TANNIN PRODUCTION IN HAIRY ROOT CULTURES OF LAWSONIA-INERMIS

Hairy root cultures of Lawsonia inermis, induced by a co-culture metho d using Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain NCIB 8196, were established an d the accumulation of phenolic constituents in the normal and transfor med root cultures were investigated. The hairy roots produced three po lyphenols, (+)-catechin (1), 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (2 ) and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (3), as confirmed by HP LC. The highest yields of hydrolyzable tannins, i.e. galloylglucoses ( 2 and 3), were observed in the transformed roots maintained in the dar k and cultured in hormone-free Murashige and Skoog liquid medium (0.43 % and 3.04% of dry weight for compounds 2 and 3, respectively). The ef fects of nutrient composition on tannin biosynthesis were investigated . This study demonstrated, for the first time, the capability of biosy nthesis of galloylglucoses in the transgenic L. inermis root cultures.