Flavonoid engineering of flax potentiate its biotechnological application

Abstract

BackgroundFlavonoids are a group of secondary plant metabolites important for plant growth and development. They show also a protective effect against colon and breast cancer, diabetes, hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis, lupus nephritis, and immune and inflammatory reactions. Thus, overproduction of these compounds in flax by genetic engineering method might potentiate biotechnological application of these plant products.ResultsFlax plants of third generation overexpressing key genes of flavonoid pathway cultivated in field were used as plant material throughout this study. The biochemical properties of seed, oil and seedcake extracts and fibre from natural and transgenic flax plants were compared. The data obtained suggests that the introduced genes were stably inherited and expressed through plant generations.Overproduction of flavonoid compounds resulted in increase of fatty acids accumulation in oil from transgenic seeds due to protection from oxidation offered during synthesis and seed maturation. The biochemical analysis of seedcake extracts from seeds of transgenic flax revealed significant increase in flavonoids (kaempferol), phenolic acids (coumaric, ferulic, synapic acids) and lignan content. Fibres, another product of flax plant showed increase in the level of catechine and acetylvanillone and decrease in phenolic acids upon flax modification.Biochemical analysis results were confirmed using IR spectroscopy. The integral intensities of IR bands have been used for identification of the component of phenylpropanoid pathway in oil, seedcake extract and fibre from control and transgenic flax. It was shown that levels of flavonoids, phenolic acids and lignans in oil and seedcake extract was higher in transgenic flax products compared to control. An FT-IR study of fibres confirmed the biochemical data and revealed that the arrangement of the cellulose polymer in the transgenic fibres differs from the control; in particular a significant decrease in the number of hydrogen bonds was detected.ConclusionsAll analysed products from generated transgenic plants were enriched with antioxidant compounds derived from phenylopropanoid pathway Thus the products provide valuable source of flavonoids, phenolic acids and lignan for biomedical application. The compounds composition and quantity from transgenic plants was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. Thus the infrared spectroscopy appeared to be suitable method for characterization of flax products.

Polyphenol content in cold-pressed cakes of conventional and genetically modified flax as factor affecting stability of the product in different laboratory storage conditions

“…The higher polyphenol content in cakes produced from genetically modified flax is in agreement with other studies (Żuk et al, 2011;Matusiewicz et al, 2015) and confirms the potential of the engineering methods of flavonoid modification in this plant and, as the consequence, in the by-products of oil pressing.…”

“…Flaxseeds are successfully used as food and feed (Żuk et al, 2011;Mercier et al, 2014). Among the types of flax are Linola seeds, which have high unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) contents, i.e.…”

“…The simultaneous overexpression of three cDNAs, derived from Petunia hybrida, coding for flavonoid biosynthesis pathway enzymes (W92 line) or the overexpression of glycosyltransferase from Solanum sogarandinum (GT line) result in a higher expression of polyphenols and their glycosides and an improved antioxidant capacity and accumulation of UFAs in the seeds (Lorenc-Kukuła et al, 2009;Żuk et al, 2011).…”

“…Polyphenols escape cold oil pressing from flaxseeds and are present in the flax cake -a by-product of the process. Flax cake has a high nutrient and energy contents and is utilized for production of functional foods and feeds, value-added products (Żuk et al, 2011;Matusiewicz et al, 2015).…”

The effect of different seeding densities of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on flax flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

“…A genetically modifi ed type of L. usitatissimum (cv. Linola) overproducing fl avonoids (Zuk et al 2011) was used. Plants were grown on 15 m 2 plots (10 × 1.5 m, row spacing 30 cm) of sandy soil.…”