Natural products derived from plant sources - known also as plant secondary metabolites (SMs) - are of great interest for pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and food supplements industries. SM biosynthesis in plants is subject to the influence of multiple factors and stimuli such as plant hormones, herbivore and pathogen-derived elicitors, as well as the abiotic environment. Plant-associated microbiota (such as endophytic bacteria and fungi) are tightly interacting with their hosts and they may induce host biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, endophytic bacteria and fungi themselves are known as producers of various SM compounds.
In the frame of the EU H2020 project “MICROMETABOLITE”, microbial communities of Boraginaceae plants, specifically from Alkanna tinctoria and Lithospermum erythrorhizon roots, are studied, in order to further investigate those interactions.
In more details, this study is focused on exploring the participation of microorganisms in the enhancement of plant SMs production, especially for the enantiomeric naphthoquinones, alkannin and shikonin, well known for their wound healing, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Eco-friendly and innovative technologies, like semi-hydroponic and in-vitro cultivation systems, integrating microorganisms in plant cultivation are developed, to determine the optimal cultivation conditions for producing the desired naphthoquinones. Furthermore, plants both from the wild collections and cultivations are sampled at several vegetation stages and subjected to detailed analysis of microbial communities and naphthoquinones. The ultimate goal is to establish a link between microorganisms and naphthoquinone production as well as to isolate microorganisms involved in naphthoquinone production. Finally this study will determine also the optimal cultivation conditions that should be used for Alkanna spp. in order to produce the desired naphthoquinones for industrial use.
Acknowledgments:
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 721635.