS
The elicitation by the combination of a biotic elicitor and an abiotic elicitor can generate a synergistic effect, which is more effective than single elicitors to promote secondary metabolite production in plant tissue cultures.
Yan
Qiong
Q
College of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
Hu
Zong-Ding
ZD
Wu
Jian-Yong
JY
D045784:Abietanes; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D019149:Bioreactors; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004357:Drug Synergism; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology
D045784:Abietanes; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; D003470:Culture Media; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C021751:tanshinone; C100049:2-aminoisobutyric acid; D003035:Cobalt; D012834:Silver; C018021:cobaltous chloride