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Title: INCREASED LEVELS OF THE ANTHRAQUINONE HYPERICINS IN HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L.IN RESPONSE TO EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF METHYL JASMONATE AND SALICYLIC ACID

Author
item GIBSON, DONNA
item SIRVENT, TARA - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Phytochemical Society of North America Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2001
Publication Date: 8/15/2001
Citation: GIBSON, D.M., SIRVENT, T. INCREASED LEVELS OF THE ANTHRAQUINONE HYPERICINS IN HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L.IN RESPONSE TO EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF METHYL JASMONATE AND SALICYLIC ACID. PHYTOCHEMICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA PROCEEDINGS. 2001.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Phototoxins may play important roles in plant defenses, and their synthesis can be induced by pathogen and insect attack. Hypericins, a family of phototoxin anthraquinones in Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's Wort), exhibit anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-herbivore properties in vitro due to the formation of singlet oxygen when exposed to light. To determine ewhether hypericins are part of the plant defense system, we used meristem cultures to assess the effects of exposure to exogenous elicitor applications of 50 - 200uM of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and 1 - 5mM of salicylic acid. Levels of hypericins increased in response to both elicitor treatments with the highest increases in hypericins occurring in response to 200uM MeJA (levels were 3.75 times the control). Hypericin levels were 3.2 times greater than control plantlets when treated with 5 mM SA. The elevation of hypericins as a result from these elicitors may indicate that hypericins are components in inducible plant defense responses for H. perforatum.