The Biosynthesis of Non-Endogenous Apocarotenoids in Transgenic <em>Nicotiana glauca</em>
Xin Huang,
Lucía Morote,
Changfu Zhu,
Oussama Ahrazem,
Teresa Capell,
Paul Christou,
Lourdes Gómez-Gómez
Affiliations
Xin Huang
Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Lucía Morote
Department of Science and Agroforestal Technology and Genetics, Botanical Institut, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Changfu Zhu
Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Oussama Ahrazem
Department of Science and Agroforestal Technology and Genetics, Botanical Institut, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Teresa Capell
Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Paul Christou
Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Lourdes Gómez-Gómez
Department of Science and Agroforestal Technology and Genetics, Botanical Institut, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Crocins are high-value compounds with industrial and food applications. Saffron is currently the main source of these soluble pigments, but its high market price hinders its use by sectors, such as pharmaceutics. Enzymes involved in the production of these compounds have been identified in saffron, Buddleja, and gardenia. In this study, the enzyme from Buddleja, BdCCD4.1, was constitutively expressed in Nicotiana glauca, a tobacco species with carotenoid-pigmented petals. The transgenic lines produced significant levels of crocins in their leaves and petals. However, the accumulation of crocins was, in general, higher in the leaves than in the petals, reaching almost 302 µg/g DW. The production of crocins was associated with decreased levels of endogenous carotenoids, mainly β-carotene. The stability of crocins in leaf and petal tissues was evaluated after three years of storage, showing an average reduction of 58.06 ± 2.20% in the petals, and 78.37 ± 5.08% in the leaves. This study illustrates the use of BdCCD4.1 as an effective tool for crocin production in N. glauca and how the tissue has an important impact on the stability of produced high-value metabolites during storage.
