Short term UV-B radiation mediated modulation of physiological traits and withanolides production in Withania coagulans (L.) Dunal under in-vitro condition
Authors
Deepika Tripathi
Laboratory of Morphogenesis, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005 Uttar Pradesh India
Ram Meena
Laboratory of Morphogenesis, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005 Uttar Pradesh India
Shashi Pandey-Rai
Laboratory of Morphogenesis, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005 Uttar Pradesh India
Accumulation of secondary metabolites is a key process in the growth and development of plants under different biotic/abiotic constraints. Many studies highlighted the regulatory potential of UV-B treatment towards the secondary metabolism of plants. In the present study, we examined the impact of UV-B on the physiology and secondary metabolism of Withania coagulans, which is an important ayurvedic plant with high anti-diabetic potential. Results showed that in-vitro UV-B exposure negatively influenced chlorophyll content and photosynthetic machinery. However, Fv/Fm ratio was found non-significantly altered up to 3 h UV-B exposure. The maximum lipid peroxidation level was recorded with 46.8% higher malondialdehyde content in the plants supplemented with 5 h UV-B radiation, that was indicated the oxidative stress in W. coagulans. Conversely, UV-B treatment significantly increased the plant's stress protective compounds like carotenoids, anthocyanin, phenol and proline, in W. coagulans. Free radical scavenging activity was also significantly increased ~ 18% than the control with 3 h UV-B treatment. The maximum antioxidative enzymes activities were observed with the short-term (up to 3 h) UV-B treatment. Specifically, UV-B radiation exposure significantly increased the content of withaferin A and withanolide A in W. coagulans with maximum 1.38 and 3.42-folds, respectively. Additionally, withanolides biosynthesis related genes transcript levels were found over-expressed under the response of UV-B elicitation. The acquired results suggested that short-term UV-B supplementation triggers secondary metabolism along with combating oxidative stress via improving the antioxidative defense system in W. coagulans. Also, UV-B can be used as an efficient abiotic elicitor to increase pharmaceutical compounds (withanolides) production.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01046-7.
Keywords: UV-B radiation, Antidiabetic plant, In-vitro grown plantlets, Antioxidative defense system, Secondary metabolites, Abiotic elicitor
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