Effect of elicitors on stilbene biosynthesis gene expression and resveratrol production in Monastrell grapevine cell cultures

BELCHI-NAVARRO, S; ALMAGRO, L; LIJAVETZKY, D; BRU, R; PEDRENO, MA

Tampere, Finland

Congreso; XVI Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB); 2008

Vitaceae phytoalexins constitute a group of molecules belonging to the stilbene family which are derivatives of resveratrol structure. Due to its potential benefi ts on human health, resveratrol have become one of the most thoroughly studied molecules, that is why Vitis vinifera cell cultures have been used in several studies to investigate the factors involved in the induction and regulation of stilbene biosynthesis. Using cyclodextrins (CD) as elicitors on grapevine cell cultures, we have developed an innovative procedure where high levels of this metabolite is accumulated and easily recovered directly from the culture media without cell biomass destruction. Moreover, methyljasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid and ethylene which are involved in defence responses, were added to cell suspensions resulting in modifi ed resveratrol accumulation positively or negatively. The effects of the different elicitor treatments in resveratrol production were analysed reaching a maximum accumulation after 120 h (1400 mmole/gDW) when cells were simultaneously elicited with CD and MeJA. We also analysed the relationship between levels of resveratrol and the expression of related biosynthetic genes by performing real-time qRT-PCR of stilbene biosynthesis genes. Acknowledgements L.A. and S.B.N. hold grants from the Fundacion Seneca. This work has been partially supported by the MEC and FEDER (BIO2005-00332) and by the CARM (BIO-BVA 07/01-0003).