Effect of endophytic fungal elicitors on essential oil accumulation in cell suspension cultures of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum

Abstract

A Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao cell suspension culture system was established using four endophytic fungal elicitor strains, Penicillium commune (2J1), Neurospora crassa (3J1), Aspergillus fumigatus (5J2) and Penicillium paneum (YB) to explore the mechanisms underlying the effects of endophytic fungal elicitors on essential oil (1,8-cineole and α-terpineol) accumulation in suspension cells. Essential oil content reached a peak at 21d after treating cells with 40 mg/L 2J1 and 3J1. The contents of 1,8-cineole increased by 68.21 and 54.96% and those of α-terpineol increased by 218.51 and 207.65%, respectively. Synthesis of the essential oil of C. longepaniculatum was significantly enhanced within the elicitor concentration range of 20-60 mg/L and reached a maximum at 40 mg/L. Furthermore, the peroxidase (POD) content, catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of suspension cells increased significantly, and these increases were to an extent positively correlated with essential oil accumulation. No significant differences were detected between C. longepaniculatum cells treated with 5J2 and YB elicitors and the control group in terms of essential oil accumulation, CAT activity, and POD and MDA contents. The results showed that treatment with 2J1 and 3J1 elicitors could significantly increase the accumulation of essential oil in C. longepaniculatum cells.