Histochemical and ultrastructural localization of triterpene saponins in Medicago truncatula.

Publisher: Wiley-Liss Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9203012 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1097-0029 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1059910X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Microsc Res Tech Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: New York, NY : Wiley-Liss, c1992-

Medicago truncatula*/ultrastructure ; Medicago truncatula*/metabolism ; Medicago truncatula*/chemistry ; Saponins*/metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission* ; Triterpenes*/metabolism ; Triterpenes*/chemistry ; Plant Roots*/chemistry ; Plant Roots*/ultrastructure ; Plant Leaves*/chemistry ; Plant Leaves*/ultrastructure; Plant Stems/chemistry ; Plant Stems/ultrastructure ; Phloem/ultrastructure ; Phloem/chemistry ; Phloem/metabolism ; Histocytochemistry ; Chloroplasts/ultrastructure ; Chloroplasts/metabolism ; Chloroplasts/chemistry

In the Medicago genus, saponins are complex mixtures of triterpene pentacyclic glycosides extensively studied for their different and economically relevant biological and pharmaceutical properties. This research is aimed at determining for the first time the tissue and cellular localization of triterpene saponins in vegetative organs of Medicago truncatula, a model plant species for legumes, by histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that saponins are present mainly in the palisade mesophyll layer of leaves, whereas in stems they are mostly located in the primary phloem and the subepidermal cells of cortical parenchyma. In root tissue, saponins occur in the secondary phloem region. Transmission electron microscopy revealed prominent saponin accumulation within the leaf and stem chloroplasts, while in the roots the saponins are found in the vesicular structures. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy to localize M. truncatula saponins at tissue and cellular levels and provide important information for further studies on biosynthesis and regulation of valuable bioactive saponins on agronomic relevant Medicago spp., such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The Medicago genus represents a valuable rich source of saponins, one of the most interesting groups of secondary plant metabolites, which possess relevant biological and pharmacological properties. Plant tissue and cellular localization of saponins is of great importance to better understand their biological functions, biosynthetic pathway, and regulatory mechanisms. We elucidate the localization of saponins in Medicago truncatula with histochemical and transmission electron microscopy studies.
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Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR)

Keywords: CYP93E2; Medicago truncatula; histochemistry; localization; transmission electron microscopy; triterpene saponins

0 (Saponins)
0 (Triterpenes)

Date Created: 20240505 Date Completed: 20240801 Latest Revision: 20240801

20240801

10.1002/jemt.24591

38706034