Effect of light quality on total gypenosides accumulation and related key enzyme gene expression in Gynostemma pentaphyllum / 中草药·英文版

ABSTRACT

Objective: Light quality has effect on the accumulation of gypenosides in the medicinal plant Gynostemma pentaphyllum in the family Cucurbitaceae, while the squalene synthase (SS) and squalene epoxidase (SE) are the key enzymes for gypenoside biosynthesis. The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between light quality and biosynthesis key enzyme involving the regulation of gypenoside accumulation. Methods: The content of total gypenosides was measured by colorimetric method and the expression of SS and SE gene was determined by quantitative Real-time PCR in the seedlings of G. pentaphyllum which were grown with different light quality. Results: Light quality showed remarkable impacts on the accumulation of total gypenosides. The highest content of total gypenosides in the plant under red light condition was determined, followed by blue light and white light, while the lowest content was recorded under dark condition. qRT-PCR analysis proved that the expression levels of SS and SE genes were also affected by light quality. The high-level gene expressions of SS and SE were found in the plant under red light condition, followed by blue light, with the least content in darkness. The statistical analysis revealed that the total gypenosides were significantly different in different light treatment and the content of total gypenosides was positively related to the expression of SS and SE genes. Conclusions: Light quality regulates gypenoside accumulation via altering the expression of SS and SE in G. pentaphyllum.