Sotolone Production by Hairy Root Cultures of Trigonella foenum-graecum in Airlift with Mesh Bioreactors

Abstract

3-Hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (sotolone) and 3-amino-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone, the postulated precursor of sotolone, were detected in hairy root cultures of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) by GC-MS. The hairy root cultures in both conical flasks and airlift with mesh bioreactors were achieved from hypocotyl of seedling by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. In flasks, the mathematical relationship between hairy root growth and conductivity was established and afterward used to evaluate the biomass evolution in bioreactor cultures due to the difficulty of obtaining direct biomass samples from the bioreactor. The GC-MS analyses of ethanolic extracts from hairy roots revealed the presence of two important compounds: sotolone (1.2% of the volatile fraction) and 3-amino-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (17% of the volatile fraction). These results point out that biotechnological production of sotolone in bioreactors is possible. Additionally, these hairy root cultures offer, for the first time, an excellent biological model to study the biosynthetic pathway of sotolone in fenugreek.

Yield enhancement strategies for the production of picroliv from hairy root culture ofPicrorhiza kurroaRoyle ex Benth.

“…25 The inability to grow with glucose as the sole carbon source has earlier been reported for hairy root cultures of Daucus carota and Armoracia rustica 30 which was in accordance with our observations. Comparatively better influence of fructose than glucose on the growth performance of hairy root cultures had been reported earlier in case of Tagetes laxa.…”

Analysis of Phytoconstituent Profile of Fenugreek – Trigonella Foenuem-Graecum L. – Seed Extracts

“…We have to admit that sotolone was also detected in fenugreek hairy root cultures [49]. The sotolone is known to impart powerful Madeira-oxidized-curry-walnut notes to various hydro-alcoholic beverages.…”

Volatiles responsible for the seasoning‐like flavour of cell cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus

“…[12,13] Little has been reported on cell culture approaches for the biotechnological generation of natural sotolon. Peraza-Luna et al [14] detected sotolon in hairy root cultures of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) in both flask cultures and an airlift bioreactor. Two papers [15,16] described the formation of sotolon A detailed analysis of the gluten hydolysates of L. sulphureus by means of HPLC with sensitive fluorescence detection gave a number of additional signals which could not be assigned to one of the amino acid standards.…”