Profiling Changes in Gene-to-Metabolite Networks for Rosmarinic Acid and its Derivative Biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza Hairy Root Cultures Treated with Elicitors

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Dan-shen in Chinese), is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for improving body function, as well as for the treatment of cardiac symptoms. The phenolic acids such as rosmarinic acid (RA) and its derivative lithospermic acid B (LAB) aroused scientists interest in the last twenty years because of their notable pharmacological activities [1]. As for S. miltiorrhiza, hairy root cultures have been suggested to be more stable and efficient than cell suspension cultures in active constituent accumulation [2]. In our present study, we found that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and Ag+ could greatly enhance the phenolic acids at various levels. Meantime, several related gene transcripts and metabolites (intermediates) accumulations involved in RA synthesis pathway (1), in response to elicitors, were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Therefore, a gene-to-metabolite network for understanding of global responses to abiotic elicitation in S. miltiorrhiza is established, and a potential (putative) biosynthesis process form RA to LAB is presumed (2), which is now under intensive investigation by analysis of differential expression protein and precursor feeding experiment in our laboratory. Acknowledgements: This research was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (20572130, 30600807). References: [1] Liu AH, et al. (2006) J Pharm Biomed Anal, 41: 48–56. [2] Chen H, et al. (1999) J’Ind Microbio Biotechnol, 22: 133–138.