title: Assessment of genetic stability of the germplasm lines of medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Huang-qin) in long-term, in vitro maintained cultures.
abstract: An approach of combining flow cytometry (FCM) analysis with morphological and chemical profiling was used to assess the genetic stability and bioactive compound diversity in a Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Huang-qin) germplasm collection that was clonally maintained in in vitro for a period of over 6 years. Based on the FCM analysis of nuclei samples from young shoots, the nuclear DNA content of S. baicalensis was calculated as 0.84 pg/2C. FCM analysis showed no significant variation in the nuclear DNA contents and ploidy levels in the long-term in vitro maintained germplasm lines. Germplasm lines, acclimatized to ex vitro conditions, exhibited distinctive plant growth and bioactive compound production capacities. The high level of genetic stability observed in in vitro maintained S. baicalensis lines opens up a variety of opportunities such as allowing long-term aseptic preservation and easy distribution of well-characterized germplasm lines of this medicinal plant species. This study represents a novel approach for continuous maintenance, monitoring, and production of medicinal plant tissues with specific chemistry.
authors: Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Ali R
authors: AR
authors: Alan
authors: Hongyan
authors: H
authors: Zeng
authors: Akym
authors: A
authors: Assani
authors: Wendy L
authors: WL
authors: Shi
authors: Hannah E
authors: HE
authors: McRae
authors: Susan J
authors: SJ
authors: Murch
authors: Praveen K
authors: PK
authors: Saxena
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018745:Genome, Plant; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000235:genetics*; D011003:Ploidies; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018744:DNA, Plant