Biofortified Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Elicit Secondary Metabolite Production in Carob Callus via Biosynthetic Pathway Activation
Plant callus cultures are a sustainable alternative for producing bioactive secondary metabolites, but their low yields limit industrial applications. Carob (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i> L.) is rich in medicinally valuable compounds, yet conventional cultivation faces challenges. To address...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/14/2093 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Plant callus cultures are a sustainable alternative for producing bioactive secondary metabolites, but their low yields limit industrial applications. Carob (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i> L.) is rich in medicinally valuable compounds, yet conventional cultivation faces challenges. To address this, we use biofortified calcium phosphate nanoparticles, which refer to CaP-NPs that have been enriched with bioactive compounds via green synthesis using Jania rubens extract, thereby enhancing their functional properties as elicitors in carob callus. CaP-NPs were green-synthesized using <i>Jania rubens</i> extract and applied to 7-week-old callus cultures at 0, 25, 50, and 75 mg/L concentrations. At the optimal concentration (50 mg/L), CaP-NPs increased callus fresh weight by 23.9% and dry weight by 35.1%. At 50 mg/L CaP-NPs, phenolic content increased by 95.7%, flavonoids by 34.4%, tannins by 131.8%, and terpenoids by 211.9% compared to controls. Total antioxidant capacity rose by 76.2%, while oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) decreased by 34.8% and 14.1%, respectively. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of <i>PAL</i> (4-fold), <i>CHI</i> (3.15-fold), <i>FLS</i> (1.16-fold), <i>MVK</i> (8.3-fold), and <i>TA</i> (3.24-fold) at 50 mg/L CaP-NPs. Higher doses (75 mg/L) induced oxidative damage, demonstrating a hormetic threshold. These findings indicate that CaP-NPs effectively enhance secondary metabolite production in carob callus by modulating biosynthetic pathways and redox balance, offering a scalable, eco-friendly approach for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |