S. R. Thengane

Bio: S. R. Thengane is an academic researcher from National Chemical Laboratory. The author has contributed to research in topics: Callus & Shoot. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 16 publications receiving 353 citations.

Direct shoot regeneration from node, internode, hypocotyl and embryo explants of Withania somnifera

Abstract: In vitro studies were initiated with Withania somnifera (L.) Dun. for rapid micropropagation of selected chemotypes using nodes, internodes, hypocotyls and embryo explants. Direct regeneration of shoot buds was observed in MS basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of either benzyladenine (BA) or thidiazouron (TDZ) depending on the explant. Nodal explants formed multiple shoots both from pre-existing and de novo buds on Murashige and Skoog's medium (MS) containing 0.1–5.0 mg l−1 BA and a ring of de novo shoot buds on MS medium containing 0.2 and 0.3 mg l−1 TDZ. Internodal explants formed shoot buds on MS with 1.0 and 5.0 mg l−1 BA while the hypocotyl explants gave rise to multiple shoots only on MS with 0.5 mg l−1 BA. Isolated embryos gave rise to many shoot buds on MS with 0.2 and 0.3 mg l−1 TDZ. The shoot buds elongated and rooted either on MS medium with 0.01 mg l−1 BA or on half strength MS medium lacking growth regulators, which depended upon the growth regulator used in the shoot bud induction medium. Except for the embryo-derived plantlets, all other plantlets could be acclimatized with 100% success.

Influence of medium composition on callus induction and camptothecin(s) accumulation in Nothapodytes foetida

Abstract: Camptothecin(s) production was examined in callus cultures derived from cotyledons of Nothapodytes foetida (Weigh) Sleumer. The calluses were grown on various combinations of Murashige and Skoog's basal media supplemented with auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), a-napthalene acetic acid (NAA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) with 6-benzyl aminopurine (BA)/kinetin in different concentrations. The presence of camptothecin (CPT) and 9-methoxycamptothecin (9-OMeCPT) were analyzed by HPLC in relation to the media composition. Hyper production of CPT(1.306% on dry wt. basis) was observed with a combination of 2,4-D with BA and 2,4,5-T and NAA in 1-month-old callus.

Anther culture in Helianthus annuus L., influence of genotype and culture conditions on embryo induction and plant regeneration.

Abstract: Production of microspore-derived embryos from cultured anthers is now a well established technique for the isolation of homozygous lines in many crop plants. We describe here a culture method for embryo induction and plant regeneration from anthers of four sunflower genotypes. For preliminary experiments, anthers of uninucleate microspores were cultured on four types of basal media viz., Murashige and Skoog's MS, Gamborg's B5, Nitsch and Nitsch, and White's W, supplemented with 1.0 mg/l 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine and 40 g/l sucrose. MS basal medium, being more responsive for embryo induction, was used for further experimentation. To optimise the culture requirement MS basal medium was supplemented with 0.2-2.0 mg/l 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.5 and 1.0 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine. The effect of cold pretreatment, hormone regime and sucrose concentration were tested for embryogenic efficiency. Genotype had a significant effect on the capacity of embryo induction. Addition of silver nitrate (2.5 mg/l), an ethylene inhibitor, stimulated embryo germination. Plantlets were obtained (10-15%) from embryos of only one genotype.

Effect of thidiazuron on adventitious shoot regeneration from seedling explants of Nothapodytes foetida

Abstract: Regeneration of adventitious shoots from the medicinal plant Nothapodytes foetida (Weight) Sleumer Syn. Mappia foetida (family Ieacinaceceae) has been achieved using different seedling explants. Direct, regeneration of shoot buds was observed in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of thidiazuron. The optimum levels of thidiazuron concentrations were 0.91–4.45 μM. Leaf explants formed more shoots followed by hypocotyls or cotyledons. The shoot buds elongated and rooted on MS basal medium with N6-benzyladenine (0.88–2.22 μM) and indole-3-butyric acid (0.49 μM).

Stress and defense responses in plant secondary metabolites production

Abstract: In the growth condition(s) of plants, numerous secondary metabolites (SMs) are produced by them to serve variety of cellular functions essential for physiological processes, and recent increasing evidences have implicated stress and defense response signaling in their production. The type and concentration(s) of secondary molecule(s) produced by a plant are determined by the species, genotype, physiology, developmental stage and environmental factors during growth. This suggests the physiological adaptive responses employed by various plant taxonomic groups in coping with the stress and defensive stimuli. The past recent decades had witnessed renewed interest to study abiotic factors that influence secondary metabolism during in vitro and in vivo growth of plants. Application of molecular biology tools and techniques are facilitating understanding the signaling processes and pathways involved in the SMs production at subcellular, cellular, organ and whole plant systems during in vivo and in vitro growth, with application in metabolic engineering of biosynthetic pathways intermediates.

