In: Phyton, 51 Fasc. 1 (2011), S. 103-113, with 1 table and 3 figures

Key words: Ca2+ homeostasis, calmodulin, shikonin, Onosma paniculata, Boraginaceae, cell cultures.

Summary

Liu Z., Li Y., Yang T., Su J., Zhang M., Tian R., Li X., Pang Y., Qi J. & Yang Y. 2011. Shikonin accumulation is related to calcium homeostasis in Onosma paniculata cell cultures. – Phyton (Horn, Austria) 51 (1): 103–113, with 3 figures.

The involvement of calcium homeostasis and calmodulin in shikonin accumulation in Onosma paniculata Bur. & Franch cell cultures was studied by using pharmacological method. The results showed that the addition of excess Ca2+ and chelator, EGTA, to M9 production medium resulted in a reduction of shikonin formation, and shikonin production was completely suppressed by EGTA at 6 mM. Ca2+ channel blockers, verapamil and nifedipine, and Ca2+ ionophore A23187, exhibited a partial inhibition of shikonin accumulation. Furthermore, the addition of CaM antagonist, W-7 at 80 µM, completely inhibited shikonin accumulation. In contrast to W-7, the relatively inactive analog W-5 at equivalent concentration did not apparently influence shikonin production. These results indicated that calcium homeostasis and CaM-mediated Ca2+ signal sensing might be involved in shikonin accumulation in O. paniculata cell cultures.