Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The response of terpenoids to exogenous gibberellic acid in Cannabis sativa L. at vegetative stage

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study the influence of gibberellic acid (GA3) on plastidic and cytosolic terpenoids and on two key enzymes, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), for terpenoid biosynthesis was compared in vegetative cannabis plants. Treatment with GA3 resulted in a decrease of DXS activity in comparison with the control plants. The amount of chlorophylls a, b and total carotenoids declined when plants treated by GA3 in a concentration dependent manner. The α-tocopherol content of cannabis plants decreased in 50 μM GA3 treatment and increased in 100 μM GA3 treatment. Exogenous GA3 caused an increase in HMGR activity. Concomitant with this result, the amount of squalene and phytosterols increased with GA3 treatment. The amount of THC and CBD did not change at 50 μM GA3 treatment, but applying of 100 μM GA3 increased THC and CBD content in leaf plant in comparison with control plants. GA3 treatment declined number and percentage of monoterpenes in treated plants. Also the number of sesquiterpenes decreased in response to GA3 treatment but among the remainder of them, the amount of some sesquiterpenes decreased and some sesquiterpenes increased with GA3 treatment. Our results showed that GA3 treatment had opposite effect on primary terpenoid biosynthesis by the plastidic 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) and mevalonate (MVA) pathways. But secondary terpenoids showed different response to GA3 treatment probably due to interference of two biosynthetic pathways in their formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

Abbreviations

GA3 :

Gibberellic acid

THC:

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

HMGR:

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase

DXS:

1-Deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase

MEP:

2-Methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate

MVA:

Mevalonate

References

  • Abdul Jaleel C, Gopi R, Manivannan P, Sankar B, Kishorekumar A, Panneerselvam R (2007) Antioxidant potentials and ajmalicine accumulation in Catharanthus roseus after treatment with gibberellic acid. Colloids Surf B Biointerf 60:195–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bora RK, Sarma CM (2006) Effect of gibberellic acid and cycocel on growth, yield and protein content of pea. Asi J Plant Sci 5:324–330

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Chem 72:248–254

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvo AP, Nicolas C, Lorenzo O, Nicolas G, Rodrıguez D (2004) Evidence for positive regulation by gibberellins and ethylene of ACC oxidase expression and activity during transition from dormancy to germination in Fagus sylvatica L. seeds. J Plant Growth Regul 23:44–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crowell EF, McGrath JM, Douches DS (2008) Accumulation of vitamin E in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers. Transgenic Res 17:205–217

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crozier A, Kamiya Y, Bishop G, Yokota T (2000) Biosynthesis of hormones and elicitor molecules. In: Buchanan BB, Gruissem W, Jones RL (eds) Biochemistry and molecular biology of plants. Amer Soc Plant Physiol, Rockville, pp 850–929

    Google Scholar 

  • Est’evez JM, Cantero A, Reindl A, Reichler S, Le’on P (2001) 1-Deoxy-d-Xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, limiting enzyme for plastidic isoprenoid biosynthesis in plants. J Biol Chem 276:22901–22909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fellermeier M, Eisenreich W, Bacher A, Zenk MH (2001) Biosynthesis of Cannabinoids: incorporation experiments with 13C-labeled glucoses. Eur J Biochem 268:1596–1604

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanno Y, Otomo K, Kenmoku H, Mitsuhashi W, Yamane H, Oikawa H, Toshima H, Matsuoka M, Sassa T, Toyomasu T (2006) Characterization of a rice gene family encoding type-A diterpene cyclases. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 70:1702–1710

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kato-Emori S, Higashi K, Hosoga K, Kobayashi T, Ezura H (2001) Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase in melon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus). Mol Genet Genomics 265:135–142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laule O, Furholz A, Chang HS, Zhu T, Wang X, Heifetz PB (2003) Crosstalk between cytosolic and plastidial pathways of isoprenoid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Biol 100:6866–6871

    Google Scholar 

  • Lange BM, Ghassemian M (2003) Genome organization in Arabidopsis thaliana: a survey for genes involved in isoprenoid and chlorophyll metabolism. Plant Mol Biol 51:925–948

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler HK, Rohmer M, Schwender J (1997) Two independent biochemical pathways for isopentenyl diphosphate and isoprenoid biosynthesis in higher plants. Physiol Plant 101:643–652

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Misra AN, Biswal UC (1980) Effect of phytohormones on chlorophyll degradation during aging of chloroplasts in vivo and in vitro. Protoplasma 105:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Monge E, Aguirre R, Blanco A (1994) Application of paclobutrazol and GA3 to adult peach trees: effects on nutritional status and photosynthetic pigments. J Plant Growth Regul 13:15–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olszewski N, Sun T, Gubler F (2002) Gibberellin signaling: biosynthesis, catabolism, and response pathways. Plant Cell 14:S61–S80

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panfili G, Fratianni A, Irano M (2003) Normal phase high-performance liquid method for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in cereals. J Agric Food Chem 51:3940–3944

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini M, Marchei E, Pacifici R, Pichini S (2005) A rapid and simple procedure for the determination of cannabinoids in hemp food products by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. J Pharma Biomed Anal 36:939–946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Querol J, Besumbes O, Lois LM, Boronat SO (2001) A fluorometric assay for the determination of 1-deoxy-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase activity. Anal Biochem 296:101–105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Razem FA, Baron K, Hill RD (2006) Turning on gibberellin and abscisic acid signaling. Curr Opin Plant Biol 9:454–459

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Concepcion M (2006) Early steps in isoprenoid biosynthesis: multilevel regulation of the supply of common precursors in plant cells. Phytochem Rev 5:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rohmer M (1999) The discovery of a mevalonate-independent pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis in bacteria, algae and higher plants. Nat Prod Rep 16:565–574

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell DW, Davidson H (1982) Regulation of cytosolic HMG-CoA reductase activity in pea seedlings: contrasting responses to different hormones, and hormone product interaction, suggest hormonal modulation of activity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 104:1537–1543

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szymanska R, Kruk J (2008) α-Tocopherol content and isomers’ composition in selected plant species. Plant Physiol Biochem 46:29–33

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toroser D, Huber SC (1998) 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase kinase and sucrose-phosphate synthase kinase activities in cauliflower florets: Ca2+ dependence and substrate specificities. Arch Biochem Biophys 355:291–300

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Berg H, Faulks R, Granado HF, Hirschberg J, Olmedilla B, Sandmann G, Southon S, Stahl W (2000) The potential for the improvement of carotenoid levels in foods and the likely systemic effects. J Sci Food Agric 80:880–912

    Google Scholar 

  • Yim KO, Kwon YW, Bayer DE (1997) Growth responses and allocation of assimilates of rice seedlings by paclobutrazol and gibberellin treatment. J Plant Growth Regul 16:35–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran

    Hakimeh Mansouri & Zahra Asrar

  2. Division of Food Science, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland

    Ryszard Amarowicz

Authors
  1. Hakimeh Mansouri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zahra Asrar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ryszard Amarowicz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zahra Asrar.

Additional information

Communicated by P. Sowinski.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mansouri, H., Asrar, Z. & Amarowicz, R. The response of terpenoids to exogenous gibberellic acid in Cannabis sativa L. at vegetative stage. Acta Physiol Plant 33, 1085–1091 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0636-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0636-1

Keywords

Profiles

  1. Hakimeh Mansouri View author profile