Current approaches toward production of secondary plant metabolites.

Abstract: Plants are the tremendous source for the discovery of new products with medicinal importance in drug development. Today several distinct chemicals derived from plants are important drugs, which are currently used in one or more countries in the world. Secondary metabolites are economically important as drugs, flavor and fragrances, dye and pigments, pesticides, and food additives. Many of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. The evolving commercial importance of secondary metabolites has in recent years resulted in a great interest in secondary metabolism, particularly in the possibility of altering the production of bioactive plant metabolites by means of tissue culture technology. Plant cell and tissue culture technologies can be established routinely under sterile conditions from explants, such as plant leaves, stems, roots, and meristems for both the ways for multiplication and extraction of secondary metabolites. In vitro production of secondary metabolite in plant cell suspension cultures has been reported from various medicinal plants, and bioreactors are the key step for their commercial production. Based on this lime light, the present review is aimed to cover phytotherapeutic application and recent advancement for the production of some important plant pharmaceuticals.

Plant cell cultures an alternative and efficient source for the production of biologically important secondary metabolites

Abstract: Plant cell culture systems represent a potential renewable source of valuable medici- nal compounds, flavors, fragrances, and colorants, which cannot be produced by microbial cells or chemical synthesis. Biotechnological applications of plant cell cultures presents the most up- dated reviews on current techniques in plant culture in the field. The evolving commercial im- portance of the secondary metabolites has in recent years resulted in a great interest, in secon- dary metabolism, and particularly in the possibility to alter the production of bioactive plant me- tabolites by means of cell culture technology. The principle advantage of this technology is that it may provide continuous, reliable source of plant pharmaceuticals and could be used for the large-scale culture of plant cells from which these metabolites can be extracted. In addition to its importance in the discovery of new medicines, plant cell culture technology plays an even more significant role in solving world hunger by developing agricultural crops that provide both higher yield and more resistance to pathogens and adverse environmental and climatic conditions. This paper describes the callus and suspension culture methods that we have established in our labo- ratory for the production of bioactive secondary metabolites from medicinal plants.

Production and engineering of terpenoids in plant cell culture

Abstract: Terpenoids are a diverse class of natural products that have many functions in the plant kingdom and in human health and nutrition. Their chemical diversity has led to the discovery of over 40,000 different structures, with several classes serving as important pharmaceutical agents, including the anticancer agents paclitaxel (Taxol) and terpenoid-derived indole alkaloids. Many terpenoid compounds are found in low yield from natural sources, so plant cell cultures have been investigated as an alternate production strategy. Metabolic engineering of whole plants and plant cell cultures is an effective tool to both increase terpenoid yield and alter terpenoid distribution for desired properties such as enhanced flavor, fragrance or color. Recent advances in defining terpenoid metabolic pathways, particularly in secondary metabolism, enhanced knowledge concerning regulation of terpenoid accumulation, and application of emerging plant systems biology approaches, have enabled metabolic engineering of terpenoid production. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of terpenoid metabolism, with a special focus on production of important pharmaceutically active secondary metabolic terpenoids in plant cell cultures. Strategies for defining pathways and uncovering rate-influencing steps in global metabolism, and applying this information for successful terpenoid metabolic engineering, are emphasized.

Thidiazuron: A multi-dimensional plant growth regulator

Abstract: Thidiazuron (TDZ) has gained a considerable attention during past decades due to its efficient role in plant cell and tissue culture. Wide array of physiological responses were observed in response to TDZ-application in different plant species. TDZ has shown both auxin and cytokinin like effects, although, chemically, it is totally different from commonly used auxins and cytokinins. A number of biological (physiological and biochemical) events in cells are induced or enhanced by TDZ, but the mode of action of TDZ is yet unknown. However, varieties of underlying mechanisms were revealed by reports showing how morphogenic events were induced by application of TDZ. Other reports showed that TDZ may modify endogenous plant growth regulators, either directly or indirectly and produce reactions in cell/tissue, necessary for its division/regeneration. Other possibilities include modification in cell membrane, energy levels, nutrient absorption, transport and assimilation, etc. In this review, recent advancements in TDZ application in plant sciences are discussed. Key words: Thidiazuron, plant growth regulators, somatic embryogenesis, regeneration, cell cultures, metabolism.