Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root induction in Taraxacum officinale and analysis of sesquiterpene lactones

Abstract

Hairy roots were efficiently induced from leaf and petiole explants of Taraxacum officinale after infection with the Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains A4 and ATCC 15834. The highest frequency of hairy root initiation was observed after transformation of leaf explants with the A4 strain. Hairy roots developed from leaf tissue produced more biomass than non-transformed roots. A quantitative study of sesquiterpene lactones showed that A. rhizogenes induced root cultures accumulated higher levels of these compounds than non-transformed and wild plant roots. The present results demonstrate that T. officinale hairy root culture is a valuable alternative approach for the production of sesquiterpene lactones.

Keywords:

• Taraxacum officinale
• Asteraceae
• hairy roots
• Agrobacterium rhizogenes
• sesquiterpene lactones
• HPLC

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. B. Sinilal for helpful discussion and critical proofreading of the manuscript. We also thank Dr. S. Soosai Raj for plant identification and authentication.