Glucosinolate biosynthesis in Eruca sativa

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry 2016-12, Vol.109, p.452-466
• Main Authors: Katsarou, Dimitra, Omirou, Michalis, Liadaki, Kalliopi, Tsikou, Daniela, Delis, Costas, Garagounis, Constantine, Krokida, Afrodite, Zambounis, Antonis, Papadopoulou, Kalliope K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - isolation & purification; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Biosynthesis; Brassicaceae; Brassicaceae - genetics; Brassicaceae - metabolism; Cancer cells; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cloning, Molecular; Cytotoxicity; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; Glucosinolates; Glucosinolates - biosynthesis; Glucosinolates - genetics; HeLa Cells; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; MCF-7 Cells; Nitrogen - metabolism; Phylogeny; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant nutrition; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Edible - metabolism; Stress, Physiological; Sulfur - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.10.024

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are a highly important group of secondary metabolites in the Caparalles order, both due to their significance in plant-biome interactions and to their chemoprotective properties. This study identified genes involved in all steps of aliphatic and indolic GSL biosynthesis in Eruca sativa, a cultivated plant closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana with agronomic and nutritional value. The impact of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) availability on GSL biosynthetic pathways at a transcriptional level, and on the final GSL content of plant leaf and root tissues, was investigated. N and S supply had a significant and interactive effect on the GSL content of leaves, in a structure-specific and tissue-dependent manner; the metabolites levels were significantly correlated with the relative expression of the genes involved in their biosynthesis. A more complex effect was observed in roots, where aliphatic and indolic GSLs and related biosynthetic genes responded differently to the various nutritional treatments suggesting that nitrogen and sulfur availability are important factors that control plant GSL content at a transcriptional level. The biological activity of extracts derived from these plants grown under the specific nutritional schemes was examined. N and S availability were found to significantly affect the cytotoxicity of E. sativa extracts on human cancer cells, supporting the notion that carefully designed nutritional schemes can promote the accumulation of chemoprotective substances in edible plants. •Genes involved in aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis in E. sativa are identified.•Nitrogen and sulfur are important factors that control GSL content at a transcriptional level.•A differential response to nutrient availability is observed in root and shoot.•Nutrient availability affects the cytotoxicity of plant extracts.