title: Metabolomics reveals biotic and abiotic elicitor effects on the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi terpenoid content.
abstract: The effects of six biotic and abiotic elicitors, i.e. MeJA (methyl jasmonate), SA (salicylic acid), ZnCl2, glutathione and β-glucan BG (fungal elicitor), and wounding, on the secondary metabolite accumulation in the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi were assessed. Upon elicitation, metabolites were extracted and analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Except for MeJA, no differences in photosynthetic efficiency were observed after treatments, suggesting the absence of a remarkable stress on primary production. Chemometric analyses of UPLC-MS data showed clear segregation of SA and ZnCl2elicited samples at 24 and 48 h post elicitation. Levels of acetylated diterpene and sterol viz., sarcophytonolide I and cholesteryl acetate, was increased in ZnCl2and SA groups, respectively, suggesting an activation of specific acetyl transferases. Post elicitation, sarcophytonolide I level increased 132 and 17-folds at 48 h in 0.1 mM SA and 1 mM ZnCl2groups, respectively. Interestingly, decrease in sarcophine, a major diterpene was observed only in response to ZnCl2, whereas no change was observed in sesquiterpene content following treatments. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first documentation for elicitation effects on a soft corals secondary metabolome and suggests that SA could be applied to increase diterpenoid levels in corals.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy department, College of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Kasr El Aini st., P.B. 11562, Egypt. Mohamed.farag@pharma.cu.edu.eg.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy department, College of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Kasr El Aini st., P.B. 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Dalia A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Al-Mahdy
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Fahrenheit Str.6, D-28359, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Fahrenheit Str.6, D-28359, Bremen, Germany.|Bremen University, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hildegard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Dept. Bioorganic Chemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany. Ludger.wessjohann@ipb-halle.de.
authors.forename: Ludger A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Wessjohann
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D054883:Oxylipins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; C072239:methyl jasmonate; D020156:Salicylic Acid