Influence of Acibenzolar-S-methylon on the Expression of Phenylpropanoid Biosynthetic Genes and the Accumulation of Phenylpropanoids in Agastache rugosa

Woo Tae Park¹, Sun Kyung Yeo¹, Thanislas BastinBaskar¹, Mariadhas Valan Arasu², Naif Abdullah Al-Dhabi2, Jong Seok Park^3* and Sang Un Park^1*

¹Department of Crop Science, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34134, Korea ²Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia ³Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea.

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1989

ABSTRACT: Agastacherugosa, (Korean mint), contains sesquiterpenes, essential oils, diterpenes, flavonoids, triterpenes, and carotenoids that are used for the treatment of cancer. Medicinal plants can activate defensive mechanisms upon exposure to pathogens, various chemicals, or physical stress. The present study aimed to determine the expression levels of phenylpropanoid pathway genes and accumulation of phenylpropanoids in A.rugosa plantlets in response to acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) treatment.ASM treatment stimulated the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes such as PAL, C4H, CHS, CHI, HPPR, TAT, and RAS after 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of cultivation. The expression pattern of the upstream and downstream phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes was directly proportional to the ASM exposure times. In particular, the expression level of the RAS gene was 1.59-, 2.88-, 1.36-, and 1.41-fold higher at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after ASM treatment, when compared to respective controls. The levels of rosmarinic acid, tilianin, and acacetin accumulation were comparatively2.28-, 1.88-, and 1.61-fold higher than those of the control after 7 days of ASM treatment. Among the phenylpropanoids examined, rosmarinic acid was highest (5 mg/g dry weight) in the control and ASM-treated plantlets. Our results indicated that ASM enhances the expression of genes related to phenylpropanoids and accumulation of phenylpropanoids during the development of A. rugosa plantlets.

KEYWORDS: Agastacherugosa; Acibenzolar-S-methyl; Phenylpropanoid genes; Rosmarinic acid; Tilianin

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