Abstract:
Objective Effects of trace elements in medium on the growth, flavonoids content and allelopathy activity by the intracellular metabolites of Carpesium macrocephalum in a suspension culture were studied to promote the development of a full scale utilization of C.macrocephalum culture.
Method Eight minerals in varied concentrations were incorporated in the culture medium to determine their effects on the growth and flavonoids accumulation in the cells. The allelopathic potential of the metabolite extract from each of the resulting cultures on selected plant seedlings was also determined using a microactivity assay. An NT medium with added 1.0 mg·L-1 NAA +0.2 mg·L-1 BA was the basal medium applied for the experiment.
Result The cell growth and flavonoids biosynthesis of C. macrocephalum in the suspension culture increased initially followed with a decline as the concentration of Zn2+, Co2+, MoO42-, Cu2+, or BO33- increased in the medium. When the concentration of MoO42- was 3.0 μmol·L-1 and Zn2+ 0.06 mmol·L-1, the flavonoids content was 1.53% and 1.46%, respectively, representing 1.25 and 1.20 times, respectively, of those of control. The addition of 0.4 μmol·L-1 Cu2+, 0.4 mmol·L-1 BO33- or 0.2 μmol·L-1 Co2+ yielded 1.35% flavonoids, which was 1.11 times as much as that in control. In between 0.1 and 0.8 mmol·L-1 of Mn2+, the flavonoids content decreased gradually from 1.22% to 0.43%, while 5-20 μmol·L-1 of I- did not significantly affect the content. The presence of 0.1 mmol·L-1 Fe2+ appeared most conducive to the cell growth and flavonoids formation. The yield of flavonoids increased in the order of the addition of Zn2+, MoO42-, Cu2+, BO33-, Co2+, I-, Mn2+, and Fe2+. The ethanol extracts of metabolites in the cultures exerted varying allelopathic inhibitory effects on the seedlings of Abutilon theophrasti, Bidens pilosa, Cucumis sativus and Glycine max with EC50 of 19.86, 14.69, 19.03 and 59.07 mg·mL-1, respectively.
Conclusion Appropriate addition of trace elements in the medium was conducive to the growth of C.macrocephalum cells and the biosynthesis of flavonoids. However, excessive concentrations of trace elements would decreased flavonoid biosynthesis. Intracellular metabolites of C.macrocephalum suspension cells had different degrees of allelopathic effects on 4 receptor plants.