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Planta Med 2016; 82(13): 1217-1223
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-108058
Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Studies
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Monitoring Metabolite Profiles of Cannabis sativa L. Trichomes during Flowering Period Using 1H NMR-Based Metabolomics and Real-Time PCR

Nizar Happyana
1   Department of Technical Biochemistry, Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
2   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
,
Oliver Kayser
1   Department of Technical Biochemistry, Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 06 January 2016
revised 21 April 2016

accepted 23 April 2016

Publication Date:
23 June 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Cannabis sativa trichomes are glandular structures predominantly responsible for the biosynthesis of cannabinoids, the biologically active compounds unique to this plant. To the best of our knowledge, most metabolomic works on C. sativa that have been reported previously focused their investigations on the flowers and leaves of this plant. In this study, 1H NMR-based metabolomics and real-time PCR analysis were applied for monitoring the metabolite profiles of C. sativa trichomes, variety Bediol, during the last 4 weeks of the flowering period. Partial least squares discriminant analysis models successfully classified metabolites of the trichomes based on the harvest time. Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (1) and cannabidiolic acid (2) constituted the vital differential components of the organic preparations, while asparagine, glutamine, fructose, and glucose proved to be their water-extracted counterparts. According to RT-PCR analysis, gene expression levels of olivetol synthase and olivetolic acid cyclase influenced the accumulation of cannabinoids in the Cannabis trichomes during the monitoring time. Moreover, quantitative 1H NMR and RT-PCR analysis of the Cannabis trichomes suggested that the gene regulation of cannabinoid biosynthesis in the C. sativa variety Bediol is unique when compared with other C. sativa varieties.

Key words

Cannabis sativa - Cannabaceae - trichomes - Metabolomics - RT-PCR - cannabinoid
 

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