Hairy root induction in Linum mucronatum ssp. mucronatum, an anti-tumor lignans producing plant

Abstract

Transgenic hairy root system is a promising source of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants with high pharmaceutical value. For the first time, hairy roots were established in different explants of Linum mucronatum, an anti-cancer agent producing plant, via a mikimopine type strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, 'A13'. The percentage of hairy root induction varied from 0 to 60% depended on the explants and hypocotyl (including cotyledonary node) explants were found to be highly susceptible to A. rhizogenes infection with the highest (60%) rate of hairy root induction. four different Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based liquid culture media were used for well establishment of hairy roots. Hairy root growth medium D (HRGM-D) containing hormone-free MS basal medium with an extra one day pre-incubation period at 35°C was found to be more efficient for profuse growth (fresh weight; 8500 mg per 25 ml culture medium) of hairy roots. Hairy root system presented in this study may offer a suitable platform for optimization and production of satisfactory level of aryltetralin lignans like podophyllotoxin and its derivatives from L. mucronatum.